This conceptual project was imagined as a critical response to the understanding of ‘sustainability’ as a romantic pursuit led by the personification of a so-called ‘harmonious and benevolent mother nature’. While the original brief called for design-driven resettlement scenarios of an abandoned open-pit chrysotile mine in the community of Asbestos (QC), I was intereseted in the notion of the ‘anthropocene’: an idea within the scientific community which defines our unprecedented collective human agency on planet earth as a geological factor ‘in and of itself’ onto the landscape. Recognizing the ‘natural’ as an ideological construct, the proposal attempts to go beyond the de-facto architectural response to the problem (i.e. actively remediating the site and/or making it a ‘cultu-recreational’ tourist destination) and investigates the full scope of legislative and political opportunities for new types of radical intervention. The project was grounded in 8 weeks of intense reseach in the fields of bioremediation, reclamation, soil and hydology, as well as within the local and global context of political stakeholders, economic interests and legal procedures. The final proposal called for the governement’s expropriation of the land within the purview of the Québec Mining Act, and the creation of a network which studies the suitable organisms / timeframes involved in the sponteneous reclamation of the asbestos-covered substrate. The infrastructure hence acted as real-time ‘territorial barometer’ documenting the site’s natural revegetation process. The work was realized under the mentorship of Paula Meijerink, assistant professor at the Harvard GSD and founder of W.A.N.T.E.D. landscape architects. She presented the project at the Phyllis Lambert Territorial Infrastructures International Seminar held at UdeM in 2012.

1. Asbestos, QC CanadaThree Gorges Dam, Yichang, China
Precedent 1:

2. The Three Gorges Dam is the world’s largest and most powerful hydroelectric dam. Located on the Yangtze River, and straddling Hubei and Sichuan provinces, the dam stretches 2 km across and stands 185 meters high. Its completion
will result in the creation of an adjacent 600 km lake. The dam’s primary functions will be to generate electricity, control floods and provide for inland shipping. In full operation, this dam will generate 18,200 megawatts of electricity from
26 turbines. Construction, which began in 1993, is slated for completion by 2012. Budgeted investment is nearly $25 billion U.S. dollars, but some dam watchers say costs could rise to as much as $75 billion by completion.
To make room for the Three Gorges Dam, approximately 1.5 million people must be relocated and their livelihoods challenged (largest peacetime evacuation in history). Fertile agricultural lands and important cultural/historic sites will be
found submerged under a vast reservoir. By 2009, 13 major cities, 140 towns and over 1,300 villages, along with 1,600 factories and mines and an unknown number of farms will have vanished beneath its surface.

3. Engineers and geologists suspect that the strong earthquakes which have been China since 2003 are linked to the Three Gorges dam. The gigantic new artificial lakes made by the dam are sitting right above the fault lines of the earth’s crust.
In October 2006, just as the reservoir reached 156 metres (out of its 175 capacity) above sea level, the strongest earthquake to hit China's Hubei province in two decades shook an area near the Three Gorges dam, reaching a magnitude of
4.7. The tremor damaged thousands of houses and forced 5,860 people to leave their homes.
Some members of the international scientific community have called this the “First man-made earthquake.”.

