Machine made landscapes

Abstract

The exploitation of resources and minerals from the earth’s surface for the benefits of mankind is a common practice all over the world for many decades. Usually, the excavation of mines and quarries is regarded as a purely economic process. There is no consideration about the way in which the excavations are changing the landscape spatially and the anticipation to an afterlife is not taken into account. Several countries are slowly realizing that such processes are detrimental to the landscape and have started thinking about rehabilitating the destroyed areas.

This landscape architecture design project is an attempt to explore excavation principles that adapt to the characteristics of the site and to “choreograph” a sand, clay and gravel quarry with the intention of facilitating ecological and recreational development. The park proposes routes and activities in which the experience of the unique spatial typologies formed by the excavators is at the center. The design is inspired by the spatial-visual experiences one gathers when one is at the top, in and around the vast space and its sections. In the tradition of European park architecture, loose organic and formal axial structures are combined to build up the scenic quarry choreography. Various minimal interventions capture the essence of a sand and clay quarry, creating curiosity and awareness about the landscape development of the site. This approach also helps to propose future possibilities for the part of the quarry which is yet to be excavated.

The design is a result of applying multiple excavation specific principles which can be tweaked to be applied to other quarrying sites as well. But because local geography and context heavily influence the application of these principles, they should be examined, questioned and translated into custom-made design. Once the land is exploited for its resources, it is very easy for a developer or any organization to further subject the land to economic exploitation without any consideration about the challenges and potentials the space possesses from a landscape perspective. However, the function(s) being employed on the land for economic viability must be carefully evaluated and a sensitive reading of the landscape can ensure an appropriate future usage. It should therefore be imperative for excavation companies to involve a landscape architect before the exploitation.