The atelier brief for this project proposed the idea of creating a small-scale manufacturing centre focussed on craft and modern manual labour, as well as hopefully amending a current societal issue.

UK households waste 4.5 million tonnes of food per year worth £14billion and this amounts to roughly £700 for an average family with children per year.

I found that with no means of food recycling in the Nottingham area the amount of food sent to landfill continues to grow, I wanted to design an insect-based bioconversion food network centre that would naturally recycle the waste produced from up to 10% of households in Nottingham. This process is carried out by the Black Soldier Fly that consumes the waste as food and leaves the bi-product of larvae which can be used as a protein source for humans, and frass, which is essentially high grade top soil suitable for growing crops.

I will be creating a centre that collects and recycles Nottingham household waste; produces frass which will be used on site to maintain the internal gardens; and rears larvae, a protein rich sustainable food source. I have designed my building with the intention of making ‘eating bugs’ an interesting and exciting activity. At the core of the project there is transparency throughout the process which is approached in the most interactive way.

My building incorporates a rearing centre for larvae; gardens; a fresh fruit and veg market; outside street food dining; and fine dining; all centred around the incorporation of larvae.

I have used a rough, light pigmented concrete structure, abundance of vegetation and the inhabitation of cylindrical glass tubes that continue vertically through the building, piercing through each floor. Each cylinder has been specifically placed to reflect its spacial requirement following the architectural programme.