TRANSFORMING WASTE INTO SUSTAINABLE MATERIAL RESOURCES
The goal is to convert various types of waste into sustainable resources, establishing a circular economy that enhances environmental benefits by repurposing waste, promoting renewable energy, and encouraging innovation in bioproducts.
This site, like many others around the world, holds the memories of a different time. What happens when a site like this can no longer serve its original purpose?
Challenges: One of the major contributors of CO₂ Emissions is the Petroleum industry. The petroleum industry sacrifices entire ecosystems for its short term goals. Generic plastic that’s being produced is a by-product of Petroleum production which accounts to 2.57 million tons. One of the other major issues Castellon is facing is under utilization of waste.
The Site
Broken System
The system relies heavily on fossil fuels and linear processes, resulting in inefficient resource use and fragmented innovation. Limited collaboration and outdated practices restrict the transition to a circular economy, hindering environmental, social, and economic sustainability goals.
System
Based on the available sustainable resources we developed a system that integrates renewable energy sources like solar and wind with sustainable resource management to convert sea water, bio waste, agricultural waste, and food waste into valuable outputs.
Why Materials?
The initiative aims to transform public perception by developing an interactive, inclusive bio-based refinery experience in Valencia, emphasizing safety, sustainability, and innovation. Featuring bio-parks, workshops, and exhibitions, it fosters social inclusion, eco-tourism, job creation, and economic development while promoting sustainable alternatives to hazardous petroleum-based industries.
System
A circular system powered by solar and wind energy converts organic wastes into bioplastics, biochar, energy, and valuable byproducts like food, fertilizers, and essential oils, supporting sustainability and diverse industrial applications.
Masterplan 2050
The entire refinery is seamlessly integrated with the surrounding environment. Circular suspended walkways and engaging pathways within the eco-industrial area and the bio-community create an exciting place for people to explore. These connections allow visitors to experience the industry, the beach, and the beautiful bio-park in a unique and immersive way.
Analysis
An analysis reimagining an oil refinery as a sustainable eco-product factory, categorizing spaces for transformation (biorefineries, solar farms), retention (storage tanks, wastewater treatment), and deletion (chemical refining), showcasing a shift toward renewable energy, biomaterials, and environmental remediation processes.
The zones are individually planned to optimize functionality:
Zone A focuses on the production of bioplastics, biomass, and biochar, as well as refining city water and generating thermal energy.
Zone B is entirely dedicated to the Bio Community. It includes exhibition and workshop spaces, a community center, and accommodation for 300 residents in apartment housing, complete with essential amenities. A solar power station within this zone supplies energy to its facilities.
Zone C serves as an eco-industrial area centered on ecological activities, including a bio-park, eco-tourism, and seaweed farming. Visitors can explore the industrial area and observe ongoing activities on-site, making it a hub for both ecological engagement and education.
We added new connections to the site focusing on making the site more and more interesting & welcoming, where we are very well connecting the city to the site and beach next to our site, and further micro connectivity within the site to connect all the zones. The plan aims to establish strong connections between the site and surrounding areas. This includes linking nearby housing settlements, the large hotel district adjacent to the site, and attracting visitors from Castellón, other parts of Catalonia, and Valencia. These connections will enhance accessibility and promote tourism, making the site a key destination for ecological and industrial exploration.
The circular pathways and suspended walkways around the tankers and public buildings encourage slow, leisurely movement while maintaining a sense of seclusion. As people walk, their changing views spark curiosity and invite exploration. The curved paths also prevent direct views into housing clusters, enhancing privacy and creating a more peaceful, intimate environment.
The process began by clustering the various programs on the site using a metaball force field algorithm to create a field of influence around the disconnected elements. In this approach, large storage tanks and clusters of public spaces act as “metaball points,” each assigned an electrostatic charge. Larger tanks are given a greater charge, while smaller ones have a lesser charge.
As these charges expand, they naturally form clusters, shaping the site layout. These fields and paths are visualized as potential walkways for the public. The walkways are then further integrated with linear paths, providing functional connections to the surrounding external infrastructure.
The system on-site operates with a focus on sustainability and resource efficiency. Organic waste is brought to the import area, where it is processed in the plant’s pretreatment area and eco-factory. This process results in the production and storage of bioplastics, biochar, and other bio-products. City wastewater is treated at the water refinery on-site and then repurposed for irrigation in nearby agricultural lands and use in public areas on the site.
Energy for operations is sourced from the city, complemented by on-site generation. Biomass produced here powers the thermal power station, while solar panels generate additional energy. The resulting energy is distributed to both the plant and the bio-community, creating a self-sustaining system that integrates seamlessly with the surrounding environment.
The Plan transforms the site into a sustainable bio-based hub, integrating eco-industrial production, public spaces, and renewable energy. Featuring bio-parks, workshops, and seaweed farms, it fosters eco-tourism, education, and community engagement while promoting innovation and environmental consciousness.
The project envisions transforming industrial tank structures into public exhibition spaces, symbolizing a shift from fossil fuels to renewable futures. Utilizing existing structural elements—roof, walls, and floors—it integrates bioplastic facades, modular spaces for exhibitions, research, and restaurants, while incorporating thin-film solar panels for sustainable energy generation.
The building stands as a vivid testament to transformation, symbolizing the journey from a petroleum refinery to a sustainable waste refinery. Its facade seamlessly blends bio-plastics and solar panels, reflecting the fusion of innovation and environmental responsibility. The dynamic design, inspired by nature, transitions from industrial rigidity to organic fluidity, showcasing the shift toward a cleaner, greener future. The structure not only generates energy but also embodies the philosophy of regeneration, serving as both a functional workspace and a visual narrative of sustainable progress.
Vision 2050
