Retrofit

Retrofit was a very quick urban study, where I worked with two partners as part of my ecology class. We focused on revitalizing a hazardous site of historical importance in the Knoxville area, around the university we were studying at. I was working on this project around the same time as my Hortus project, so some of my research and experience bled through to this one. Both of my partners came from a background in ecology, so in addition to my knowledge of architecture and landscape, I was also the one making the graphics seen here.

Of the sites we could have chosen, we had to select a site that was previously contaminated by hazardous waste. Contamination could have occurred through countless ways, depending on the chemical, hazardous waste, or toxin used. The contaminant then affected how the clean-up effort and design went, as well as created the limitations on the future usage of the sites. In some situations, capping the waste or washing the soil were feasible solutions, while others it is a much more intensive process.

For our site, we focused on four major goals, which I explain a bit further on, in the boards I have included in the post. But those goals were:

1. Focus on handling the effects of the Superfund Site

2. Create an Education Facility

3. Promote Ecological Function

4. Create a Recreational Area