Szövetség 39

LOCATION: Budapest, Hungary

SUMMARY: “CALTROPe is an answer to the coastal land loss caused by sea level rise. With CALTROPe we aimed to create a holistic, socially involving, future-oriented and innovative architectural solution responding to this diverse problem. We are focusing on river deltas, one of the most threatened areas.

CALTROPe started out as an experimental architectural project, but it has come much further than that. CALTROPe works like a catalyst, provoking positive changes at the most critical shorelines while collecting the sediment transported by the river. The units are installed parallel to the shore, then mangrove saplings are planted into them. After 40 years the modules degrade and disappear. The system is tested with modeling and is currently under development for a pilot project.”

PROBLEM SPACE: Rising sea level and coastal erosion is not just a long term problem. River deltas are the most vulnerable areas because of their low altitude and high population density. Millions of people are losing their homes every day because the of the water. What we are trying to do, is to create a structure that can stop this erosion, and help local communities to set foot on their land again.

SOLUTION: CALTROPe is a lace-like modular structure that is able to catch and collect river sediment with the help of mangrove plants, so integrating natural and architectural elements. Acting like a catalyst, it will trigger positive changes at the most critical shoreline points by using the intricate root system of the architecturally supported mangrove plants. By placing the modules in the water near the shoreline in a given depth of water, we can create acceptable water level circumstances for the plants that would otherwise only grow in the intertidal zone. This way, plants can serve as an avant-garde defense line. By the time the plants grow strong enough to be self-supportive, the modules will have started to crumble away, and will eventually become an integral part of the already collected sedimentary layer providing further area for mangrove succession behind the CALTROPe line.

CONTACT: [email protected]