We aim to demonstrate that vacant lots can be aesthetically landscaped to provide self-maintaining public gathering spaces that not only heal the soil, but also help improve the health of the community. We would like to test the ability of bioremediation and permaculture techniques to improve the health of the urban soil by implementing an interactive living landscape that doubles as a community gathering space, and that addresses the deficiencies and contaminants present; regular monitoring of soil composition would be used as a tool for dynamically tailoring natural elements. The project would provide a living “store front”-like demonstration area along the 14th street mall and a more intimate setting (should the residents request it) towards the back of the lot near apartment entrances. Community members would contribute not just to the design process, but also to the personality of the site through decorative elements such as sculptures, murals, or drawings on man-made site components. Our team would be successful in this undertaking because it is strongly interdisciplinary and all members are actively working on and committed to St Louis community engagement projects.
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