AV Thesis

case no.

74 74 74 74remediat ion of the gowanus canal

This project is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies of Virginia Polytechnic Instiitute and State University.

Ben Johnson . Professor + project coordinator

Brian Katen . Associate Professor . advisor+ program chair . landscape architecture

AUTUMN VISCONTI

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acknowledgments.

thank you.

I would like to acknowledge and extend my heartfelt gratitude to the following persons who have made the

completion of this project possible:

My advisor, Brian Katen, for his vital encouragement, guidance, patience and support.

Terry Clements for her understanding and assistance.

Dean Bork, Wendy Jacobson, Mintai Kim, Ben Johnson, Patrick Miller and Dave McGill for the

extended help and inspiration

Teresa Phipps, for the constant reminders and much need motivation.

Rachel Gruzen, Environmental Consultant, and other members of my research team for assisting in the

collection of topics.

Lastly, I offer my regards to all those who supported me in any respect during the completion of my project

Most especially to my family and friends, and the “Fam” Jordan Clough, Kent Hipp, Ashleigh Marshall, Adam

Sexton, and Caroline Wallace – I love you all more than I can say.

oil slicker liquid petroleum

][

waters edge where the pavement meets the gravel

waters edge where the pavement meets the gravel

preface.

autumn f. visconti

My background in post-industrial landscapes began at first with an artistic impression a few years ago – finding

beauty out of toxic sites. By better understanding the process of remediation, I was able to move forward to

a particular site that would push me to learn not only the remediation of contaminated soils – but of polluted

water bodies. By obtaining an overall understanding of time, place, and cultural interaction – the Gowanus

Canal, located in Brooklyn, NY, has broadened my interest in remediation from the perspective of art – towards

landscape as a whole.

Remediation - the act of recovery, cultivating an environmentally degraded landscape through the means of

regeneration and remedial technologies.

][

[Case No. 74] is a EPA classi�ed Superfund site on the National Priority List. Superfund is the federal government’s program to clean up uncontrolled, hazardous waste sites. The case for Superfund designation is the cleaning and overall protection of the environment for the health its surrounding citizens. The Gowanus Canal was designated Superfund Status on the 2nd of March, 2010.

numbers

| canal length

| feet of width

| of completely failed bulkhead

| of contaminants

| past.present.future.4design interventions

1.8 miles

one hundred

15 percent

3 classes

1/3 grams per cubic centimeter

table of contents:

intro_

_conclusion

history of Gowanus Canal

trends of the Gowanus Canal

remediation of the Gowanus Canal

design of the Gowanus Canal

section_1 history ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

section_2 analysis /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

section_3 technology ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

section_4 design /////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

gowanus canal a confluence of infrastructures

introduction.

Jostled by an accelerated change of pace in the modern society of New York, the industrial environment of lower Brooklyn has degraded into shattered remnants of what it once was. This post-industrial landscape is a physical narrative telling the story on what lead to its demise. The landscape continually evolves, which requires thinking beyond the site’s de-industrialization. In this volatile context, a renewed interest in the Gowanus has emerged within the last two decades. Within this urban context, post-industrial waterfronts re-create occupiable space. At the same time, federal authorities raise the question of its contamination and the overall well-being of its surrounding communities.

The vacant corridor of the Gowanus Canal punctuates the landscape with unacceptable socioeconomic deterioration and abandonment. With potential for spontaneous and creative use, this site can become a place open to a new experience of the urban waterfront. The edge embraces not only the notion of openness, but also the natural processes of transformation and context.

][

introduction.

gowanus canal nature’s overture

the project.

It is my goal to explore the process of remediation beyond the means of just simply greening over the site. I want to integrate design with science in order to help transform a landscape that adapts towards specific needs and changes over time.

The exploration is to aim for an integration of technology and design in the experience of the Gowanus Canal. The overall reclamation of the site involves the application of research into a design solution. In order to reclaim the site an extensive amount of applied remedial technologies coupled with cultural investment must take place. The vision for this post-industrial site addresses the culture of its surrounding communities in order to make processes of remediation apparent. The establishment of remedial interventions will hold the capacity to jump-start the development over time of new experiences of this urban waterway.

][

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Just like the design process is an evolving progression, the interviewing process will change and grow as I learn more about my own experiences within our field of study.

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[social networking]

• Field of research• Developing relationships• Formulating inquiries• Cultivating research

research team.field of research beyond the realm of landscape architecture, and integrating specific components to among the social and ecological context.

inquires, which was applied to my senior project. By reaching within our university’s academic resources I was able to develop successful relationships with people who were working directly on my site in Brooklyn, NY. The social network became a vehicle for the research component of my 5th year project. This was done through formulating critical inquiries, expanding the

While continuing my discipline in landscape architecture, I closely realized how interrelated we are to other disciplines here at Virginia Tech. I took the opportunity to grasp all that is offered through our university by conducting a series of interviews with various department heads. The knowledge gained through this exercise helped me build a foundation of critical

recreate a new urban edge condition for the water

reactivate the educational and creative infrastructure

reflect the industrial history of the Gowanus Canal

integrate leading forms of remedial technologies

inhabit the natural cycles of each system

install a park that becomes process over time

social / / / / ecological / / / / investigating the hidden ecologies of the site through the application of research:

reevaluating the hidden potential of the site through its influence on culture:

site

region

region

goals:social / / / /

ecological / / / /

vegetation• Combine different mediums of

phytoremediation• Apply new mediums of

remedial technologies (active and passive)

[ecological objectives] • Make the processes of

remediation apparent.• Propose an ecological

framework as needed over time

• Clean and improve overall water quality

• Reestablish the integrity of the surrounding soil bodies

• Recreate aquatic habitats and

• Create public open space• Utilize on-surface parking lots and

vacant land/buildings• Stimulate economic growth

through new industries and businesses

[social objectives]• Connect existing cultural

institutions to the water’s edge• Link the ecology of the waterway

to social activities• Connect the existing creative

community through public awareness

• Trace the sites productive evolution of importing and exporting

• Create a better understanding of historical impact through education

goals + objectives.

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new

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[neighborhood] Gowanus is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn Community Board 6. The Gowanus Canal is situated between Redhook and Carroll Gardens on the west and Park Slope on the east. The Gowanus Neighborhood runs alongside and surrounds the Gowanus Canal, ending with the Gowanus Expressway to the south.

[the five boroughs]New York City is segmented into five boroughs for various reasons. Brooklyn is the city’s most populous borough and was an independent city until 1898. Though a part of New York City, Brooklyn maintains a distinct culture, independent art scene, and unique architectural heritage.

[new york city]New York City is one of the largest cities in the world. Its dense metropolitan center plays a critical role among the surround communities and boroughs in relation to being a world-class city.

[mid-atlantic states] While early settlers were mostly farmers, traders, and fishermen, the Mi-Atlantic states provided industry. Cities grew along major waterways. Such flourishing cities included New York City on the Hudson River.

gowanus context.

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head of the canal and southward to Hamilton Avenue Bridge. The 3 main turning basins together add 0.5 miles to the total length of the waterway. The study area encompasses the shoreline of the main channel of the canal north of Hamilton Avenue Bridge, the shoreline turning basins, and the surrounding land for one block inland.

[study area] The Gowanus Canal area is one-half mile south from the downtown Brooklyn central business district. The area is surrounded is surrounded by residential neighborhoods. The canal has 3 major spurs, also known as turning basins. The main channel is 1.3 miles long from flushing tunnel at the

canal context.

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It should be assumed that the environmental remediation of the site will be completed by key span prior to the start of construction.

site, the original goal of the site was to serve as a public space for the community. This should remain a requirement in the careful design and consideration of the outdoor space of the site as an additional programmatic piece of the project.

contain private/shared art studios, a storefront gallery/bar. These should be unique spaces displaying current forms and technology available in the architectural world as a means of inspiration for the visiting artists. As a “public place”

[competition brief] This competition proposes a new artists factory for the “public place” site. The proposal will be designed to both foster creative production and attract visitors to the factory and neighborhood. The factory will

lavender lake art factory.

sitegowanus canal

smith + 9th street subway stopf/g lines

above ground [+100’] subway trackf/g lines

multiple scales. A focus on cultural analysis within the surrounding neighborhoods will take place, as well as historical justification to the site, where Brooklyn Union Gas once stood. The design concept for the site speaks to the industrious nature of the site in relation to importing and exporting, holding versus transience.

sludge, and other toxic wastes. This created the problem of subsurface contamination. Over time, the site evolved into a barren lot where not industrial relics remain. The only evident trace left is within the soil body itself - a below surface toxic regime. The overall concept of diversity in contemporary art and design shall also be explored and allow for representation at

The parcel of land is adjacent to the Gowanus Canal and home of one of the first manufactured gas plants in the Greater New York area. This plant, which was constructed in 1860, used coal-gasification processes to produce fuel. The gas production and purification process usually produced by-products and residues that included coal-tars,

[concept development]

• Cultural analysis• Design exploration• Representing one site concept

upon multiple scales• Understanding historical

context

the competition.

