Abstract
Project Archipelago explores how integrative design can adapt decommissioned or planned marine infrastructure—like oil platforms and wind farms—to support marine ecosystems and increase biodiversity. Utilizing robotic fabrication, autonomous and remote monitoring, and bio-integrated materials, the proposal readapts industrial infrastructure into dynamic ecological and research platforms. In the North Sea, over 150 oil platforms face removal due to OSPAR law (1998), despite their role as habitats, including for species like Desmophyllum pertusum, a deep-sea coral. Global research shows oil rigs can foster rich marine life when left in place (Scarborough Bull & Love, 2019). These vertical structures provide rare surfaces across the water column, crucial for plankton and larval settlement (Coolen et al., 2019). Project Archipelago introduces 3D-printed modular units made from shell-based biocement to increase surface area and habitat diversity. Computational design enables testing of textures and forms that best support marine life. Using shell waste for biocement promotes circularity (Rupasinghe et al., 2024). Autonomous and AI-driven monitoring systems support real-time scientific observation (Marlow et al., 2024). With the upcoming installation of 20,000 wind turbines in the North Sea, the proposal also looks ahead to designing future infrastructure with ecological enhancement in mind.
