Gerrell Wilson

problem:

one of the top thirty dirtiest ecosystems in the world, the Matanza-Riachuelo river at sixty four kilometers long, encounters fourteen municipalities, several villas, thirteen slums, forty two open dumps, 3.500 factories and ten percent of Argentina’s entire population. Heavy metals consisting of: lead, chromium, mercury, zinc etc coupled with organic compounds contaminant the river. Though a problem for all, the ecological mayhem occurring in the Riachuelo is disproportionately absorbed by the poor who inhabit the region.

solution:

Nevertheless, a major source of water for the region, the river’s ecological degradation will be addressed with the primary institution of a constructed wetland sited in the barrio, La Boca. The wetland filtration installation will be structured for phytoremediation and removal of heavy metals in the river. Both naturally metal absorbent plants and native diatom/algae microorganism will be utilized in the process of metal extrication. In addition to the constructed “natural” wetland, an aquaculture zone with hydroponic chambers will be proposed. Edible hydrophytic plants (lotus, water chestnut, water spinach, watercress, taro etc.) provide, food, economic return, and a second phase in the rivers remediation; re-oxygenation will promote further biodiversity. Further exploiting the notion of emergent ecologies, the proposed building landscape will promote the cross-pollination of human ecologies; those from geographically segregated barrios La Boca and Avellaneda. The intrusion and intervention of the body within the interstitial space above the communicatively disembodying Riachuelo choreographs necessary dialogue between two historically marginalized communities. The bridging of ecologies is realized though the institution of a modern-day Ponte Vecchio, a river ecology education facility for the advocacy of ecological consciousness. The bridging landscape sutures the divided barrios via a continuous sequencing of reclaimed urban space in the form of streetscape, market, and park from the Club Atlético Boca Juniors in La Boca to Aveneda General Roca and Estadio de Racing Club in Avellaneda.

program:

A multifunction restoration project with, phytoremediation wetland, public forum, and programmed bridge structure, the site will headquarter the Riacheulo policing authority proposed by the current Argentinean government. The project will incorporate stationary and mobile laboratories, pedestrian vistas, and growing chambers, the latter producing plant specimens for future wetland installations in coincidence with Riachuelo tributaries