Slient Currents Te Whakaoranga Taiao Whakamaharatanga by Yanci Chen and Jing Chen

Slient Currents Te Whakaoranga Taiao Whakamaharatanga by Yanci Chen and Jing Chen is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award Rino in Hoahoa Hua Toitū, Kaupapa me te Hoahoa Kākāriki Competition Category.

RinoHua Toitū· 2025

Slient Currents Te Whakaoranga Taiao Whakamaharatanga

by Yanci Chen and Jing Chen

Client: Ycj Studio

A' Design Award Rino Winner in Hua Toitū Category

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Verified Award Winner

Verify Award Status for #170460

View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Slient Currents Te Whakaoranga Taiao Whakamaharatanga

Ko Ngā Au Wahangū he kaupapa whakamaharatanga me te whakaoranga moana e whakaputa ana i tētahi wāhi whakamātautau karihi o mua hei rerenga tapu mō te moana. Ko ngā hanganga toka-ā-ringa i hangaia mai i te raima kirikōpū o te moana kua whakauruhia ki te konupūmohe hei tautoko i te tipu koraro me te kanorau koiora. Ko ngā ara whakawaipuku me ngā papa mātakitaki e mānu ana e taea ai e ngā manuhiri te tirotiro i te pūnaha hauropi e whakaora ana. Ko ngā pūkaha hiko tai e tuku hiko ana mō te wāhi. Ka hono te hoahoa i te maharatanga o ngā rā o mua ki te whakahou hauropi mō te wā roa.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award Rino

Ko Slient Currents Te Whakaoranga Taiao Whakamaharatanga te toa o te A' Design Award Rino, he whakaaetanga whai mana e hoatu ana ki ngā hoahoa pai e whakatutuki ana i ngā hiahia ngaio me te ahumahi e tūmanakohia ana mai i ngā mahi kua hoahoatia pai. Ko ngā toa Rino e whakaatu ana i te pukenga nui, te tohungatanga teitei, te māramatanga mātanga me te kaha auaha o ō rātou kaihanga. E tūmanakohia ana ko Slient Currents Te Whakaoranga Taiao Whakamaharatanga he mahi whakanuia, whakamīharotia, aroha nui, he whaihua, he auaha hoki. Ko tēnei hoahoa i toa i te Rino e whakakotahi ana i ngā tikanga pai rawa o te ahumahi, ā, he āhuatanga hangarau pūkenga tōna e hono ana ki te mōhio me te pūmanawa. E whakahonoretia ana a Slient Currents Te Whakaoranga Taiao Whakamaharatanga mō tōna tōtika, ā, i hoahoatia hei whakapai ake i te kounga o te oranga me te āwhina i te ao kia pai ake.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Silent Currents is a memorial and ecological restoration project that transforms a former nuclear test site into a thriving marine sanctuary. The design fosters reef regeneration through artificial reef structures made from eco-friendly marine concrete, accelerating coral growth. Submerged pathways and floating observation points allow visitors to witness marine revival, while integrated tidal energy systems symbolize a transition to sustainable coexistence, merging memory with renewal.
Dimensions & Packaging: Silent Currents spans a 5,000m² marine restoration zone, with artificial reef structures ranging from 2,000mm to 5,000mm in height to support diverse marine habitats. Submerged pathways extend 1,500mm wide, allowing controlled visitor access. Floating observation platforms measure 10,000mm in diameter, integrating tidal energy systems. The site is designed for gradual ecological adaptation, ensuring long-term biodiversity and marine life regeneration.
Tags: marine restoration, artificial reef, tidal energy, ecological memorial, coral regeneration, underwater architecture, sustainable design, nuclear test site transformation, biodiversity conservation, submerged pathways
Production Technology: Silent Currents employs marine-grade concrete infused with calcium carbonate to accelerate coral growth and restore marine biodiversity. 3D-printed reef structures optimize surface texture for marine life attachment, while submerged pathways and floating observation decks use recycled polymers and corrosion-resistant alloys. Tidal energy generators harness ocean currents for sustainable power, ensuring a self-sustaining, low-impact intervention that merges ecological restoration with memorialization.
Design Challenge: The biggest challenge in Silent Currents was transforming a contaminated nuclear test site into a thriving marine sanctuary. Internally, the design had to balance memorialization and ecological regeneration while respecting the site's tragic history. Externally, obstacles included data limitations on long-term radiation effects, marine ecosystem recovery rates, and legal restrictions on site intervention. Overcoming these required interdisciplinary research and innovative material solutions.
Research: Silent Currents is based on environmental and architectural research exploring post-nuclear site restoration. The objective was to rebuild marine ecosystems while creating a meaningful memorial. Methods included marine biology studies, site mapping, and material testing for reef structures. Data from oceanographers, ecologists, and engineers informed the design. Findings show artificial reefs accelerate biodiversity recovery, influencing sustainable restoration strategies and conservation policies.
Inspiration: Silent Currents is inspired by the devastating impact of nuclear testing on marine ecosystems and the urgent need for ecological restoration. The project reimagines a test site as a marine sanctuary, blending memorialization with environmental renewal. Drawing from research on coral rehabilitation, artificial reef technology, and tidal energy, it introduces submerged structures that support biodiversity while serving as a living monument to resilience and transformation.
Project Duration: Feburary 2025 Pacific Ocean
Operation Flow: Silent Currents invites visitors to experience marine restoration firsthand through floating observation decks and submerged pathways that offer a close view of regenerating ecosystems. Over time, the artificial reef structures become thriving habitats, transforming a once-devastated site into a sanctuary for marine life. The integration of tidal energy systems ensures sustainability, making the site both a memorial and a living example of environmental renewal.
Patents: Yanci Chen, Jing Chen
Team Members: Yanci Chen, Jing Chen
Image Credits: Yanci Chen, Jing Chen