A Brownfield's Future

Abstract

Implementing creative methods to remediate and re-inhabit the post-industrial McLouth landscape, a brownfield located at the southern end of the Detroit River. The issue of Brownfield landscapes has been brought to the forefront of our attention due to the general de-industrialization of the United States. As contamination and derelict land became a larger issue in the United States, the Environmental protection agency was established. In order to make these places viable again, remediation and clever programming become a primary concern. The thesis inquiry intends to provide creative solutions to re-inhabit our post-industrial brownfield landscapes. Looking to local history, landowner intent, community desire, and bio-remediation tactics to propose of viable future for the former McLouth steel complex. A contextual analysis of the McLouth landscape was completed to understand the landscape throughout time. Additionally, precedents of successfully remediated and now productive landscapes are influential in the proposal for the future of McLouth. As the site enters into a period of remediation, a phased approach that implements productivity, education, and bio-remediation are the means necessary to usher in the future of McLouth. As our nation continues to de-industrialize we must reimagine how our post-industrial brownfield landscapes will be re-inhabited in the future.