Water Miner: PCWCP 5.0
Project City
Johannesburg, South Africa
Student Name
Fangyuan Sheng
Mingyang Sun
By 2025, frequent extreme weather and air pollution have rendered Johannesburg no longer suitable for human habitation on the ground. As a result, the residents of Johannesburg established an underground city by expanding old abandoned gold mines for survival. However, the worsening water crisis has made people realize that only by giving back to nature and restoring the ecological environment can they obtain stable and sustainable water resources capable of supporting habitation.
The people of Johannesburg have united to initiate the Plant Cultivation and Water Conservation Project (PCWCP), hoping to improve soil health and restore groundwater levels through technologically enabled plant cultivation. Through the efforts of several generations, the turning point came in 2050 brought on by PCWCP 5.0.
Johannesburg grew on the edge of the Witwatersrand Main Reef because of gold resources. But it locates in between two river catchments, and aside from a few small streams and artificial lakes, Johannesburg lacks water.
Johannesburg grew on the edge of the Witwatersrand Main Reef because of gold resources. But it locates in between two river catchments, and aside from a few small streams and artificial lakes, Johannesburg lacks water.
Through the contrast of accommodation conditions between the CBD and Soweto, the township, it is clear that racial segregation had a huge impact on city planning. In 1994, the system of racial segregation ended.
Through the contrast of accommodation conditions between the CBD and Soweto, the township, it is clear that racial segregation had a huge impact on city planning. In 1994, the system of racial segregation ended.
In the time of post-apartheid, the divide of wealth and the inequality challenges persist in Johannesburg.
In the time of post-apartheid, the divide of wealth and the inequality challenges persist in Johannesburg.
This drawing elaborates the gold mines, and the abandoned ones are poisoning the environment due to dust pollution, radiation, and contaminated water.
This drawing elaborates the gold mines, and the abandoned ones are poisoning the environment due to dust pollution, radiation, and contaminated water.
Temperate Grassland
Urban flood + Drought + Water security
Risk of increased precipitation+ Risk of increased temperature
Temperate Grassland
Site Context
The gold mine and the processes of socio-spatial transformations in Johannesburg
Narrative
By 2025, frequent extreme weather and air pollution have made Johannesburg no longer suitable for human habitation on the ground. As a result, the residents of Johannesburg used advanced engineering technology to develop the underground structure of the former gold mining belt into a new underground refuge. Through 10 years of development, the new underground city has been developed through the optimization of a smart city management system that includes an environmental simulation system; an energy cycle system; a high-speed transportation system; and a mature disaster warning system. As a result, the underground city is able to meet the long-term residential needs of all Johannesburg residents.
Here, each resident has been allocated optimized living facilities including a smart living space; a 3D food printer; uniforms for collecting evaporated water; and protective clothing used to enter and exit the city above the ground. However, due to the lack of water resources, the government had to assign limited water to each resident. Despite all efforts to reuse water, the allocated share has continued to decrease each year.
People quickly realized that the escalating water crisis was hindering the prosperity of the underground city. From 2035, people had tried to construct above ground infrastructures that collected precipitation in order to expand water resources. However, the huge demand for water adds to the burden on nature which was adversely impacted by these infrastructures. At the same time, extreme weather has led to unstable precipitation, coupled with the further decline of the groundwater level. Residents realized that only by restoring the ecological environment on the ground above can they obtain sustainable water resources to support life below. As a result, since 2035, more and more people have returned to the ground above to engage in research on green infrastructure and the optimization of water resources.
As part of this work, a large amount of former Township lands has been converted into experimental fields for ecological restoration. Only the commercial core of Johannesburg retained high-rise buildings as research centers, water monitoring labs, memorial towers, and entrances to the underground city. To achieve the common goal of "water prosperity", the boundaries and prejudices of race, class, and gender disappeared for the first time in Johannesburg.
2025
Establishment of underground city
2035
Precipitation collection
Start of PCWCP
2050
PCWCP 5.0
Of all the plans to solve the water crisis, the Plant Cultivation and Water Conservation Project (PCWCP) is the most ambitious plan. Its goal is to hybridize and cultivate new water-retaining plants under extreme weather conditions such as high temperature, water shortage, and occasional floods, and ultimately improve the soil environment and restore the groundwater level. With the implementation of plant cultivation in the PCWCP 1.0-4.0 programs, new man-made and diversified planting landscapes and ecosystems have been formed on the ground throughout Johannesburg. However, plants were still vulnerable to extreme weather and the water circulation system was very fragile. The turning point occurred in 2050, when the successful planting of plants from PCWCP 5.0 promoted the gradual restoration of the groundwater level, raising hopes for the integrated development of Johannesburg's above ground and underground cities.