1Mapping as synthesis_the evolution of the historic Gowanus Creek landscape from the tidal marsh lands into the transformation of a vacant industrial corridor.

history.

Remnants of Brooklyn’s industrious past can be derived from an archive of stories and memories over this

specific landscape. Reclaiming the site can uncover hidden dimensions of 19th century mass production and

20th century consumerism. As the surrounding urban population continues to grow, this void within the urban

fabric faces the obligation to change. Exploring the role as a landscape architect in guiding various remedial

technologies. Remediation can serve as a catalyst to revive the Gowanus Canal towards a sustainable

economic and ecological system. Once again, thriving as a working waterway that serves the surrounding

communities.

][

year | 18771photo credit: Brooklyn Historical Society

transportation, and processing of goods and services.

[1] Gowanus Canal, 1877[2] Gowanus Pumping Station, 1911[3] Union Street Bridge over Gowanus Canal, 1905

Canal is the only underdeveloped section of brownstone Brooklyn. In order to maintain the needs of the surrounding New York City metropolitan area during the mid 19th and 20th centuries the Gowanus Canal played a crucial role in the sequence of manufacturing,

[industrialization] Built in the mid-19thcentury where a creek once meandered, the Gowanus Canal served foundries, coal yards, paint and ink factories. Once know as the “Gashouse district,” the area around the Gowanus

historical profile.

[2]

[1] [3]

photo credit: Brooklyn Historical Society

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areas watershed demands reinvention of the pre-existing ecosystem.

[1] Gowanus Canal, 1876[2] Gowanus Housing Projects, 1994[3] Building the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, 1950

greatest pieces of industrial infrastructure in New York City. Over time, it became one of the most heavily contaminated water bodies in the nation. Now the changing context and function of the

Watershed. Subsequent industrial use further degraded the natural ecosystem of the surrounding area. Until recently, this practice was considered an unacceptable price to be paid for maintaining one of the

[post-industrial] In the early 1960s the canal became a derelict dumping place. The definitive ecological transformation began with permanent human-occupation of the Gowanus

historical profile.

[4] [6]

[5]



envir

onme

ntal +

socia

l mapping | gowanus The creek became the canal and the surrounding farmland a city.

1636 Dutch farmers began settling in a pristine wetland environment with many salt marshes and meadows. The local native population belonging to the Canarsee branch of the Lenape Nation begins to be displaced.

1645 a soldier in the service of the Dutch West India Company, built and operated the first gristmill patented in Nw York at Gowanus. The tide-water gristmill on the Gowanus was the first in the town of Breukelen and was the first mill ever operated in New Netherland.

1840 Officially mapped a rectangular grid system, and by the mid 1800s the City of Brooklyn began incorporating Gowanus Creek and surrounding areas.

1849 the New York Legislature authorized the construction of the Gowanus Canal by deepening Gowanus Creek, to transform it into a mile and a half long commercial waterway connected to Upper New York Bay.

1869 Dams, landfills, and straightening and bulkheading had significantly altered the physical and ecological characteristics of Gowanus Creek.

1886 The “Big Sewer” is constructed with raw sewage and combined sever overflows (CSO’s) discharged into the canal at Douglas Street.

1898 The canal is already being dredged every 2 years due to solid deposits from the CSO construction 12 years earlier.

1869 The Canal becomes a key maritime hub for Brooklyn. Major growth springs up as a result, with a round 700 industrial and residential buildings constructed per year.

1920 After World War I, with 6 million annual tons of cargo produced and trafficked though the waterway, the Gowanus Canal became the nation's busiest commercial canal, and arguably the most polluted.

1888 Carroll Street Bridge is constructed. This bridge is the oldest known horizontally sliding bridge in the nation.

1900 The Canal took on an iridescent purple sheen gaining it the nickname "lavender lake."

1948 80% of Brooklyn’s coal and oil comes through the canal.

1933 IND 9th Street subway station opens, with completion of the viaduct crossing the canal.

1964 The Gowanus Expressway opens (I-278) consolidating Moses’s earlier parkway project and crossing the canal along Hamilton Ave high viaduct.

1970 New York enters its post-industrial phase with over 50% of the property in the Gowanus goes unused and derelict.

1977 A Federal environmental study is released detailing the pollution levels and its effects on the Canal.

1971 The last dredging project was conducted by the USACE for navigational purposes. The dredging activity was limited to a small section of the head end at Butler Street, where 1,100 cubic yards of material was removed to facilitate construction. 1985 New York City Department of

Environmental Protections (NYCDEP) releases a plan for canal clean-up, including reactivating the flushing tunnel.

1998 The New propeller and pump system is activated in the flushing tunnel, which again allows clean oxygenated water to flow down the canal from Buttermilk Channel.

2002 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and NYCDEP report cites the canal still having very high concetrations of pathogens due to surface run-off; and its CSO’s.

2004 A keyspan study of remediation of the Public Place Site is delayed as more time is needed to understand the movement of underground contamination to adjacent sites.

2005 The NYS DEC beigns consideration of brownfield cleanup applications for several new Gowanus Canal redevelopment proposals including housing.

1911 The Gowanus Flushing Tunnel and pump station opens. It is designed to circulate freshwater from the Buttermilk Channel through the Canal and into the bay.

1955 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stops the regular dredging of the Gowanus Canal.

1961 The flushing tunnel is not maintained and the pump fails. As a result, the Canal becomes stagnant, bulkheads deteriorate, and pollution becomes increasingly worse.

2010+ The Canal becomes a new educational infrastructure to remediate both the natural and social ecologies of the Gowanus basin that now comprises different communities and fabrics.

[evolution] Understanding the influence of the site’s historical setting can play a specific role within the design of the project. I was able to create a link between the social imprints of the surrounding neighborhoods to the construction of the canal itself – this has allowed me to see how the Gowanus evolved over time. en

viron

menta

l + so

cial

mapping | gowanus The creek became the canal and the surrounding farmland a city.

1636 Dutch farmers began settling in a pristine wetland environment with many salt marshes and meadows. The local native population belonging to the Canarsee branch of the Lenape Nation begins to be displaced.

1645 a soldier in the service of the Dutch West India Company, built and operated the first gristmill patented in Nw York at Gowanus. The tide-water gristmill on the Gowanus was the first in the town of Breukelen and was the first mill ever operated in New Netherland.

1840 Officially mapped a rectangular grid system, and by the mid 1800s the City of Brooklyn began incorporating Gowanus Creek and surrounding areas.

1849 the New York Legislature authorized the construction of the Gowanus Canal by deepening Gowanus Creek, to transform it into a mile and a half long commercial waterway connected to Upper New York Bay.

1869 Dams, landfills, and straightening and bulkheading had significantly altered the physical and ecological characteristics of Gowanus Creek.

1886 The “Big Sewer” is constructed with raw sewage and combined sever overflows (CSO’s) discharged into the canal at Douglas Street.

1898 The canal is already being dredged every 2 years due to solid deposits from the CSO construction 12 years earlier.

1869 The Canal becomes a key maritime hub for Brooklyn. Major growth springs up as a result, with a round 700 industrial and residential buildings constructed per year.

1920 After World War I, with 6 million annual tons of cargo produced and trafficked though the waterway, the Gowanus Canal became the nation's busiest commercial canal, and arguably the most polluted.

1888 Carroll Street Bridge is constructed. This bridge is the oldest known horizontally sliding bridge in the nation.

1900 The Canal took on an iridescent purple sheen gaining it the nickname "lavender lake."

1948 80% of Brooklyn’s coal and oil comes through the canal.

1933 IND 9th Street subway station opens, with completion of the viaduct crossing the canal.

1964 The Gowanus Expressway opens (I-278) consolidating Moses’s earlier parkway project and crossing the canal along Hamilton Ave high viaduct.

