Design with disturbance Atlas of shape, time, and perception in the volcanic landscape
Design with disturbance Atlas of shape, time, and perception in the volcanic landscape
Landscape Architecture Thesis 2019 Student: MarĂa de la Luz Lobos MartĂnez Advisor: Jill Desimini
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“Earth is substance. It’s both the detritus of the past and also a substrate for growth. And it’s a lot like us in that it keeps, it keeps record, and it holds a memory. But inevitably it also forgets.”
Mitch Iburg
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Thanks to Jill for guiding me during this year. I really appreciate your capacity to lead me to do better based on my own capacities and reflections. I couldn’t have picked a better advisor. Thanks to my family that constantly back me up in the distance. Especially to my father that hiked to the crater of the Llaima volcano with me, and who flew all the way from Chile to support me during the last week of production.
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Index Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... 8 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 10 CASE STUDY .............................................................................................................................. 16 DESIGN STRATEGIES ............................................................................................................... 40 CONCLUSIONS .......................................................................................................................... 67 BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................................... 70
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Abstract This thesis challenges the perception of the volcanic landscape as the product of a natural disaster. Instead, the volcanic landscape is seen as an active and valuable terrain, not only from an ecological point of view but also as a cultural landscape loaded with meaning. Natural disturbances are uncontrollable, but through designed and curatorial means, geological and material processes in the territory can have a catalytic effect. As a result, this thesis does not understand disturbance negatively; instead, it recognizes the dynamic aspect of the landscape by considering disturbance as a phenomenon capable of triggering landscape regeneration. The project focuses on Llaima—Chilean stratovolcano— which is part of the Conguillio National Park, and the Llaimamapu—a territory inhabited by Mapuche, an indigenous group whose cosmogony considers that the earth is alive. Taking inspiration from this cultural perspective the design proposal highlights the constructive capacity of the volcanic landscape. The project fosters the observation of the volcanic process and material across multiple time scales. It uses elevation, vegetation, and topography as organizational -8-
parameters and design tools to physically reshape the territory, before, during and after volcanic events. The interventions guide experience of and through the landscape, heightening both cultural and ecological awareness and creating thresholds of engagement. In the end, the designs are intentionally sacrificial—each considered for a different duration, each acknowledging that the territory is alive. The designs draw attention to the awe-inspiring force of the disturbance events, marking these episodes and the new landscapes they invariably engender.
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introduction
Problem The world is affected periodically by natural disruptions that reshape the landscape. In that context, it is worth to ask how the ecosystem and societies inhabit volatile landscapes? We tend to consider prominent scale disturbances as disasters. However, one can claim that a natural disaster only exists when we, humans, decide to inhabit the risk zones. Nature has had specific behaviors for centuries, and we still pick the places where those patterns are present to develop our communities. For that reason, this thesis promotes the use of natural disturbances instead of natural disasters. In that context, without denying the risk factor of the disturbance, this thesis chooses to focus on how can we take advantage of the disturbing natural phenomena? Subsequently, this thesis aims to understand how the natural processes of construction, destruction, and reconstruction of the landscape can be considered as part of the landscape design practice. Hence, the leading question of this thesis is: How to design with disturbance?
