“Man continues to mark the land relentlessly shaping the surface from wilderness to cultivation. Strategies of mechanization, the necessity of irrigation and the demands of inhabitation introduce a new order. So the “countryside” which has evolved over centuries can be described as under the influence of nature but under the CONTROL of man. The ‘natural’ landscape has taken on an artificial patination. Alien materials interrupt the process of growth and decay.”                 SMOUT|ALLEN Augmented Landscapes

The intent of the proposal is to study the redevelopment of the symbiotic relationship between man and nature as it relates to industry in the urban environment. Cities all over the world are faced with ecological degradation due to industrial waste and inefficient infrastructural processes. Through careful intervention, the processes can begin to work symbiotically to better the lives of the urban dweller while repairing the damaged environment.

In 1969 in Cleveland, Ohio, the Cuyahoga River caught fire due to the immense amount of pollution in the water. The fire led many people to flee the city for the suburbs.  To re-establish the connection back to the water, the filtration process must take place, for earth water and air. Through the temporal process of remediation, the urbanite is invited to observe and interact with the landscape. Over time, the site will allow for full public access and a reconnection to the water.
[Lake Erie and the Cuyahoga River]