1970 New York enters its post-industrial phase with over 50% of the property in the Gowanus goes unused and derelict.

1977 A Federal environmental study is released detailing the pollution levels and its effects on the Canal.

1971 The last dredging project was conducted by the USACE for navigational purposes. The dredging activity was limited to a small section of the head end at Butler Street, where 1,100 cubic yards of material was removed to facilitate construction. 1985 New York City Department of

Environmental Protections (NYCDEP) releases a plan for canal clean-up, including reactivating the flushing tunnel.

1998 The New propeller and pump system is activated in the flushing tunnel, which again allows clean oxygenated water to flow down the canal from Buttermilk Channel.

2002 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and NYCDEP report cites the canal still having very high concetrations of pathogens due to surface run-off; and its CSO’s.

2004 A keyspan study of remediation of the Public Place Site is delayed as more time is needed to understand the movement of underground contamination to adjacent sites.

2005 The NYS DEC beigns consideration of brownfield cleanup applications for several new Gowanus Canal redevelopment proposals including housing.

1911 The Gowanus Flushing Tunnel and pump station opens. It is designed to circulate freshwater from the Buttermilk Channel through the Canal and into the bay.

1955 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers stops the regular dredging of the Gowanus Canal.

1961 The flushing tunnel is not maintained and the pump fails. As a result, the Canal becomes stagnant, bulkheads deteriorate, and pollution becomes increasingly worse.

2010+ The Canal becomes a new educational infrastructure to remediate both the natural and social ecologies of the Gowanus basin that now comprises different communities and fabrics.

2Mapping as synthesis_ social occupancy within the surrounding neighborhoods and how each community interacts with the post-industrial void within the urban fabric.

9th street viaduct rail-line infrastructure

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existing conditions.

year | 2010

After over 100 years of vigorous industrial use, the Gowanus Canal has become a highly toxic waterway.

Construction of the canal spurred tremendous industrial development along its banks while the area remains

a vacant manufacturing hub of warehouses and parking surfaces. The city is proposing to rezone the area

along the Gowanus Canal to allow for mixed use, and residential buildings. As a part of the design speculation,

retaining and fostering the manufacturing buildings and structural integrity will protect area’s sense of place.

Beyond the notion of rezoning the land-use area, the canal’s serious environmental infrastructure challenges

human occupation among this toxic site.

][2

east-west cross road over canal

study area

signi cant maritime industrial area

manufacturing / vacant buildings

residential buildings

building footprint

area neighborhood

east-west cross road


north-south avenue

major north-south avenue

desolate streetways

street-end opportunity

subway stop

northgowanus canal |figure groundnorthgowanus canal |massing

northgowanus canal |circulationnorthgowanus canal |art studios

artist studios

art spaces

supporters

[artist studios] The artists and their work constitute a vital piece of the fabric of urban life by linking community together through the arts. By opening his/ her studio free to the public, an artist affords a community member a chance to encounter a new stimulating artistic environment, ask questions, and expand his/ her appreciation of visual arts as they are being created in the Gowanus section of Brooklyn.

[circulation] The street system is characterized by many streets ending on either side of the canal. Thus vehicular traffic is easier to the surrounding pedestrian movement. The study area is served by the. The canal interrupts the street grid, therefore, vehicular traffic circulation within the area is poor. Only 5 east to west streets cross the study area.

[massing] The area is characterized by smaller blocks and smaller building types than the south district. The southern portion of the site is characterized by larger blocks, buildings, and water-related industries. This area also features public transportation and a variety of industrial circulation services.

[figure ground] The Gowanus Canal is situated between Redhook and Carroll Gardens on the west and Park Slope to the east. The surrounding neighborhoods of the Gowanus Canal are characterized by smaller block size and shorter building heights. These residential neighborhoods (Park Slope and Carroll Gardens) bleed into the Gowanus area as close as one block away from the canal water body.

social condition.


study area

signi cant maritime industrial area

manufacturing / vacant buildings

residential buildings

building footprint

area neighborhood

east-west cross road


north-south avenue

major north-south avenue

desolate streetways

street-end opportunity

subway stop

northgowanus canal |figure groundnorthgowanus canal |massing

northgowanus canal |circulationnorthgowanus canal |art studios

artist studios

art spaces

supporters

Heavy Metal surface contaminantsLNAPL subsurface plumes

timber crib bulkheads

�ushing tunnel route

CSO outfalls

storm outfalls

DNAPL subsurface plumes

northgowanus canal |structuralnorthgowanus canal |Dnapl toxicity

northgowanus canal |Lnapl toxicitynorthgowanus canal |heavy metals

physical condition.[Heavy Metals] Potential Heavy Metal contaminants only impact surface soils of contamination spots. Heavy metals that pose as a threat to the environment include: Antimony, Barium, Beryllium, Aluminum, Cadmium, Lead,Mercury, Osmium, Thallium, Vanadium, and radioactive metals.

[Lnapl Toxicity] Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (LNAPL) contaminant hot spots are lighter than water, and very volatile. They form from handling oil and gasoline on site. LNAPLs sink in the upper portion of the subsurface where most void space is air and come to rest on the groundwater table.

[Dnapl Toxicity] Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (DNAPL) contaminant hot spots are a group of over 100 different chemicals that are formed during the incomplete burning of coal, oil, and gas. DNAPLs are heavier than water, and have low volatility. The USACE 1989 report has identified concentrations in groundwater that are up to thousands of times higher than the EPA’s regulations.

[structural] There are no freshwater sources other than combined sewer overflows (cso’s) during wet weather. The flushing tunnel, operated by the City of New York, artificially circulates water through the Gowanus Canal by drawing harbor water from the Buttermilk Channel into the head end of the canal.

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x 3’

-9,7

00 c

u.yr

ds

+5,6

00 c

u.yr

ds

65,047

22,730

35,825

657

acre

CSO

339

acre

out

fall

5 acre CSO

10 acre CSO

88 acre CSO

2 acre outfall

10 acre CSO

34 acre outfall

0 acre outfall

9 art studios

150,000+ vehicles ea.day

2 art spaces

19 art studios4 art spaces

flushing tunnel from buttermilk channel 600-hp motor with 7-ft-diameter propeller can pump around 200 million gallons of harbor water into the

canal each day.

estimates for removing continuous NAPL residuals:

- 12,500g. of BTEX [LNAPL] =

250, 55 g. drums

- 2,200g. of PAH [DNAPL] =

40, 55g. drums

gowanus residents

carroll gardens residents

park slope residents

singular center, but along many edges of the water body itself where different entities are free to engage with each other and are less constraint.

dialogue that speak to the evolution of the Gowanus landscape. Here, a complex network of corridors and outdoor rooms interact with the complex form of the Gowanus Canal. Interest is not found in a

[fields] Within the study area of the Gowanus Canal, these parcels of land were identified as fields of opportunity, potential remedial fields that hold the capacity become successful design interventions. The extension of cultural fields becomes a direct response to the natural processes of the Gowanus Canal over time. The overlap of these fields create a

[figures] By studying the Gowanus Canal through an extensive amount of research and data sets multiple areas of opportunity and constraint were specified. Variables such as population, watershed characteristics, contaminant regiment, and depth of water played a role in identifying parcels of land that surround the canal as potential fields for intervention.

from figures to fields.

Figure [1] Map of the Gowanus Canal (Mixed media)

Figure [2] Connecting significant historical artifacts that surrounds the Gowanus Canal

Figure [3] Exploring cultural diversity in relation to the waters edge

the pre-existing conditions of surrounding neighborhood use together with small, site specific remediation interventions. The Gowanus Canal reaches beyond the context of the study area while small scale interventions holds the capacity to become site specific design opportunities.

Potential areas located within the vicinity of the canal as well as other communities was identified as educational and artistic facilities as well as cross-ties of recreational routes that tie Carroll Gardens to Park Slope. Therefore, the program of the Gowanus Canal as a whole must encompass

[connections] Using mixed media to explore the physical surroundings of the Gowanus Canal in relation to geographical limits of various communities. Various constraints include transportation thoroughfares, dead-end streets that terminate at the canal, and vacant land.

community field.

[1] [3]

[2]

and a thriving bar scene. While similar social events and facilities surround the Canal many of these businesses reflect the unique character of the existing historical warehouses found in the area. The extraction of these environs is further investigated through the preliminary design plan.

that is spoken directly over the Gowanus Canal. While the northern portion of the canal is faced with historical and architectural constraints, the central portion of the canal faces environmental degradation. Social interaction around the canal includes various art galleries and studios, educational facilities, dance and band venues,

The Gowanus Canal holds the potential to fluctuate beyond the constraints of physical and historical parcels of land that surround the canal. By connecting human activities that are located around and throughout these two neighborhoods (of Park Slope to the east and Carroll Gardens to the west) a cultural dialogue is created

[bounds]

• Historical constraints• Forming immediate cultural

connections• Reflecting character• Extracting environs

study area analysis.