4. Tiffany L. Barry, Department of Earth Sciences, The Open University (Milton Keynes)
Paul R. Bown, Department of Earth Sciences, University College London (London)
Patrick Brenchley, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Liverpool (Liverpool)
Andrew Cale, Department of Palaeontology, Natural History Museum (London)
David Cantrill, Royal Botanic Gardens (Melbourne)
Angela L. Coe, Department of Earth Sciences, The Open Univeristy (Milton Keynes)
Philip Gibbard, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge (Cambridge)
F. John Gregory, Department of Palaeontology, Natural History Museum (London)
Mark W. Hounslow, Center for Environmental Magnetism and Palaeomagnetism, Lancaster University (Lancaster)
Andrew C. Kerr, School of Earth Ocean and Planetary Sciences, Cardiff University (Cardiff)
Robert Knox, British Geological Survey (Nottinghamshire)
John Marshall, National Oceanography Center, University of Southampton (Southampton)
Micheal Oates, BG Group (Reading)
Paul Pearson, School of Earth Ocean and Planetary Sciences, Cardiff University (Cardiff)
John Powell, British Geological Survey (Nottinghamshire)
Peter Rawson, Scarborough Center for Environmental and Marine Sciences, Univeristy of Hull (Scarborough)
Alan Smith, Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge (Cambridge)
Philip Stone, British Geological Survey (Edinburgh)
Colin Waters, British Geological Survey (Nottinghamshire)
Mark Williams, Department of Geology, University of Leicester (Leicester)
Jan Zalasiewicz, Department of Geology, University of Leicester (Leicester)
Stratigraphy Commission of the Geological Society of London, 2008
ArewenowlivingintheAnthropocene?
newgeologicalepochtobeformallyacceptedintheGeologicaltimescale

