Two graduate students present a concept for a former harbor site in north Amsterdam exploring the benefits of phytoremediation.
In the world of modern architecture everything has to be sustainable. If this means that we have to take care of nature and use our resources wisely then maybe phytoremediation can be considered a sustainable method of re-designing highly polluted areas.
Healing, remediating, cleaning, and purifying contaminated soil using plants to extract pollutants is the method of phytoremediation. It is getting attention lately, as it appears to be an effective low-cost and sustainable alternative when dealing with polluted soils. Interlaced into a good landscape design strategy it can save money, improve quality of urban spaces, and provides active and aesthetic uses of polluted areas until they are safe for other uses.
Three categories of pollution were distinguished: heavily polluted soils, which will take up to 200 years to clean, medium polluted soils (about 60 years to clean), and clean soils. According to the level of pollution, the distribution of public spaces, land use, and accessibility of the areas are defined. Heavily polluted areas are completely closed to access during the purification process, but still visible, providing aesthetical sight of the landscape.
Via Lauren Moss