[points]

• East River meets Prospect Park

• Residential open spaces• Transportation nodes

was adapted into site-specific design interventions. Three sites were selected along the Gowanus Canal that exemplifies their educational, creative, and recreational values.

the existing social conditions that encompasses the Gowanus Canal has allowed for an expansion in context to further comprehend how the surrounding communities relate back to the waters edge. By studying specific user groups that are relevant to the Gowanus community, a program that relates into its broader social context

The context of the Gowanus Canal is situated between Park Slope’s Prospect Park to the east and the East River the west. By understanding the context of the Gowanus Canal in relation to both Prospect Park and the East River allows for a regenerative relationship between both human and natural systems. Evaluating

context analysis.

3Mapping as synthesis_the subterranean contaminants, within the surrounding parcels of land, that are impeding the quality Gowanus Canal’s water body.

Figure [1] Deep section: subsurface toxicity over time (Mixed media)

remediation.

year | 2015

After 80 years of intense industrial activity and petrochemical use, what exists today is an archaeological

patchwork of chemical hazards. The residual pollutants from this historical layering were categorized in

three primary categories: DNAPLs, LNAPLs, and heavy metals whose underground behaviors could

only be approximated within severe limits given the extraordinary number of unknowns below the surface.

Underground water flows, precise geologic formations, and intensity of original pollutant resource (in this

case, releases dating back to more than a century ago). The canal’s edge condition faces severe structural

deterioration. As these bulkheads slowly degrade, the subsurface contaminants that are found in the

surrounding bodies of soil leach into the Gowanus water body. Therefore, investigating the structural integrity of

edge conditions of the canal must take place.

][3

detail drawings and photos of each location of the bulkhead. The bulkheads were measured in terms of linear footage and structural integrity.

[1] Timber crib bulkhead[2] Dilapidated timber crib bulkhead

Brown, 2000). The impetus of the survey was a concern for bulkhead integrity possibly threatened by dredging that could undermine bulkhead stability. On October 19th, 2009, I traveled to Manhattan to read the final hard copy of this report with the company of Adam Brown himself. Charted integrities of each bulkhead, and construction

The canal’s bulkheads were once designed as work platforms to transfer goods between the shore and the merchant vessel. Most of the original bulkheads within the canal were built with timber. In the years since construction (1869). In 1999 the Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation commissioned a bulkhead inventory survey (Adam

[survey]

• Social network contact: Adam Brown

• Bulkhead integrity concerns• Linear footage charts• Bulkhead degradation patterns

bulkheads.

[1]

[2]

timbe

r crib

bul

khea

d

total length of canal: 6,779 ft.percent of total length: 44.5%bulkhead is generally fair to poor condition but is still considered functional. Timber section loss rot is allowing fill to escape with related sinkholing along bulkhead.

alt. replace existing timber bulkhead with ti,er and steel H-piles.st

eel s

heet

pile

bul

khea

d

tim

ber p

iles

timbe

r crib

w/ m

ass

conc

rete

[ ]

total length of canal: 2,532 ft.percent of total length: 16.6%moderate overall deterioration of bulkhead noted with signs of deck subsidence in-shore. Minor section loss in the generally corroded steel members.

alt. replace existing steel bulkhead with new steel bulkhead[ ]

total length of canal: 2,773 ft.percent of total length: 18.2%bulkhead exhibiting signs of age or damage. Some timbers have up to 1” section loss, concrete shows some cracking and spalls. Upper area of bulkheads may be heavily deteriorated.

alt. replace existing bulkhead with reinforced seawall[ ]

total length of canal:105 ft.percent of total length: 0.7bulkhead is no longer capable of adequetly retaining fill. Fill loss through gaps and missing timbers increasing. Timber is generally in poor condition with up to 4” section losswith upper timber courses missing.

alt. replace existing timber piles with new timber piles[ ]

movement of pollution within the surrounding parcels of land need to be treated or intercepted in order to improve the overall water body of the Gowanus Canal.

• Bulkhead construction methodology

• Porosity of construction materials

the canal walls ultimately affecting the water body as a whole. Overall timber crib bulkhead construction shows as the most porous condition, therefore the pollution that occurs within the surrounding soil medium enters the water body at reoccurring levels and rates. This alludes to the notion that the

massive gravity construction resting on the shore bottom or embedded slightly into it, supported by its own weight rather than piling it. A series of study models explore the porous condition of each of the bulkhead constructions. The pollution from surrounding soil bodies move beyond the porous conditions of

[study models] Bulkheads act as retaining walls by completely separating land from water. Bulkheads can be built in 3 basic types of design. They may consist of thin, interlocking steel sheet piles driven deeply into the ground, individual piles used to support an above ground structure, or a

bulkheads.

light non-aqueous phase liquids

porosity of soil / / / / / / / / / / / 0.3groundwater speed / / / / / / 0.18m / dayrecharge rate / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / 0.03m / day

LnapL’s.dense non-aqueous phase liquids

DnapL’s.

ground water plume of soluable LNAPL components

LNA

PL s

pill

on s

ite

lead. cadmium. mercury. aluminum.heavy metals.

DN

APL

spi

ll on

site

vapo

r plu

me

vapo

r plu

me

heav

y m

etal

s on

site

surface runoff

water table14’ of boggy soils

118’ pleistocene clayey till diposits

10’ gardiners clayjameco gravel

bedrock

land surface

water table flow

ambient flow

gowanus field toxicity

[Heavy Metals] These metals are a likely by product of any industry associated with metal fabrication, storage and/or processing industries, such as MGPs, which concentrated metals as a result of material processing, would also be a likely source of heavy metal contamination. The contaminants adhere to soil particles and become surface polluters.

[LNAPLs] Light non-aqueous phase liquids, which would be a likely by product of any industry that stored, processes or used crude or refined oils, such as gasoline. Light non-aqueous phase liquids are liquids that are sparingly soluble in water and less dense than water. This contaminant is located within the Gowanus water table and travels at faster rates.

[DNAPLs] Dense non-aqueous phase liquids, which would be a likely by product of industries whose activities resulted in incomplete burning of coal, oil, gas. A dense non aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) is a liquid that is denser than water and does not dissolve or mix easily in water. This contaminant is located below the Gowanus water table and moves at slow rates.

[pollution]

• Classifying pollutants based on source and physics

• Soil toxicity• Water table concerns

existing toxicity.

�ltration

timber bulkhead reconstruction

how can remediation connect to the structual integrity of the bulkheads and the contaminants that move inbetween land + water?

reactive barrierbulkhead as

permeable reactive barrier

ground level -2.0-4.0-6.0-8.0

-10.0-12.0-14.0-16.0-18.0-20.0-22.0-24.0-26.0-28.0-30.0

-32.0

water table> LNA

PL s

pill

on s

ite

DN

APL

spi

ll on

site

heav

y m

etal

s on

site

• Integrating advanced technology through bulkhead reconstruction

• Filter specific pollutant class

surface. The reactive materials may be mixed with sand to make it easier for water to flow through the wall, rather than around it. This is an important step n the remediation sequence concerning LNAPL pollutants that flow below the soil surface within the water table.

reactive barrier) can help filter groundwater contaminants before they reach the Gowanus Canal. A permeable reactive barrier is an underground wall that contains reactive materials such as iron, limestone, and carbon that can clean up contaminated groundwater as it passes through this filtration system below the

[reconstruct bulkhead] Applying new materials to historic means - these materials now perform in a new way. The proposed reconstructed bulkhead can clean and filter the subterranean contaminants of the surround parcels of land. The implementation of a underground filtration systems (a permeable

a bulkhead to filter toxins.

water infiltration

gowanus waterbody

polluted

watertable

tree roots take in water and

pollution from the ground

clean soil

polluted soilclean groundwater

phytohydraulics

phytoextraction

rhizodegradation

ground level zerO feet-2.0-4.0-6.0-8.0

-10.0-12.0-14.0-16.0-18.0-20.0

z-22.0v

sand 46%

silt 35%

clay 18%

gravel 1%

[sediment samples below mudline]

approx. historical canal bottom1849

mlw -4.7’ - + 6.0’low tide

high tide 2’

16’ of

sediment

depth of canal ranges from 4-16’

water depth at mid_canal: 11.8’

itself. Approximately 1,500 linear feet of bulkhead surrounding the Canal north of Sackett Street , where heights from top of the sand layer on the bottom of the canal to the top of the existing bulkheads range up to 21 feet.

below mean low level. Dredged material will be barged to an on-site location in the southern portion of the canal and is treated at a proposed soil washing facility. In order to dredge the Gowanus, the reconstruction of bulkheads is needed to ensure structural stability of the Canal

At the Gowanus Canal head there is approximately. 16’ of sediment most of the canal upstream is less than 3 feet deep, with exposed contaminated sediment mounds. A proposed dredging plan for the canal will take place while applying a 2-ft-deep sand cap to provide a final water depth of 3 ft.

