Regenerative Machines for Marine Food Production proposes a floating, modular system for food production and ecosystem regeneration in remote, climatically extreme environments like the Kawésqar National Reserve in Chilean Patagonia. It consists of habitable capsules with glulam structures, prefabricated systems, and reused flotation components from obsolete salmon farms. The project integrates polyculture systems of algae and mollusks, diversifying coastal food production and redefining the relationship between architecture and marine ecosystems.
The southern region of Chile—with its fragmented geography, remote fjords, and rich biological and sociocultural heritage—is the starting point for this project. It is a territory deeply affected by the expansion of industrial activities in its marine ecosystems, particularly salmon farming, even within protected areas such as the Kawésqar National Reserve. From this critical condition—but also from its vast potential—Regenerative Marine Farming Food Machines emerges as an architectural exploration of new ways of inhabiting and regenerating marine landscapes.
Historically, food-related architectures have been designed under purely functional logics, overlooking the cultural and ecosystemic dimensions of the territories in which they operate. This approach has contributed to the loss of resilience in coastal-marine systems, compromising not only food and water security but also the planet’s climate regulation.
Rooted in the southern territories but with global vision and reach, the project proposes an architectural model that bridges productive and regenerative logics. It integrates marine polyculture systems with floating, modular, and adaptive infrastructures. Rather than simply designing logistical platforms, it conceives architecture as an active agent within the ecosystem. The proposal reveals how food infrastructures impact both society and the natural environment—reminding us that every time we consume food, we are also consuming territories.
2024
2024
Kawésqar National Reserve, Puerto Natales, Magallanes Region, Chile
5000 - 10000m2
