Evolo, Train-Scraper

Design

The world remains in a state of perpetual disaster, besieged by calamities both natural and man-made that shatter countless lives. In recent years, the once-peaceful world has been thrown into chaos by political tensions, natural catastrophes, and social upheaval. The devastating Ukraine War of 2022 saw innocent people driven from their homes and forced to flee the ambitions of warmongers. In Kiev, the aftermath of the war left a shattered and desolate wasteland, a place where rubble and debris littered the streets, where the air was thick with pollution, and where the waterways ran toxic with contamination. Humanity is caught off-guard by such catastrophic events time and time again, but even in the face of overwhelming destruction, the power of design can be harnessed to rehabilitate and rebuild cities after disasters.

Enter Nexus, a revolutionary typology developed specifically to restore cities ravaged by war. This skyscraping project utilizes the underground metro lines, the last bastion of safety in the battered city, as a network for reconstruction. The Nexus project in Kiev will rise on the preserved metro lines of the city, with spiral train tracks ascending towards the sky at the intersection of the M3 and M4 metro lines. These tracks will support subway train car-sized living units that can be loaded from the outside. The primary function of the Nexus will be to address the post-war housing crisis by providing emergency living spaces on tower rails, with public and infrastructural areas built around the core.

Modules include various programs for people’s welfare from rich and cozy accommodation to well-equipped compact healthcare facilities. The main concern in the occupied areas is generating familiar and secure social spaces for the residents therefore many green areas are provided around the core to create walkable spaces. Another significant aspect is resource generation and management because of these facilities such as vertical agricultural modules and module-based waste management systems are provided.

Later on, these living modules will be connected to the metro lines and play an active role in rebuilding the city. Stockpiled modular living spaces will facilitate the healing of war-torn areas by providing vital resources through subway networks.

Beginning as a scalable, secure base for the production and distribution of resources, the Nexus tower will then expand its reach and assume a crucial spatial role within the city. Its infrastructural production capacity will include energy production to support the city as the modules are distributed throughout the urban landscape. Finally, when the war's deprivation has been eliminated, the tower will be stripped of all its functions, and its dismantled parts will be distributed throughout the city for future use.

Ultimately, the Nexus project will play a pivotal role in the city's healing process, serving as a central hub for transportation, community building, and sustainable living. It demonstrates that even in the midst of conflict and destruction, we can prioritize the environment and work towards a better future for all. A brighter tomorrow is within our grasp if we can harness the power of design to rebuild and revitalize our cities, even in the face of unimaginable devastation.