[active]

• Sediment concerns• Bulkhead stability• Dredging and treatment of

contaminated sediments (as a form of active remediation)

• Sand cap

dredge sediments.

water infiltration

gowanus waterbody

pollutedwatertable

tree roots take in water and

pollution from the ground

clean soil

polluted soilclean groundwater

phytohydraulics

phytoextraction

rhizodegradation

[phytohydraulics] This pertains to the influence of plants on the movement of contaminants, especially ingroundwater. A demonstration of phytohydraulic containment of DNAPL in groundwater by deep rooted trees can be achieved.

[degradation] This is the second category in phytoremediation, and it can also occur in 2 parts of the plant system: the root zone or the rhizosphere, or in the plant tissue directly. These plants may degrade contamination during metabolism of the plant, transforming it to less toxic form.

[phytoextraction] There are several species of plants that will take heavy metals into plant tissue plants may store the metals in the roots. While many plants do this function to some extent, some plants, known as hyper-accumulators, can concentrate as much as several parts per hundred, contaminants to dry weight.

[three types]

• Phytoremediation mechanisms grouped into 3 broad categories

• Treating the 3 different levels of contaminants

phytoremediation.

2010 2015 2020 2030 2050+2040

gowa

nus _

rege

nera

tion

natu

ral +

hum

an sy

stem

s:

clean the water flushing tunnel modernization

CSO outfall reconstruction

9 month period of flushing tunnel shut-down

2-3 growing seasons

floating cells, terraced, and transitional

pump station rehabilitationbarge to on-site location

bulkhead reconstruction activate carbon filtration permeable reaction barriers bulkhead as occupiable edgedredge 750 linear feet + active soil washing

establish phytohydraulic grovestreat DNAPL hot spots

establish phytodegradtion planestreat LNAPL hot spots

est. phytoextraction fieldstreat Heavy Metals

wetland constructionchannel cut + fill

+ phytomining harvesting clean soil

soil stabilization

clean the land

clean the mud

phytoremediation

[

[ ]

[+ active bioremediation

+ reestablished wetlands+ proposed tidal island

:

+

+

++++++

+++ +

++++

++++

+

+++++

+ +++

+

++

+

++

cso outfallpump station

dredge areabarge routesoil washing facilityreconstructed bulkheads/ prb’s

wetland creationwaterway directionwetland terrace

DNAPL plume locationproposed grove barrier

LNAPL interfaceHeavy Metal location

2010 2015 2020 2030 2050+2040

gowa

nus _

rege

nera

tion

natu

ral +

hum

an sy

stem

s:

clean the water flushing tunnel modernization

CSO outfall reconstruction

9 month period of flushing tunnel shut-down

2-3 growing seasons

floating cells, terraced, and transitional

pump station rehabilitationbarge to on-site location

bulkhead reconstruction activate carbon filtration permeable reaction barriers bulkhead as occupiable edgedredge 750 linear feet + active soil washing

establish phytohydraulic grovestreat DNAPL hot spots

establish phytodegradtion planestreat LNAPL hot spots

est. phytoextraction fieldstreat Heavy Metals

wetland constructionchannel cut + fill

+ phytomining harvesting clean soil

soil stabilization

clean the land

clean the mud

phytoremediation

[

[ ]

[+ active bioremediation

+ reestablished wetlands+ proposed tidal island

:

+

+

++++++

+++ +

++++

++++

+

+++++

+ +++

+

++

+

++

cso outfallpump station

dredge areabarge routesoil washing facilityreconstructed bulkheads/ prb’s

wetland creationwaterway directionwetland terrace


LNAPL interfaceHeavy Metal location

[time line] To reclaim the overall health of the Gowanus Canal ecosystem, a choreographed series of events in relation to each of the natural systems must take place. Each system is addressed within the vicinity of the canal.

plume uptake

long-side

Dnapl plu

me move

ment

plan_

subplan_

45O


phyto-hydraulic grove////////////////////////////////est. year 2013

cut >

>>>

cut >>>>

contaminant plume. The type of tree used for these groves are known as phreatophytes. A phreatophyte is a deep-rooted plant that obtains a significant portion of the water that it needs from the zone of saturation or the capillary fringe above the zone of saturation. During these dormant cycles, microbial mediative reduction dechlorination becomes the dominant mechanism.

for containment and remediation of DNAPL contaminated groundwater plumes. The concentration of phytohydraulic groves follows the movement of the DNAPL pollutant. Tree groves are oriented so that the long sides of the stands are generally perpendicular to the direction of groundwater flow. The long sides of the groves generally span the most concentration of the

Within the proposed time line, the implementation of phytohydraulic tree groves would take place in the year of 2013. DNAPL contaminants were identified and located while the proposed solution for these deep contaminants is a phytoremediation technique known as phytohydraulic sequestration. The use of vegetation may provide a cost-effective in-situ alternative

[phyto-grove]

• Planting strategy• Phytoremediation groves treat

DNAPL contaminants• Growth seasons correspond to

other remediation techniques

year 2013

water table

transpiration

uptake

engage

degrade

inter

activ

e m

onito

ring

well

gravity water

trees: hybrid poplar, willow, cottonwood, aspengrasses: rye, fescuelegumes: clover, alfalfa, cowpeas

growth >> dormancy

plants:

plume uptake

long-side

Dnapl plu

me move

ment

plan_

subplan_

45O


phyto-hydraulic grove////////////////////////////////est. year 2013

cut >

>>>

cut >>>>

• Betulanigra• PopulusSpp.• Salixnigra

• FestucaSpp.• Medicagosativa• Secalecereale• TrifoliumSpp.• Vignaunguiculata

Lnap

l plum

e mov

emen

t

plan_

plume uptakesubplan_

long-side

phyto-degradation planes////////////////////////////////est. year 2014

+

+

++++++

+++ +

++++

++++

LNAPL interface

cut >

>>>

cut >>>>

stimulating microbes around the roots (rhizomes) placement must be efficient in order to degrade the contaminant as it flows through the groundwater. Phytodegradation remediates soils and groundwater through absorption by the roots, translocation, and breaking down toxic components into cleaner parts.

used in sequence in relation to the permeable reactive barrier that will go in place of the bulkhead reconstruction phase, initiated in year 2010. This phases of phytoremediation is also planted according to density of LNAPL plume movement as it weaves along the shallow groundwater table towards the Gowanus Canal. The plants are

Within the proposed time line, the implementation of phytodegradation planting planes would take place in the year of 2014. LNAPL contaminants were identified and located while the proposed solution for these water table contaminants is a phytoremediation technique known as phytodegradation. This phytoremediation technique is

[phyto-plane]

• Planting strategy in sequence• Phytoremediation planes treat

LNAPL contaminants• Planting scheme corresponds

to remediation techniques

year 2014

water table

uptake

filter

engage generate

degrade

perm

eabl

e re

activ

e ba

rrier

gravity water

plants:

long grasses include: Aropyronsmithii,Boutelouagracilis,Buchloedactyloides,Cynodondactylon,Elymuscanadensis,Festucarubra,Trifoliumpratense,Panicumvirgatum

Lnap

l plum

e mov

emen

t

plan_

plume uptakesubplan_

long-side

phyto-degradation planes////////////////////////////////est. year 2014

+

+

++++++

+++ +

++++

++++

LNAPL interface

cut >

>>>

cut >>>>

phytoextractionextractionsubplan_

broad-side

surface plane movement

plan_

Heavy Metal location

phyto-extraction field////////////////////////////////est. year 2015

wetlands as a part of the overall surface contamination remediation strategy. The steps of phytoextraction remediates subsurface and surface soils by uptake of metals, translocation through its roots and chutes, and either degradation into safer components or harvested to be reused as recycled metal.

