Cyrus Shek Yr 4

Bake and Blossom in Swanscombe Quarry This project envisions the sustainable transformation of an abandoned chalk quarry in Swanscombe, a site that has long disrupted major access routes to the town. Overlapping with future planning schemes such as the London Resort and SSSI, the project underscores the necessity of remediation before any development can proceed.

Central to the project is the innovative creation of soil from collected garden waste to produce compost, which will be used to fill the quarry. Trees will be planted to enhance the volume of compost and improve soil quality over time as they decay. This approach also involves using compost as an insulation material for the building, a solution that offers the added benefit of heating interior spaces and addressing significant energy consumption from space heating. The building’s design aims to achieve the Passivhaus standard in U-value by utilizing compost within the building envelope.

The dynamic nature of compost requires continuous aeration and movement, a challenge addressed by incorporating a conveyor belt system for automatic compost circulation. This system is designed to minimize mechanical reliance by using gravity- based aeration through a façade with a flipping plate, creating a distinctive architectural feature. The use of compost in this manner not only fills the quarry but also gradually restores the landscape, allowing for the cultivation of fruit trees and wheat to support a bakery school. The waste produced by the bakery and orchard will be recycled back into compost, forming a self-sustaining resource cycle.

This project offers numerous benefits, including improved accessibility by reconnecting the quarry with the town, reduced energy consumption through innovative compost insulation, and the restoration of biodiversity and the landscape.

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