Proposal for a coastal machine that operates of as ‘climate interchange”

The commission was to propose a coastal machine, a metaphorical device capable of encapsulating the changing social and environmental processes that might impact upon our coastal regions over the next half century. Out of 6000 Miles of Scottish coastline we selected the rocky outcrop of Siccar Point where James Hutton in 1785 found visual confirmation in exposed geological strata for his theory on ‘unconformity’. Hutton perceived the world to be always changing, yielding to the powers of wind and water, heat and cold. Of equal interest, Siccar Point is in close vicinity of Thornes Nuclear Power Station. Our proposal for a coastal machine is that of as ‘climate interchange’. To counterattack the effect of global warming the proposal promotes the concept of local freezing and 'climate interchange' by using Torness Power Station along Scotland's East Coast as a giant cool box to create a nuclear-powered iceberg. The heat generated to cool the iceberg is used to create hot water lagoons in the nearby cement quarry, made a dazzling blue by the limestone rock formation. We believe that people hold a deep desire for climate change; it is after all the most important reason for selecting a holiday destination. The proposal was part of an exhibition about Scotland's coastline entitled 6,000 Miles organised by the Lighthouse, Scotland's Centre for Architecture, Design and the City.