disposed of, ultimately cleaning the solid of contamination. Being a surface contaminant, these fields would have to be situated in the peripheral of the other remedial techniques. Overall capturing the remaining pollutants that are running into the Gowanus Canal. During the remediation, the area will look like a cultivated field while incorporating restored

Within the proposed time line, the implementation of phytoextraction fields would take place in the year of 2015. Heavy metal contaminants were identified and located while the proposed solution for these surface pollutants is a phytoremediation technique known as hyper-accumulation and extraction. The plant can then be harvested, and the heavy metals recovered or

[extraction field]

• Planting strategy in sequence• Phytoremediation fields treat

Heavy Metal contaminants• Planting scheme corresponds

to remediation techniques

year 2015

surface pollutantsengagegenerate

plants:

extract

benc

h-sc

ale te

sting

implementation of farming techniques during active remediation///////////////the soil generated from this process will be fertile and will be able to support the growth of plants.

cut >

>>>cut >>>>

phytoextractionextractionsubplan_

broad-side

surface plane movement

plan_

Heavy Metal location

phyto-extraction field////////////////////////////////est. year 2015

grasses/legumes: Agrostiscastellana,Cerastiumarvense,Claytoniaperfoliata,Festucarundinacea,Lotuscorniculatus,Melilotusofficinalis,Stellariacalycantha,ViciaSpp.other forbes:Avhillieamillefolium,bassicajuncea,Digitalispurpurea,Helianthusannuus,Solidagohispidia

4Embodying both passive and active remediation that is adapted as needed over time.

site design.

year | 2030

By applying the overall remediation techniques for the plan of the Gowanus while cross-referencing the social

and ecological context of the adjacent communities I was able to determine v key areas suitable for design

intervention. Each of these areas employ proposed wetland edge conditions, phytoremediation techniques

and a program that adapts to the social and ecological context.

][4

A notion of the edge addresses the both the Gowanus Canal and the surrounding parcels of land. Three site selections were made based on the critical condition of its context, concept, and pollution regime.

site selections_design intervention

[3] Beyond the social factors that play into the sites program, the pollution hots pots that are located directly on the site must be treated with a variety of both passive and active remedial techniques. The primary pollutant of concern is highlighted in red and located as a DNAPL hot spot.

[2] Within the direct vicinity of the selected site is existing art galleries and studio workspace, as well as residential neighborhood blocks. The site is also adjacent to the Union Street Bridge which would allow for social interaction between the two adjoining neighborhoods of Carroll Gardens and Park Slope.

[1] The exhibit edge is a component of the Gowanus Canal that interacts with one of the identified user groups in relation to the site’s social context, the thriving artist industry. The site also interacts with an existing historical building located directly on the water’s edge.

exhibit edge_design development

context

[1]

[2]

[3]

[3] DNAPL hot spots within the site shows to be the primary pollutant of concern. The remediation device necessary to treat this particular hot spot would be deep-rooted phreatophyte trees (25’-100’ root depths) planted 10’ on center. The plume is measured to be at about 0.15 acres wide, and below the current water table. Approximately 108 trees would need to be planted.

[2] LNAPL hot spots within the site is shown to be located directly adjacent to the Gowanus water body. Therefore, key remediation devices would include the bulkhead filtration system, deep-rooted herbaceous perennials and deep-rooted phreatophyte trees (25-50’ root depths) planted 10-20’ on center.

[1] Heavy metals located within the site are found directly next to the water’s edge. Considering their physicals in the overall solid medium, the necessary remediation devices include: hyper-accumulating herbaceous plants, and constructed wetlands located directly at the edge of the Gowanus Canal.

[plume] While identifying the key contaminant hot spots with in the selected site, appropriate remedial techniques can be used. By understanding how each contaminant moves through the selected site in relation to the Gowanus Canal, each set of toxic conditions can be cleaned accordingly.

exhibit edge_site toxicity.

[1]

[2]

[3]

the waters edge. The proposed redesigned waters edge captivated the use of floating wetland cells and a cantilever walkway to bring people over the terraced edge as the water is cleaned through the surface remediation planting.

spaces over time. The site then opens up to its user-program of the adjacent artist gallery into an out-door sculpture garden within the skeleton of an abandoned warehouse building. Pathways evolve from the grove footprint and create allies that circulate pedestrian corridors directly though the warehouse towards

time as trees are thinned out after remediation. The phytoremediation guideline for phytohydraulic groves is 10 foot on center planting. The proposed remediation design uses this as a guideline to not only clean the toxicity of the soil and groundwater bodies, but also as a way to create a space that develops into new occupiable

[evolving landscape] While considering the primary pollutant of concern requires over 100 tree placements within such a small area, the trees life cycle would have to be taken into consideration. River Birch has the same remediation qualities given its short lifespan in relation to the Hybrid Poplar, given its longer lifespan, the design evolves over

established year 2015

gowanus canal | exhibit edge north scale: 1”=20’

sackett street end

nevin

s stre

et

art and sculpture market

sculpture garden

(adaptive path way)

(adaptive path way)

market entry

steel cantilever edge

curvilinear boardwalk

gow

anus

cana

l

[

[

]

[

1.18 ac. site

�oating wetlands

low density

low density

med. density

hight density 10’ o.c.

20’ o.c.

permeablereactive barrier

year 2015 phyto_remediation

phyto_grove:

dnapl treatment treelnapl treatment tree

(coal tar)(oil)

sackett street end

nevin

s stre

et

proteus gowanusart studios

art and sculpture market

sculpture garden

(adaptive path way)

(adaptive path way)

market entry

steel cantilever edge

curvilinear boardwalk

gow

anus

cana

l

outdoor work area

[

[

[

[

]

]

[

union street

barge dock

gowanus canal | exhibit edge

nevin

s stre

et

1.18 ac. siteyear 2030 post_remediation

observe

clean the land

engage

heavy metal harvestingbulkhead movement

observeinteraction of art and ecology

displayartist expression

tidal wetland terraces

adaptive reuse studio

est. phyto-hydraulic groves

clean the landest. phyto degradation

wetland treatment cells

regenerate

clean the water

regenerateprovide artist and public interaction

gowanus canal | exhibit edge

gow

anus

cana

l[

]

program_use

and methods of making art in the environment in which the art is created. The artists and their work constitute a vital piece of the fabric of urban life by linking community together through the arts.

one-on-one with working artists for gaining a broader appreciation of the various types of visual art media. The intimacy of the in-studio experience encourages an educational dialogue between the visitor and the artist. The visitor is able to see the process

to remediate the Gowanus Canal as a whole. Each system, both human and natural, work together as key components as needed over time. The overall goal for the “Exhibit Edge” outdoor sculpture garden is to provide the public a unique opportunity to visit and engage

[program] Due to the context of the site in relation to the adjacent waters edge, as well as neighboring communities and artist galleries, a site program was able to utilize human and natural systems. The program relates back to the time line that was first initiated in order


Sculpture garden

in staggered double rows along Sackett Street create a strong green edge to the site. This portion of the Gowanus Canal will become occupied by year 2030.

How both human and natural systems interact with the proposed site design. The plan did not try to hide the facility but rather celebrate the interesting visual characteristics of the industrial architecture while introducing public art. Trees planted

exhibit edge_section

context

section

phyt

o_gr

ove

phyt

o_pl

ane

scul

ptur

e ga

rden

con

nect

ion

to p

rote

us g

owan

us

war

ehou

se s

treet

ent

ranc

e

phyt

o_fie

ld

float

ng w

etla

nd

cant

ileve

r doc

k

tug

+ ba

rge

floa

ting

exhi

bit

high

+ lo

w ti

des

war

ehou

se w

indo

w fa

cade

perm

eabl

e re

activ

e ba

rrie

r

high tide

mean lowwater+

gowanus canal

internal �oatation

microbes + bio�lm

Shorter species (4-12”)• Caltha palustris• Oenanthe javanica• Typha minima inacea• Pontederia Cordata

to the bank.Selected plants include:Medium sized species (12-18”)• Acorus calamus variegata• Equisetrum hymale• Glyceria maxima aquatica• Equisetrum hymale• Glyceria maxima aquatica• Juncus effuses ‘Spiralis’• Oenanthe javanica• Phalaris arund corus gramineus• Aquilegia spp.

mostly related to the norther-historic portion of the canal, floating wetland cells may occupy a portion of the canal’s waters. floating wetlands hold the capacity to better improve the overall water quality of the Gowanus, as well as fluctuate with the tidal conditions of the Canal. Floating wetlands can be moored in the Gowanus, either anchored to the bottom or attached

[the edge] Constructed wetlands are commonly used to cleanse water of pollutants. They work by exposing water to natural, microbial, processes, which are facilitated by plants and organic matter. In order to expose as much water as possible to the beneficial activity of the wetland, they are created wide and shallow. In this particular architectural condition,

floating wetlands.

