Reappropriating post-industrial sites for environmental remediation: the adaptive reuse of Hollinger Gold Mine in Timmins
Date
2021-04-14
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Abstract
Over the course of the 20th century, precious metal mining flourished
in all parts of Northern Ontario. Ranging from small operations to large
scale corporations, thousands of mines assisted in the development
of various communities across the province. Today, many of those
infrastructure are abandoned and continue to cause environmental
damage. They however constitute important historical and cultural
artifacts for the local population. Therefore the thesis addresses the
question: how can industrial heritage principles guide the adaptive
reuse of abandoned mining structures to remediate the landscape they
inhabit? Stemming from writings on adaptive reuse, three main research
topics guide this thesis: 1) materiality; 2) spatial, visual and structural
qualities, and 3) sustainability and remediation. These existing historical
assets help determine design interventions, more specifically geared
towards the adaptive reuse of the Hollinger Gold Mine located in
Timmins. The project revolves around a program anchored on urban
agriculture, designed to counter the disassociation between the public
and the process of remediation. Blurring the lines of public and private
spaces, the project invites members of the community to savor locally
grown crops, within a historically rich, reused industrial landmark.
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Keywords
Industrial heritage, adaptive reuse, remediation, urban agriculture, mining, Northern Ontario