Bio Diesel Facility
Demolition & Preservation
The first step in rehabilitating this former coal fired power station is to gut and remove the existing structure while carefully preserving the brick shell. Within this space a new parking garage fits nearly perfect with enough room left over to house the fuel storage tanks below four levels of new public parking.
New Construction
The new building efficiently uses a minimum amount of site to maximize future development and provide green spaces for public use. The bottom floor has maximum glazing to showcase the bio-diesel facility within and circulation provides abundant views of New Orleans, The Mississippi River and the bio-Diesel facility Pre-Cast and In-situ concrete are the primary building materials chosen for their durability and resistance to hurricanes forces. Aluminum screens with anodized trim delineates the program beyond while also cutting down on natural light.
Landscaping
Rain gardens pick up excess rain run-off from the nearly flat site and nearby levee system. Southern Haws & Flowering Dogwoods (or similar) native trees and low lying bushes create a soft buffer between the street and structure. The rail trail extension will provide residents an up close experience with the pump station and process, educating the public on the benefits of bio-diesel.
Program
The Bio-Diesel facility is split into two divisions with one serving as the public education arm and the other one solely toward production. The balance of program is pushed upward to the second and third floors with circulation and support spaces already accounted for through this proposal’s rule-based design. The Tanks are also arranged in such a fashion that two different fuel mixes could be produced at the same time.