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the site.[3] The primary pollutant regiment found on this site is shown to be heavy metals. Due to its above ground contaminant condition, a safe and well-rounded learning program must take place in order to educate near by children about how this site is being reclaimed through active and passive remediation techniques.

[2] The preliminary site design plan includes a terraced edge condition that also acts as multilevel learning platforms. These areas engage with both pedestrian thoroughfares within the site and canal water/barge traffic. The adaptive reuse of existing warehouse will be retrofitted into learning and research programs that interact with the primary pollutant found on

[1] The context for the second site selection is based off of its proximity to area schools. The site is also located next to one of the oldest retractable bridges in America - the Carroll Street Bridge. The architectural condition of the site allows for room to recreate a cultural significant educational center in relation to the waters edge.context

[1]

[2]

[3]

education edge_design development

[3] The DNAPL hot spot on site is much smaller than the previous site. Its dense and volatile nature must still be taken into account. This will be done through deep-rooted phreatophyte trees planted 10’ on center in staggered double rows, integrated into the heavy metal hyper-accumulating herbaceous perennials.

[2] An LNAPL pollutant plume is currently moving through the water table of the site also at a fast rate towards the canal’s water body. The remediation devices to treat and stop further degradation to the water quality of the canal include: deep-rooted phreatophyte trees planted 10-20’ on center, deep-rooted herbaceous perennials, and a permeable reactive barrier filter.

[1] The heavy metal hotspot covers a vast majority of the site. It moves at a fast rate, especially during rain events towards the canal’s water body. The appropriate remedial devices needed include: hyper-accumulating herbaceous plants and constructed treatment wetlands. Learning potential come from these remedial techniques through on-site harvest events.

[plane] The main contaminant cause for concern with this site has been identified as heavy metals. Its particular place within and throughout the site is coupled with other significant pollutant hotspots. The integration of remedial techniques, in relation to the proposed site program, must demonstrate how the site is treated in a variety of ways.

[3]

[2]

[1]

education edge_site toxicity.

PRB (permeable reactive barrier) through its specified design that speaks to where its location is. The internal flux of the contaminants speak to the fluctuating design of the bulkhead. It curves out into the Gowanus while integrating a proposed terraced wetland. The straight edge of the reconstructed bulkhead plays a role within the active remediation of phyto-mining.

relation to contamination density and safety for the users of the site. Dense plantings occur in the central portion of the site that is only restricted to those working on the harvesting variables, while low density plantings remain along the edges of pathways to ensure safety from free-flowing contaminants. The promenade along the Gowanus Canal implements the

off contaminants before they run into the Gowanus water body. A bio swale runs through a central axis of the site and terminates into the Gowanus Canal. The swale is planted with wet-tolerant phytoremediation species that work in harmony with the species being used for heavy metal harvesting events. The proposed field plantings are specified in

[demonstration landscape] The educational benefits that are derived from design incorporate a mix of active and passive remedial techniques. The plants selected for the primary pollutant of concern, being heavy metals, are integrated with both wet and dry controlled environs. The phytoextraction fields are planted in a way that reflect the need to treat wash-


gowanus canal | education edge year 2015 phyto_remediation north

scale: 1”=20’

artist workshop reuse of accumulated metals

gow

anus

cana

l

permeablereactive barrier

seating area

boardwalk

steel bridge

[

[

]

[

research demonstration facility[ [

research center

bio swale

phyto_fields:

promenade

education platform

[ terraced wetland ]

barge dockextraction route import

extraction route export

stab

ilizat

ion

stab

ilizat

ion

extraction

extraction

treat

men

t gr

ove[ [

union street

3.51 ac. site

sorting harvest plant materials

high density low density low density


(coal tar)(oil) gowanus canal | education edge

year 2030 post_remediation north scale: 1”=20’

artist workshop

gow

anus

cana

l

open green spacetall grass �elds

[

[

]

[

research demonstration facility[ [

research center[ [

union street

3.51 ac. site

amphitheater is also incorporated into the terraced bulkhead design as an additional learning platform that looks out towards the Gowanus and the terraced wetland system that runs along a portion of its edges.

existing historical infrastructure on this portion of the Gowanus Canal. As industrial processes change, the need to reinvent a solution that incorporates a remedial value must take place. Research and demonstration, coupled with passive regenerating systems gives the user a well-rounded experience of how the Gowanus is being reclaimed. An outdoor

metal harvest needs to be recycled at a smelting facility, this will take place down the Gowanus Canal within the active maritime industrial corridor. The accumulated metals are harvested and processed on site though a proposed research facility, then shipped off of the proposed barge platform. The relation of the barge shipping platform plays a vital role in the

[program] The site engages users through an educational experience while walking though and observing a variety of activities that are programed into the design. As the site is cleaned through natural and passive processes, bother below and above ground, active barge transportation will take place at the southern portion of the site. Considering that heavy


gather

observeclean the land

clean the land

engage

heavy metal harvestingbulkhead movement

observemulti-function learning platforms

tidal wetland terraces

regenerateestablish green industryphyto-mining/recycle

educateestablish green industry

adaptive reuse studio

phyto-mining/recycle

est. phyto-extraction fieldsest. phyto-hydraulic groves

est. phyto-extraction fieldsest. phyto-hydraulic groves

constructed bio-swaleconstructed wetlandstormwater runoff

regeneratesustain barge operations

regenerate

clean the water

gowanus canal | education edge site_program north

scale: 1”=20’ 3.51 ac. sitePhytoremediation fields

of the Gowanus Canal and through the proposed site design. The tidal influence is also a design element, creating occupiable space and learning exhibits during low and high tide.

This education edge is a proposed educational laboratory - a showcase of remedial techniques used in sequence with stormwater fun off filtration. It’s terraced wetland system coupled with the hyper accumulating bio swale creates two unique wetland systems that are planted with a mix of tidal marshes. Here, human and natural systems interrelate along the edge

education edge_section

section

adap

tive

reus

e bl

dg

phyt

o_gr

ove

phyt

o_fie

ld

educ

atio

nal p

latfo

rm

terra

ced

wet

land

amph

ithea

ter +

sta

ge

path

way

perm

eabl

e re

activ

e ba

rrie

r

high tide

mean lowwater

gowanus canal

outlet weir

The lower tier is planted with a mix of native tidal marsh, including:

• Spartina alternifolia• Triglochin martinimum• Agrostis stolonifera• Disclis spicata

The upper tier is planted with salt-tolerant herbaceous plants including:

• Spartina patens• Distichlis spicata• Limonium caolinianum• Scirpus pungens• Spartina pectinata

treatment and management. An additional drainage system, in the form of a perforated pipe with a one way tidal gate, can be utilized to provide additional drainage from the upper tier of the Canal at low tide.

[the edge] Where buildings are set-back from the Canal’s edge there is more room to recreate the edge. A proposed terraced wetland system is a two-tiered design. It generate two wetland treatment systems for both stormwater run off events and total water quality

terraced wetlands.

context. The natural edge is also faced with a variety of contaminant problems. While cutting and filling is taking place, the remedial strategy that was taken into consideration for this particular area os the Gowanus Canal is to cap certain pollutants in relation to channel in fill.

channel to a depth that only fills with water during its high tide. This way the water moving from the pump-station flows in the redirected new channel and the tidal influence follows the old channel. The island becomes a habitat for thriving wetland species. This site is 5 times the size in relation to the previous two sites. Therefore wetland construction must remain within the broader, intertidal estuarine ecological

[1-3] Here, the structural integrity of the bulkheads has completely failed due to the flow of water hitting the point of the canal before it curves west. By following the natural curve of the historic Gowanus Creek, a new channel is proposed and redirects water to a lower turning-basin. By dredging and cutting, the fill will be used to establish a “tidal island.” Grading the old main

context

[1]

[2]

[3]

natural edge_design development

[3] The DNAPL pollutant plume runs below the water table along both side of the canal water body. The proposed remediation device to treat these plumes before they degrade overall water quality is deep-rooted phreatophyte trees planted 10’ on center, and more biologically diverse from hybrid poplars to black willows near the wetland environment.

