The Green Loop

Info & Images: Courtesy Present Architecture

Green Loop - aerial view towards Lower Manhattan

As part of its social responsibility initiative, Present Architecture from New York proposes a 360⁰ green solution that can combat millions of tons of waste into serene, usable land.

The Green Loop is a composting hub and park, and part of a larger proposal for a network of ten waterfront composting hubs in New York City. Equipped with a street-level composting facility with an elevated public park on top that’s large enough to accommodate anything from educational facilities and neighborhood gardens to cross-country skiing in the winter, this conceptual proposal of transforming millions of tons of trash is directed at alleviating two  major urban problems: open healthy public spaces and waste disposal.

 Street-Level composting facility

Given the fact that NYC produces over 14 Million tons of trash every year with most of it trucked long-haul to out-of-state landfills with an annual costing of more than $300 million; and that it has less open space per person than every major city in the country, the architects, who have a reputation of innovative solutions, have worked on a pragmatic POA that they hope will soon see the light of day.

Composting facility diagram

The Plan: involves building a Green Network along NYC’s 520 miles of waterfront addressing three important planning issues. First, to take advantage of the city’s existing transportation infrastructure, where trucks will deliver waste to a borough composting hub and barges and rail will transport finished compost products. 

  Aerial view of Green Loop network

Next, having a composting hub in each borough will address “borough equity” in waste management, where “Borough Equity” will ensure that every borough is responsible for processing its own waste instead of sending the entire city’s trash to one or two over-burdened boroughs. And lastly, location; NYC needs more open space, and as part of its Vision 2020: Comprehensive Waterfront Plan, this plan will steadily improve public access by developing the waterfront with parks, esplanades and bike paths. A network of Green Loops will link into the city’s developing shoreline.

Rooftop park & gardens

Rooftop park  - perspective

This proposal aims to create a network of composting parks processing organic waste (30% of NYC’s residential waste stream), while adding 125 acres of public park land. This means drastically reduced truck miles to landfills, decreased traffic, noise, and pollution, with the added benefits of safer streets, cleaner air, and fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Plus a new type of Public Park and a product for market - nutrient rich compost made in NYC.

Night-time view towards Lower Manhattan

Based on the hiccups and success of this concept, there is hope of applying a fine-tuned footprint to a greener world; or is this a lofty ideal?