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One particularly unpredictable type of disturbance is the volcanic eruptions; they can destroy the land, but also offer the opportunity to create new territories. If we focus on the specific event of the eruption, its threat becomes highly relevant. However, what happens during all the moments of quietness? The whole landscape that surrounds a volcano is the result of subsequent eruptions during millions of years. Is a landscape that has taken a long time period to develop, but that would not exist if it were not due to the volcanic eruptions. Most of the vegetation that grows in the volcanic landscape only thrives in volcanic soils. The lagoons that surround the volcanoes are usually the effect of old lava paths that created geological receptacles to hold the water. It takes hundreds of years to develop the volcanic landscape successional process until a variety of fauna species also inhabit these landscapes conforming what we ultimately can call a volcanic ecosystem. All of this proves that volcanic eruptions are a source of life in the long term. Except for counted examples, lava and lahars have proven to be unstoppable. This volcanic disturbance will keep its route until the magma stop flowing out of the volcano’s crater. For that reason, in addition to the capacity of renewal created by the - 12 -
volcanic activity, the volcanic landscape is an excellent example to push against the persistent (and usually failed) human attempts to control nature. The disturbance is how ecosystems keep thriving. There is no such thing as a pick moment for landscape; landscapes are continually changing and evolving. Hence, this thesis consists of an operational study that focuses on the materiality and processes of the volcanic landscape that turn the volcanic disturbance into a landscape creator.
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This thesis challenges the perception of the volcanic landscape as the product of a natural disaster. Instead, the volcanic landscape is seen as an active and valuable terrain, not only from an ecological point of view but also as a cultural landscape loaded with meaning.
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Hypothesis Natural disturbances are uncontrollable, but through designed and curatorial means, geological, and material processes in the territory can have a catalytic effect. Therefore, the concept of disturbance does not have a negative meaning; what is more, it is considered a phenomenon capable of triggering landscape regeneration.
Goals Main goal: Develop a methodology to design with disturbances present in the volcanic landscape
Secondary goals: 1. Characterize the volcanic landscape 2. Create the Atlas of shape, time, and perception of the Llaima volcano 3. Design a network of infrastructure to engage with the volcanic landscape created by the Llaima volcano.
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Case Study
Global context Volcanic eruptions are natural disturbances that are present in several countries in the world, especially across the Pacific Ocean’s Ring of Fire. The encounter of the tectonic plates under the Pacific Ocean with its neighbor plates has created a volcanic line that tells the story of our planetary landscape. These mountain chains are the footprints of the constant movement of the Earth and are denominated the Ring of Fire due to the frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that lash them. The six more volcanic active countries in the world are the United States, Russia, Indonesia, Japan, and Chile, within the Ring of Fire, and Iceland as an isolated case.
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Geography of volcanoes It is unclear how many volcanoes exist on the earth, mainly because of their dynamic nature that can make them appear and disappear. Regarding the known volcanoes of the world, there are five types of volcanic landforms: stratovolcanoes or composite volcano, shield volcanoes, cinder cones, dome volcano, caldera volcano, and fissure volcano. At the same time, each volcano can erupt differently, being able to change the type from one eruption to another. The types of volcanic eruptions are Plinian, Strombolian, Vulcanian, Pelean, Hawaiian, and Icelandic.
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Volcanic activity in the world Site location
Ring of fire 1:300,000,000
Chile 1:60,000,000
Araucania region Llaima volcano Chilean volcanoes
Volcanoes Most volcanic countries of the world
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Araucania Region 1:4,500,000
Melipeuco communa Vilcun communa Curacautin communa Llaima volcano
Chilean case Chile has the second largest and most active volcanic chain in the world with 91 active volcanoes. This volcanic chain is part of the Andean mountain chain which developed because of the encounter between the Nazca and the South American tectonic plaques. This line of volcanoes is part of the Chilean physical and cultural landscape. Due to the magnitude of these volcanoes, they act as huge landmarks, being part of the identity of the communities that inhabit their surroundings.