[2] The LNAPL contaminant runs shallow and along both sides of the Gowanus Canal. While in fill is taking place, a proposed capping device will be implemented with the construction of the soft edge. As the contaminant runs towards the new primary water channel, a PRB (permeable reactive barrier) will be installed within the walls of the new bulkhead construction.

[1] The heavy metal surface contaminants found on the site are situated back from the canal’s deteriorating edges. The proposed transitional wetland design will treat and accumulate heavy metals found in this solid body before running into the canal.

[cap] While the needed for a renewed ecological corridor becomes apparent in the central portion of the canal, the ongoing need for suitable remediation techniques broadens the scope within this portion of the site. The notion of capping specific contaminants relate to the proposed channel in fill portion of the Gowanus Canal.

[1]

[2]

[3]

natural edge_site toxicity.

come from the Flushing Tunnel Pump Station, located at the head of the canal, as well the tidal influx from the Gowanus Bay.

contaminant hot spots will remain encapsulated within the soil body. By doing so the movement of toxins will no longer degrade the Gowanus water body. The site program supports the proposed remediation plan time line. Much of the natural systems are regenerative through this central portion of the canal. The transitional wetland systems embodies the canals water as it passes by. The movement of water within the Gowanus Canal

area. The recreational components that are reinstalled with the invention of the natural edge range from kayaking and jogging to bird watching at various observation points along the edge. The Tidal Island is formed during high tide events. The existing bathymetry is grading corresponds to high and low points to provide a ecological riparian habitat corridor. Ecological revival bestows itself through aquatic influx of natural systems. Existing

[recreation landscape] Site design is derived from the physical residential grid that encompasses the Gowanus Canal. The pathway system emerges as an interface for natural environments that are regenerated by the waters edge and the surrounding urban liveliness. The redirected channel provides a consistent course for existing barge and boat traffic. While the proposed channel in fill allows for the much needed recreational fulfillment in the


gowanus canal | natural edgeyear 2020 phyto_remediation north

scale: 1”=30’ 13.46 ac. site


(coal tar)(oil)

proposed mixed useadaptive reuse warehouse

gow

anus

cana

l

redi

rect

ed ch

anne

l

industrial monument+ seating area

meandering path

monitoring well

pedestrian path

cap foot-print path

monitoring well

monitoring well

nature observation point

[

[

]

[

grasses

1’2’

3’4’ 5’

tidal_island

kaya

k pul

l-in

recreational promenade

cycling

running

walking

rock edge

4th street end

3rd street

bond

stre

et

ped

estri

an m

all

existing parking area

gather

observe

clean the land

engage

island habitatindustrial monument

engagewater recreation

collect3rd street users

est. phyto-hydraulic grovesest. connected ecosystems

clean the landest. phyto-hydraulic groves

clean the landest. phyto-hydraulic groves

transitional wetland

cap and seal

cap and seal

clean the water

clean the water

clean the water

recreational trail system

gowanus canal | natural edgesite_program north

scale: 1”=30’ 13.46 ac. site


(coal tar)(oil)

Gowanus Canal’s once thriving and provoking past. The transformation of the Canal’s water channel marks a reinvigorated beginning for the surrounding ecologies of the area. All proposed pathways lead towards this particular node, which is situated at the curvilinear form of the canal edge.

edge of the Gowanus there are a variety of cultural nodes that serve at destination points or resting areas. These nodes incorporate the use of seating areas that act as look-out or observation points which span across the Gowanus Canal towards the Tidal Island habitat. Another cultural node contains a proposed industrial monument that is commissioned by a local artist. The importance of the industrial monument speaks to the

Canal a multi-use pathway system is intended to facilitate users along the waters edge without disturbing the ecosystem. The Gowanus shoreline is replanted with a variety of herbaceous perennials that are suitable throughout the year. Shade trees also run along the edge of the canal and direct views to particular points of interest. The path connects to the existing street infrastructure to allow for easy access from the road. Along the natural

[program] The context of the natural edge site stands between a heavily pedestrianized and automobile traffic zone to the north and vacant parcels of land the south. The incorporation of user needs for recreation is programed into the design solution. The site is also adjacent to 3rd Street, which crosses over the Gowanus Canal and runs from the East River shore towards the west and Prospect Park to the east. Along the natural edge of the Gowanus


Natural edge promenade

habitat during both low and high tides. The human occupancy of the site runs along the upland edges of the canal and along the natural edge.

[section] This emergent environ does not have abrupt physical edges but transitional zones where one landscape gradually becomes another. The proposed tidal channel evolves into a riparian

natural edge_section

context

section

natu

ral e

dge

stab

ilized

edg

e

phyt

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clay

cap

tidal

isla

nd

phyt

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ld

path

way

high-risk areas may need protective retaining walls

sand ll

gowanus canal

high tide

mean lowwater

The low marsh is planted with a mix of native tidal marsh including:

• Spartina alternifolia• Spartina patens• Disclis spicata

The upper transition is planted with:

• Spartina patens• Distichlis spicata• Juncus geradii• Scirpus pungens• Limonium carolinianum+ salt_tolerant shrubs

herbaceous areas. A flux in water levels (high and low tides) allow chemical transformations to occur with the wetlands natural microbial processes. All created wetland demonstrate pollutant removal rates of suspended sediments, phosphorus, nitrogen, heavy metals, and soluble nutrients.

[the edge] vacant parcels of land, which are located in the central part of the canal, allow for the proposed transitional wetland system to take place. Elevated changes between dilapidated/nonexistent bulkheads on these vacant plots of land allow for the creation of a variety of habitats. These restored habitats include natural pools, low and high marsh, and possibly upland

transitional wetlands.

adaptation. ][

2010 2015 2020 2030 2040

gowa

nus

+ reg

ener

ation

+ hu

man

syst

ems:

tidal swell+6’

low tide: occupiable edge

high tide: floating wetland cells high tide: social nodes

canal head: est. 2030_post flushing tunnel modernization_post bulkhead re-construction_wetland establishment for water quality

19:OO

07:OO

flushing tunnel pump station

occu

piab

le

habi

tabl

e

edge exchange2030

tug and barge

gowanus canoe +kayak club

active soil wash +barge

phyto-mining +harvesting

remedialtechnologieslow tide: occupiable edge

canal activities: est. 2015_barge event of dredged material_soil + sediment washing_phyto-mining

stimulating economic growth through new industry

remedial events

colla

bora

tive

harv

est

revenue: metals and energy generation through biomass burning (gasification) - legislative incentive and public perception

2015

industry flux

low tide: occupiable edge

canal plot: est. 2040_post soil remediation_post adaptive reuse of bldg._proposed cultural node

tidalterrace

culturepark

occu

piab

le

habi

tabl

e

plot converge2040

community clean up initiativeremediation as place://// / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /

overture prevailing plants

conclusion.

end.

The remediation of the Gowanus Canal evolves into a thriving ecosystem that embodies both human and

natural ecologies. The urban waterfront is woven back into the fabric of the surrounding communities. Its

transformation inhabits the surrounding communities where people can observe and participate in a variety

of remediation technologies while interacting with the water. The reclaimed Gowanus landscape supports

a better understanding of the natural environment within the urban context while site specific remedial

technologies adapt over time. The overall evolution of the Gowanus Canal went from a toxic dumping ground,

a vacant post-industrial corridor, towards a reclaimed urban waterfront.

oil slicker liquid petroleum

][

references.Books:

Berger, Alan. Drosscape: Wasting Land in Urban America. New York: Princeton Architectural

Press, 2006.

Corner, James. Recovering Landscape: Essays in Contemporary Landscape Architecture. New

York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1999.

Cronin, John, and Robert Francis Kennedy. The Riverkeepers: Two Activists Fight to Reclaim Our

Environment As a Basic Human Right. New York, NY: Scribner, 1997.

Gastil, Raymond. Beyond the Edge: New York’s New Waterfront. New York, N.Y.: Princeton

Architectural Press, 2002.

Holzer, Christoph, and Annette Wiethuchter. Riverscapes: Designing Urban Embankments.

Basel: Birkhäuser, 2008.

Kirkwood, Niall. Manufactured Sites: Rethinking the Post-Industrial Landscape. London: Spon

Press, 2001.

Koekebakker, Olof. Westergasfabriek Culture Park: Transformation of a Former Industrial Site in

Amsterdam. [Rotterdam]: NAi Publishers, 2003.

Plunz, Richard, Patricia Culligan. Eco-Gowanus: Urban Remediation by Design. Columbia

University GSAPP, 2007.

Waldheim, Charles. The Landscape Urbanism Reader. New York: Princeton Architectural

Press, 2006.

][

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