Bionic evolution

Abstract

Current toxic interactions between the systems of man, nature and machine in the diamond mining town of Cullinan are volatile and cannot be sustained. When the mine and the main economic system regress, how can the remaining dependent cultural and biophysical systems be sustained and what can Cullinan become after the demise of the machine? Impending deindustrialisation could mean that Cullinan will be silenced and its associated meaning and memory lost. The architecture of the Age of the Machine represents contemporary interactions between the biotic and bionic where industrial buildings, and the introverted town, reflect the dominance of the machine over nature. The objective of this dissertation is to set a precedent for place-responsive regenerative architecture within a post-mining context that is inspired by local nature and culture. An architecture that expresses a new co-evolving mutualistic relationship between the existing town and landscape (cultural and natural systems) will be considered. Programme: A local food hub The intention of this dissertation is to address the future shift of human communities and economic activities back to the alignment and synergy with life processes. A bionic evolution from the Age of the Machine, to the Age of Life is explored.