Waste is society's dirty secret. The majority of domestic rubbish ends up in landfill or is incinerated, away from the eyes of the public.

This project challenges this hidden cycle of waste and poses a new highly visible infrastructure where waste can be considered as a valuable resource. Sited within an existing housing estate, this project proposes a recycling and bathing centre, where a symbiotic relationship between waste, heating and recycled products allows residents to be more economical and connected to nature’s resources.

Phoenix Community Housing, who manage the estate, have to manage the issues of domestic waste, including antisocial behaviour and fly-tipping, both of which make the estate unpleasant to live in. This project tackles this problem through a communal recycling centre, where waste is shown to be useful. Recyclable plastics are collected from the flats through pneumatic tubes, to be repurposed in the centre's workshop after being processed. Non-recycled plastics and other waste are taken through cold plasma pyrolysis, a quiet process which generates electricity. This energy is used to power the housing estate as well as the internal bath house. The proposed centre is a beacon for the benefits of considering waste as a valuable resource.