5. Serpentine rock / asbestos formation
2.5 billion to 540 million years ago
Geological time scale
4.6 billion years ago to present
Grasses / trees become common
38 to 24 million years ago
Homo Sapiens accidentally discover fire and survive the last ice age
11 000 years ago
First books of the old testament are written
2 500 years ago
Late 18th century ?
Anthropocene epoch
Eon:
Era:
Period:
Epoch
"RocklessEon";SolidifyingofEarth'scontinentalandoceaniccrusts
Hadean eon
4.6 to 3.9 billion years ago
Archeozoic eon
3.9 to 2.5 billion years ago
Vendian/Ediacaran period
600 to 540 million years ago
Proterozoic eon
2.5 billion to 540 million years ago
Cambrian period
540 to 500 million years ago
Phanerozoic eon
Paleozoic era
540 to 248 million years ago
540 million years ago through today
Thefirstlifeformsevolve(one-celledorganisms);Blue-greenalgae,archaeans,andbacteriaappearinthesea(thisbeginstofreeoxygenintoatmosphere)
Firstmulticellularlife,multi-celledanimalsappear;Massextinctionoccurrs;Continentsmergeintosinglesupercontinent(Rodinia)
Manymarineinvertebrates,firstvertebrates;SupercontinentRodiniabeginstobreakintosmallercontinents(nocorrespondencetomodern-daylandmasses);Massextinctions(50%ofallanimalfamilies)causedbyglaciation
Triassic period
248 to 208 million years ago
Mesozoic era
248 to 65 million years ago
Firstdinosaursandmammals;Endswithminorextinction(35%ofallanimalfamilies)
Firstlargemammalsandprimitiveprimates
Jurassic period
208 to 146 million years ago
Manydinosaurs;Firstbirds,floweringplantsevolve;Endswithminorextinction
Lower epoch
Cretaceous period
146 to 65 million years ago
146 to 98 million years ago
Heydayofthedinosaurs;Earliest-knownbutterflies,snakes,ants,bees;Endswithminorextinction
Upper epoch
98 to 65 million years ago
Tertiary period
65 to 1.8 million years ago
Cenozoic era
65 million years ago to today
Paleocene epoch
65 to 54 million years ago
Firsthumans(Homosapiens)evolve;Massextinctionoflargemammalsandmanybirdscausedbylasticeage
Quaternary period
1.8 million years ago to today
Pleistocene epoch
1.8 million to 11 000 years ago
Humancivilization
Holocene epoch
11 000 years ago to today
Mammalsabound(rodents,primitivewhalesappear);Endswithminorextinction
Eocene epoch
54 to 38 million years ago
Manynewmammals(pigs,deer,cats);Grassesbecomecommon
Oligocene epoch
38 to 24 million years ago
Moremammals(horses,dogs,bears,modernbirds);SouthAmericanmonkeysandapesinsouthernEurope
Miocene epoch
24 to 5 million years ago
Firsthominids(australopithecines)
Pliocene epoch
5 to 1.8 million years ago
Hightectonicandvolcanicactivity;Continentshavemodern-daylook;Endswithlargeextinctionofdinosaursand50%ofmarineinvertebratespeciesduetoasteroidimpactorvolcanism
Ordovician Period
505 to 438 million years ago
Primitiveplantsappearonland;Highsealevels;Globalcoolingandglaciation,muchvolcanism;Endsinhugeextinctionduetoglaciation
Silurian Period
438 to 408 million years ago
Firstfish,vasculrarplants;Highseasworldwide
Devonian Period
408 to 360 million years ago
Fishandlandplantsbecomediverseandabundant;Firstamphibiansappear;Massextinctionwipesout30%ofanimalfamilies,causedbyglaciationormeteoriteimpact
Carboniferous Period
360 to 280 million years ago
Firstwingedinsects,reptiles;Manyferns;Firstmayfliesandcockroachesappear
280 to 248 million years ago
Permian Period
Amphibiansandreptilesdominant;Continentsmergeintosinglesuper-continent(Pangaea),Earth'satmosphereoxygenlevelsclosetomodernlevels;Endswithlargestmassextinction(50%ofanimalfamilies,95%ofmarinespeciesandmanytreescausedbyglaciationorvolcanism)
Serpentine rock / asbestos formation
2.5 billion to 540 million years ago
Grasses / trees become common
38 to 24 million years ago
Homo Sapiens accidentally discover fire and survive the last ice age
11 000 years ago
First books of the old testament are written
2 500 years ago
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Geological time scale
Changes in Physical Sedimentation
Dramatic increase in erosion & denudation of the continents
both directly (agriculture/construction) and indirectly (damming
of most major rivers) now exceeds natural sediment production
by an order of magnitude.
Carbon Cycle Perturbation / Temperature
Carbon dioxide levels are over a third higher than pre-industrial
time and anytime in the past 900 000 years, are are considered
to double by the end of the 21st century. This rate of change is
more rapid than the one associated with any other
glacial-interglacial transition.
Biotic change
The rate of biotic change may produce a major extinction event
analoguous to the ones taking place in the glacial-interglacial
transitions. The current effects are even more severe (due to the
anthropogenic fragmentation of natural ecosystems, escape
routes are fewer) and permanent (future evolution takes place
from surviving stock only).
Ocean change
Pre-industrial / mid-late Holocene sea level stability has followed
a 120 meter rise from the late Pleistocene level. Surface ocean
waters are also now 0.1 pH units more acidic due to anthropogenic
carbon release.
Late 18th century ?
Anthropocene epoch*
*
e i
de
us
n
ec
h
It is most reasonable for this unit to be considered at the epoch level. It is true that the long-term consequences of anthropogenic
change might be of sufficient magnitude to precipitate the return of Tertiary levels of ice volume, sea level and global temperature,
leading to major extinction events. However, given the uncertainties in future trajectories of climate, biodiversity and the action of
feedbacks in the earth’s systems, it is too early to state that the Quaternary period has come to an end.
Late 18th century ?
Anthropocene epoch*

6. earthquakes
volcanoes
plate tectonics
continental drifts
solar flares
sun spots
magnetic storms
magnetic reversal of the poles
comet/asteroid bombardments
worldwide floods/fires
tidal waves
cosmic rays
recurrent ice ages
mass extinctions
etc.
And now we want to save the landscape from chrysotile dust?
Maybe paradoxically we should reject the image of nature that we spontaneously take for granted (nature as a balanced harmonized circulation which is then destroyed through excessive human agency). Nature is not a harmonious pattern
of seasons, but in itself a series of mega catastrophes:

7. ?
Since “nature” is always the open space for radical otherness for humans, it has always been the space for ideological investment
In medieval times, nature was looked upon in
contemplation as the natural pyramid of creation
With the popularization of darwinism and the expansion of capitalism,
nature was conceptualized as the space for competitive struggle
Today’s predominant’s ideology is an “Ecology of fear”,
taking over the old religious fundamental function by
instituting an unquestionable authority which imposes
limits on our thinking:
In other words, there exists some sort of abstract
“natural maternal deity”, which we humans, with our
will to dominate it, disturb its patterns of balance
which somehow need to be restored.
This results in a deeply conservative discourse and
approach...
“We are some sort of abstract Cartesian subjects; in our exploitation of
natural resources we have been borrowing from the earth’s bounty,
we should therefore treat it with respect (as something sacred, a power
to trust, not dominate).”

