competition entry for Young Architecture Competitions (YAC)

Plastic Nave is a monument that shows the negative impact that plastic waste is having on our planet, the potential we have to solve the problem and create new life from the waste, and the power of community to come together to work towards solutions.

The plastic nave offers visitors a feeling of lightness and awe because of the height of the space and the light passing through the structure. Rails attached to the walls of the nave support a clear plastic ceiling that holds the waste collected over the course of the monument's tour and over time is lowered and expanded to hold more. Eventually visitors will feel the oppressive weight of the waste as it encroaches on them and blocks out the light.

PLAST-FRAME is a space frame structure made from plastic bottles and other reused materials. The modules are prefabricated and then assembled by hand on site with ladders and lifts. The nodes are made from folded laser-cut metal that can be reused for the duration of the tour and the struts are made from reused waterbottles that can be prefabricated on site by community volunteers. The modules have the potential to be used in other applications such as temporary pavilions or housing.