Our story begins with the launch of Plant Cultivation and Water Conservation Project 5.0…
Storyboard
Intro
The township around Johannesburg was converted into production land.
A mechanical bird flies over the dry, cracked ground into the entrance to the underground city.
Underground City
The underground city is built on top of an existing gold mine tunnel, with residential units surrounding a central water storage tower.
The underground city is full of PCWCP ads.
The underground city is built on top of an existing gold mine tunnel, with residential units surrounding a central water storage tower.
PCWCP Lab
Laboratory. Seed view. Water Miner-0010 is looking out from the petri dish.
The alarm sounds and researchers gather in front of the screen. The screen shows real-time monitoring of the world on the ground. The flood is slowly collected by the water storage facility, the water level gradually drops, and the alarm sound stops slowly. But after the flood, most of the plants in the test field are washed away.
The researcher No.24 flies to the ground with the Water Miner-0010 seeds.
Laboratory. Seed view. Water Miner-0010 is looking out from the petri dish.
Above Ground
The entrance of the underground city is distributed on the part of the ground that was originally a gold mine belt, and there are many scattered reservoirs, rainwater collection devices and underground water intake devices around. A large number of township land on the ground has been converted into experimental fields for ecological restoration. Only the central city retained high-rise buildings as research centers, water monitoring labs, memorial towers, and entrances to the underground city.
The researcher planted the Water Miner-0010.
The entrance of the underground city is distributed on the part of the ground that was originally a gold mine belt, and there are many scattered reservoirs, rainwater collection devices and underground water intake devices around. A large number of township land on the ground has been converted into experimental fields for ecological restoration. Only the central city retained high-rise buildings as research centers, water monitoring labs, memorial towers, and entrances to the underground city.
Growing Process
Seeds are growing.
Seeds are growing.
However, the alarm sounds again during its growth. Dark clouds sweep over the city, and precipitation quickly piles up washing over the dry land, completely submerging it.
Seeds are growing.
Back to Ground
After the flood, the alarm goes off and the researcher no.24 returns to the field. She is happy to see that Water Miner-0010 has survived the disaster and grew rapidly after it. Looking up at the top of the plant, a real bird flies over.
There is a green scene on the ground, with various test fields and green water storage facilities. The original CBD has also begun to be rebuilt into a new technology city for memorial, research, and working. For the time being, people have found a mode of living harmony with nature: living space underground, public space above ground. The above-ground public space is concentrated and occupies less land, and large areas of land return to nature.
After the flood, the alarm goes off and the researcher no.24 returns to the field. She is happy to see that Water Miner-0010 has survived the disaster and grew rapidly after it. Looking up at the top of the plant, a real bird flies over.
Gallery
Reference
site context:
Contemporary Artists:
Gerhard Marx: https://gerhardmarx.co.za/Transparent-Territory
Jessica Webster: https://www.goodman-gallery.com/store/shop?ref_id=33508
Nicholas Hlobo: https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/level-2-gallery-nicholas-hlobo/level-2-gallery-nicholas-hlobo
Traditional Artifacts:
Ndebele Wall Painting: https://www.ozy.com/true-and-stories/ndebele-wall-painting-much-more-than-meets-the-eye/82549/
Murals pattern and color:
http://arthistoryalex.tripod.com/Africa/AfricanHut/Ndebele/
Ndebele Jocolo - Married Woman’s Skirt:
https://vanessavillegas.com/project/ndebele-jocolo-for-sale
Zulu Vessel for Serving Beer:
https://www.artic.edu/artworks/185691/vessel-for-serving-beer-izikhamba
African Zulu Swazi Drum:
https://www.africancraftsmarket.com/products/african-drums/Drum-Zulu.html
Zulu Ilala Palm Baskets/Ukhamba:
https://www.africancraftsmarket.com/products/african-woven-baskets/African-grass-woven-basket.html
IZIQHAZA Earplugs:
Landscape Investigation:
Overview and some interesting topics of Johannesburg (gold mine, township, inequality…): https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.18772/22014107656
History of Johannesburg: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Johannesburg
Geology: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witwatersrand
https://www.greenbiz.com/article/whats-left-wake-south-africas-abandoned-gold-mines
https://scenariojournal.com/article/gold-mining-exploits/
Apartheid: http://www.cndp.fr/crdp-reims/ressources/brochures/blphg/bul28/valleixjohannesburg.htm
Future Projection:
Demographic and population projection: https://population.un.org/wup/Country-Profiles/ https://sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/maps/gallery/search/2?facets=theme:health&facets=region:africa
Climate Change: https://www.preventionweb.net/english/professional/policies/v.php?id=38589
animation: