Compost Tower

The compost tower is a proposal for a new kind of sustainable waste center for a future circular economy. When waste as a concept is eradicated, we can treat it as a nutrient or energy meant to be re-introduced to broader systems. The thesis proposes a facility for nutrient energy transformation and exchange. Within a circular economy, composting enables organic materials to be used beneficially as elements having a continued positive impact. Rather than being located outside the city, the thesis proposes that these systems will be closely intertwined within the urban fabric as a visible landmarks.

As vertical embodiments of aerated static pile composting, these new building types will also deal with municipal waste and offer landfill alternatives. Future waste is proposed as a resource with potential that can be re-introduced into water systems, energy, and heat. The thesis investigates the possibility of new typologies and a different architectural language after transitioning into a circular economy.