An architecture of reclamation in the city of Sudbury: where land and water meet

Abstract

The City of Greater Sudbury is home to a unique terrain that has been shaped by many events throughout time. The culture of the place is deeply rooted in industry as well as distinctive landscape feature such as barren rock outcroppings and bounty of lakes. After a century of invasive mining activity, the landscape is being reclaimed and the city of rocks is shifting to a city of lakes. Thanks to re-greening efforts many of Sudbury’s 330 lakes have been brought back from their acidic state. However, urban development has created new challenges for lakes found within the city’s core. This thesis explores the potential for an architecture of reclamation that doesn’t impose itself on the land but aids in the rehabilitation and ecological functions of the specific site. The project is a piece within a complex ecosystem that provides stormwater management benefits, educational amenities and ecological regeneration. Within the riparian zone of Ramsey Lake, this proposal acts as a mediary for clean water environments, where land and water meet