8. Since “nature” is always the open space for radical otherness for humans, it has always been the space for ideological investment
In medieval times, nature was looked upon in
contemplation as the natural pyramid of creation
With the popularization of darwinism and the expansion of capitalism,
nature was conceptualized as the space for competitive struggle
Today’s predominant’s ideology is an “Ecology of fear”,
taking over the old religious fundamental function by
instituting an unquestionable authority which imposes
limits on our thinking:
In other words, there exists some sort of abstract
“natural maternal deity”, which we humans, with our
will to dominate it, disturb its patterns of balance
which somehow need to be restored.
This results in a deeply conservative discourse and
approach...
“We are some sort of abstract Cartesian subjects; in our exploitation of
natural resources we have been borrowing from the earth’s bounty,
we should therefore treat it with respect (as something sacred, a power
to trust, not dominate).”
?
The first premise of truly radical ecology is hence
to agree that “nature doesn’t exist” and attempt to
denaturalize ecology
ECOLOGYWITHOUT NATURE

9. Attempt to “naturalize” the site
Take for granted that the site needs to become a “destination”
1)
2)

10. Asbestos, QC CanadaBalangero Mine (Turin), Northern Italy
Precedent 2:

11. The Balangero asbestos mine is located at the outlet of the Lanzo Valley, nearly 30 km away from Turin. As the site was progressively abandonned (from the 1970s until the definite mine closure in 1990), the area was being identified as a
national interest site for remediation. Plant and lichen phytosociological studies have been applied to the mine in order to study the rate of natural remediation without the interference of human agents.
Vegetation relevés and maps surveys have shown that plants and lichens develop spontaneously on the asbestos-rich substrates. Early colonization stages with low-covering hyperaccumulators (Thlaspi sylvium, Minuartia laricifolia, Thymus
alpestris, T. cfr. humifusus) are followed decades later by mature plant communities, completely covering the asbestos-rich debris and thereby limiting the dispersion of fibres. Without the burden of human occupation,these plants and lichens
act as spontaneous bioattenuating and bioremediating agents in the ecological recovery of the area. (Favero-Longo et al. 2006:190)
Increasing knowledge of the response of plants to their environment is creating new paradigms for plant environmental control; in order to develop new bio-response feedback control systems, the primary concern is to develop innovative and
functional non-invasive technique for monitoring the terrain.

12. 10
yearsafterabandonmentofminingactivities
20
30
40
50
60
70
Scoliciosporum group (lichens)
source: S. E. FAVERO-LONGO, C. SINISCALCO & R. PIERVITTORI. “Plant and lichen colonization in an asbestos mine: Spontaneous bioattenuation limits air dispersion of fibres.”Plant Biosystems, Vol. 140, No. 2, July 2006, pp. 190 – 205
Mixed broadleaves wood (trees)
Festuca group (plants)
Thymus group (plants)
Metallophytic group (plants)
Xanthoparmelia group (lichens)
Chasmoendolithic group (lichens)
Candelariella group (lichens)
Bioremediation at Balangero Asbestos Mine, ITA (no intervention)

13. Attempt to “naturalize” the site
Take for granted that the site needs to become a “destination”
1)
2)

14. Asbestos, QC Canada
Project:

17. Evaluate stages and times of colonization dynamics
for various plant & lichen communities
Establish the role of spontaneous recolonization in covering
asbestos-rich substrates
Identify suitable organisms & timeframes for revegetation
1)
2)
3)