Tokyo is running out of land with no place to put their trash. Their solution has been to create trash islands in Tokyo Bay. These islands are problematic in that they add to the stress of flooding from the Bay. My solution is to reimagine the mono-functional trash island as a multi-functional one that integrates trash with its energy production to sustain environments of leisure, comfort, and play.

Carving out spaces from the layers of trash, Trash City envisions a lifestyle in which waste is reimagined as a fundamental part to relaxation and living. The City aims to create a symbiotic cycle between trash production and reproduction from waste, while expanding into the bay.

The growing City will stand as a destination point for people and trash alike. What if trash can create comfort and solitude? What if trash can create a place of leisure? What if trash can reframe our vision of the city?

Course: Adv VI Studio, Spring 2018, Columbia GSAPP

Critic: Sarah Dunn and Martin Felsen, UrbanLab