Rekindling the Flame: Reclaiming the Narrative of Post-Industrial Sites

Abstract

Throughout the country, the reality of redlining has systematically isolated marginalized communities, forcing a majority African American population to live directly next to industrial zones. As we've seen these industries decline over the past sixty years, these industrial zones and facilities have been neglected, abandoned and left to decay. These abandoned conditions mirror the socioeconomic neglect of the neighborhoods adjacent to these industrial ruins, blocking residents from experiencing vibrant urban spaces and instead, being left with eyes turned away from them. This thesis aims to address this systemic fracture seen across the country in multiple instances by investigating how ruins can be reused and bring vibrancy and connection to these nearby communities. This thesis acts as a case study, looking specifically at the historic New York Avenue Brick Kilns at the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. Currently, this site exists in a state of ruin, where nature has overtaken the existing structures. This project proposes a master plan which honors this tension between the ruin and the overgrowth, creating an opportunity for the community to experience a site which had been hidden and closed to the public for decades. By introducing a new central "spine" structure which reveals the site's local rail network, the design acts as a connection portal, bridging the gap between the proposed community north of New York Avenue and the lush National Arboretum to the south. The design creates a clear dialogue between the historic masonry and new wood structure, following an architectural language of reveals and gaps between the old and the new. The United Arboretum Arts Center is a place where the public can now engage with this tension between nature and the man-made creation, reclaiming its original narrative of production and pollution into one of artistic exploration and environmental stewardship. Ultimately, this project serves as a precedent for addressing the national issue of abandoned industrial landscapes, showing that post-industrial ruins can transform into culturally and environmentally significant spaces.