From productive sites to healthy landscape pro-duction

Remediation is one of the main issues in recovering industrial sites, as a healthy
environment is the base for a healthy living. The interest in studying alternative methods
such as phytoremediation and bioremediation techniques is based on the possibilities
offered by these IN SITU techniques, to integrate biological dynamics, environmental
engineering with the landscape design practices. In this way remediation represents an
integrated redevelopment process (Kirkwood, 2001) where the materials and characters
of the site are reinterpreted as sources for new pro-ductive activities. Referring to the
Latin form “pro-ducere” as a revealing action (Heidgger, 1953), where technique makes
(visible) “new elements”, in the case of the former industrial sites, production is a
continuum - from the industrial settlement, to the recovering phase - marking the
identity of these productive sites. Nevertheless these soft remediation techniques shift
from a static outcome towards a regenerative one. The PhD research, developed at Labo
Pay(S)age (Université de Liège), concerns the regenerative design strategies as production
of new landscapes, where landscape design approach accompanies the change
of the site. Through a comparison between recovered sites in Northern France and
Walloon regions, the research, aims to question the spatial and landscape qualities
introduced by these soft reclamation techniques.
The paper describes the lagunage de Harnes as a case study where the landscape design
strategy uses phytoremediation techniques both as metabolic device and new landscape
pattern. The former coal mine, transformed into a water treatment plant shows how
regeneration can be read in biological, territorial and cultural dimensions. The paper
discusses the relationship between remediation technique and landscape design as
complementary elements operating the shift from productive site to a healthy landscape
production.