WASTE RECYCLING CENTER

Abstract

Waste has been one of the major problems of the present world causing substantial environment impact and hazards in human health, worldwide. Rapid and haphazard urbanization along with unprecedented growth of urban population has directly served to generation of huge amount of unmanaged waste. The problem is severe in many developing nations and so is in Nepal. The most urbanized cities of Nepal, like Kathmandu lacks proper waste management infrastructures and facilities. While the generation of Municipal Solid Waste of Kathmandu Metropolitan City is about 600 tons/day, that is 50% of total waste of Kathmandu valley, there is no effective resource or infrastructures for recycling them. As a result, waste ends up in landfill sites, riverbanks and open spaces. Architects, however, are notably absent from the conceptualization, design and implementation of projects related to waste management facilities, which even worsens the case. This thesis tries to investigate the waste problem via the lens of design. This research aims to investigate and analyze present condition of municipal waste generation, composition and management in the Kathmandu valley. Also, it analyzes the changes and improvement needed on current MSWM system as it is ineffective and unsustainable. Thus, this thesis tries to interconnect the missing links between architecture and waste by design of a Waste Recycling Center for Kathmandu Metropolitan city. The thesis aims to generate a sustainable system of waste management within the design of public space, integrated in waste recycling facility that adds up value to architecture of such buildings otherwise considered dull and alienated.