Juxtaposition Field. (Photoshop Collage)

How can we expose, manipulate and utilise grain elevators and their industrial journey to integrate and welcome surrounding residential streets and activate community? Thesis identifies the area of T’Dokske, Merksem, as an area of vast juxtaposition of form, scale, function, purpose, class, materiality, infrastructure, density and permeability. The neighbourhood consists of industrial and residential terrain. Mixed neighbourhoods are generally a positive thing, but in the case of T’Dokske they behave as numerous mono-functional areas, with a lack of integration. The residential / industrial clash is further enhanced by the lack of boundaries – there is no definition between residential and industrial, thus creating contested terrain. Due to the industrial / residential permeability, residents, pedestrians, cyclists, HGV’s, vans, cars, children, boats, commuters, workers all share the same spaces. Historically, industrial T’Dokske had a strong relationship with the residential core of Merksem, but now this no longer exists. The thesis aims to re-establish this.

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Anaerobic Digestion Park. (Physical Model, Photoshop Collage)

View from window of neighbouring street towards the new anaerobic digestion park.

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Productive Landscape. (Physical Model, Photoshop Collage)

Grain elevators provide a large blank screen for outdoor movies in the summer months.

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Storage tanks as Public Space. (Physical Model, Photoshop Collage)

Bio-waste from grain factories is turned into clean energy via the process of anaerobic digestion.

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Landscape for the community. (Physical Model, Photoshop Collage)

Someone takes a sunrise dip in the dock.

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Natural Elements. (Physical Model, Photoshop Collage)

Over time, anaerobic digestion tanks are left to allow nature to colonise and take over, blurring the line between industrial and natural landscape.

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AD Park Site Plan. (CAD line drawing)

Landscape plan showing anaerobic digesters as human-scale undulating parkland.

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Disconnection amongst Coexistence. (Site Photograph, Google Map Image)

The catalyst for the thesis project, when visiting Antwerp I was disturbed by the clash of residential and industrial terrain. T'Dokske (the docks) in Merksem, Antwerp, used to have a strong relationship with the industrial and residential context, but this no longer exists. However, the industrial / residential site is permeable, which means residents, pedestrians, cyclists, HGV’s, vans, cars, children, commuters, workers all share the same spaces. There is a severe lack of definition between industrial and residential thresholds, and thus feels uncomfortable.

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Desired Landscapes. (Site Photograph Collage / Site Photograph Collage with Yuppie Ranch House ELASTICOSPA + 3)

The industrial landscape of grain elevators produces clean bio-waste, which can be used as organic matter for the process of anaerobic digestion. This clean energy park could be used to create a new landscape for the community, as well as generating electricity and heat.

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Juxtaposition FieldJuxtaposition Field

(Site Video) grain factories - rice factory - hgvs – pedestrians – cyclists – can I walk here – road to nowhere – is that a pavement – is this a road – why is that man staring at me – whats that massive building behind that street - where is everyone – do people like living this close to industry – do people who live here work in industry - another lorry – should I be here – houses – industry – houses – industry – why are there no boundaries – what is residential and what is industrial – how did this happen – why did this happen – think Im walking on a road – smells like bread – can I buy bread – wheres bread – is this a pavement – a bridge - a park – a shop

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Nick Cherry is an architecture student interested primarily in the activation of unused urban spaces, the incorporation of landscape within these, and the importance of a shared public realm.
Nick incorporates life experience into his personal design and professional work. In 2018, while working for a small practice of three in London, Rabble Place, he observed how architecture can have a positive, tangible effect on people’s lives.
His dissertation explored the construction of a DIY skatepark in Glasgow, as an exemplary model of a community identifying, adapting, and re-claiming a derelict urban plot.
In 2019, he attended Civic House’s ‘Test Unit’ programme, collaborating with artists, sculptors, engineers, architects and members of the public. The theme ‘Material Flows’ raised issues surrounding climate change, re-use and recycling in the building industry.

Recently, Nick has taught at the Manchester School of Art, delivering tutorials to second year architecture students. This has deepened his understanding of the relationship between people, landscape and the built environment.