Plastic litter is a pressing environmental problem in many parts of the world, including Crew Bay, an informal settlement in Freetown. The area is densely populated but hardly developed. And the river that flows through it flushes vast amounts of trash into the sea. The project by Evgenii Varlygin, student at our department, envisages a three-stage low-tech intervention. First, the plastic is caught in a net that spans the river. Then it is collected and processed in a plant. It is separated from other collected waste, sorted, ground, heated to 200 °C with solar concentrators, and finally formed into new products, such as plastic building blocks. Jobs are created in all three phases. The proposed factory building incorporates recycled plastic panels and features an observation deck for visitors to view the manufacturing process. “The project uses simple means; the low-tech design pays attention to the climate and culture,” says Evgenii Varlygin. The jury considers the project a creative proposal that combines social, economic, and environmental benefits. “It goes beyond just solving the problem,” explains Marilyne Anderson: “It brings together job creation, leisure, and many more aspects into the question of plastic recycling.”
Further information on "Plastic Extractor in Sierra Leone: Multipurpose recycling facility - A multipurpose facility to collect and recycle plastic litter and enhance social and economic life in an informal settlement in Freetown." can be found on the award's website.
The project was supervised by Prof. Kéré at the Chair of Architectural Design and Participation.
About the LafargeHolcim Awards
The LafargeHolcim Award is one of the world’s most significant competitions for sustainable design. Projects and visions from architecture, engineering, urban planning, materials science, construction technology, and related fields are eligible for entry. 21 winners of the Next Generation category prizes were announced online (Varlygin's entry is presented starting at 9:30min), 33 Main category winning projects and their authors will be celebrated on November 13 together with the winners of the global Awards 2021 in Venice, Italy.