Decomposition Reimagined

People’s perspective on decomposition varies—however, it is usually viewed negatively. Decomposition is often associated with decay and rot which is closely linked to dead matter, unpleasant smell, dirty or pests. While that is partially true, decomposition is also vital to the ecosystem.

This project aims to celebrate and appreciate mycelium in leaf litter as decomposers of the decomposition process. Mycelium is a root-like structure of a fungus consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae that release enzymes and absorb nutrients from its substrate, breaking them down into dead matter.

My intervention seeks to create an ideal environment for mycelial activity to thrive in the leaf litter, thereby promoting decomposition. Mycelial thrives best in two conditions: moisture and shade.
Shade is interlinked with moisture to a certain extent whereby if there is more shade the soil underneath would be able to retain moisture for a longer period. Shade is created by the canopy coverage of trees in the area. The site originally had a few large trees with wide canopy. Thus, most of the current trees will be retained while planting other trees, shrubs, and plants.

Moisture can be retained on the site by taking advantage of the sloping terrain by constructing swales and berms that aid in soil moisture retention through water capture by directing water flowing down the slope into a channel where the soil can gradually absorb it. This also increases groundwater reserves, resulting in higher moisture levels in the soil over time.

This project celebrates decomposition as a nutrient cycling process, creating an immersive experiential journey with different zones where people can interact with leaf litter and view it from various angles, allowing them to appreciate this intricate process role and how essential it is in the ecosystem.

Retaining Walls

These drawings zooms in on the retaining wall. These walls are built in a way where they follow a certain laguage of emerging from the original contour line while following the protection zone of the raintree and its roots, creating a drastic change in floor height. This will change parts of the original contour. These change in height allows peopleto view leaf litters at different eye.

The swales and berms are the driving force of the intervention to provide moisture to the space for mycelial activity to thrive. Moreover, the swales are where most of the leaf litters are collected due to the downward slope. The drawings shows the swales on the contour and certain activities for people to interact and appreciate the leaf litter and mycelium. The steps to cross the swales are designed so that water can flow through the swales and will appear differently with water levels. Additionlly, the water flow diagram shows how the swale is also sloped so that during rain, excessive water collected on the swales will flow to the retention pond at the bottom of the slope to prevent instances of waterlogging.