Llaima volcano
There are a series of requisites that define the site as the best case to develop the proposal, all of them pointing out a highly active volcano, in other words, a place prone to be disturbed soon and repeatedly. Among the ninety-one Chilean active volcanoes, the Llaima Volcano serves as a laboratory to understand through this thesis
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Araucania region 1:1,500,000
Leyend Regional boundary Polititcal division Towns and cities National Parks and Reservoirs 40km Llaima volcano influence 25km influence radius 20km influence radius Pavement and rubble roads Route 5 (main north-south highway) Main access routes
0
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10
20
40
60km
Lonquimay volcano Curacautin town
Sierra nevada
Cherquenco town
Llaima volcano
Melipeuco town
Sollipulli volcano
Araucania Andean mountains
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the relevance and possibilities that the volcanic+ material presents for landscape architecture. The Llaima volcano, located in the Araucanía region, Chile, is the second more dangerous volcano of that country and one of the most active volcanoes in South America. Llaima is an active volcano located in the Andes mountain range at coordinates 38°42’S – 71°44’W. It has an area of 490km2 with a basal diameter of 25km and a volume of 377km3. It has two active craters, and its highest summit is located at 3179 meters over sea level. The Llaima volcano is a stratovolcano. That means that the successive eruptions of the volcano have created its topography. Every new lava flux will add material in the top of the cone, making it every time higher. There is a register of 49 eruptions between 1640 and today, being its last outbreak in 2008. The last period of activity started in 1994 and is still ongoing, which is evident to the sight by the emission of gasses. However, even though it is active, it is not in current eruptive risk status; therefore, the site can be regularly visited. Consequently, - 24 -
this site is suitable for this research because, due to its history, it is likely that it will explode again soon. The Llaima volcano has erupted on average every eight years during the last century, and the lava follows different paths on each eruption because it will always follow the most straightforward way down. The principal dangers associated with this volcano are pyroclastic falls, lava fluxes, and lahars. The lahars usually flowed by the rivers CaptrĂŠn, LanlĂĄn, Calbuco, and Trufultruful. These dangers increase when snow is accumulated in the foothill of the volcano. Finally, the Llaima is an appropriate case study because there are several cartographic representations of the place, GIS shapefiles of the contour lines, hydrography, and protected areas, besides information about the ecology of the site. All information useful to have handy at the moment to inform the design decisions.
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0
Geolocical map 1:300,000
2.5
5
10
15km
Leyend 20km influence 2008 1957 1780 1751 1640 110+/-30 Ybp 0
Historic eruptions 1:300,000 2.5 5 10 15km
2008
1994
1990
1984
1979
1971
1964
1862 1864 1866 1869 1872 1875 1877 1883 1887 1889 1892 1893 1894 1895 1903 1907 1912 1914 1917 1922 1927 1929 1930 1932 1937 1938 1941 1942 1944 1945 1946 1949 1955 1956 1957
1852
1822
1780
1759
1751
1640
Leyend 25km influence High risk lava + lahars High risk lava + long lahars High risk only lahars Moderate risk lava Moderate risk lava + lahars Low risk lava Low risk lava + lahars
0
Volcanic risk 1:300,000
2.5
5
10
15km
Human communities In the base of the volcano, the Melipeuco town is located, which is also in the lava path of Sollipulli volcano, being the town more threatened by the Llaima volcano. According to SERNAGEOMIN–National Service of Geology and Mining, Melipeuco is one of the 346 Chilean boroughs that are under volcanic risk. This town was evacuated during the 49th eruption of Llaima in 2008, but people were relocated there again once the event finished. Melipeuco is the closest town to the volcano. However, the municipalities of Cherquenco and CuracautĂn are also in the path of expected future lava flows. Besides, the area is full of small settlements, and it has one big city in a less than a 100km radius. Indigenous communities have historically inhabited this territory. The first settlements in the area are registered around the 3000 b.c., they were hunters and harvesters and ate the Araucaria fruit. The Melipeuco area is currently associated with the Mapuche (men of the earth) indigenous culture, specifically with the Pehuenches, which receive their name due to their relationship with the Pehuen tree (also called Araucaria or Monkey-puzzle tree). - 29 -
The Mapuche community cosmogony considers the earth it’s alive and that their surroundings are filled with creatures and spirits. This territory has been inhabited by Mapuches at least since the nineteen century when, during the reduction process (1884-1929), the Mapuche community received Merced land titles in this area of the region. Only by 1941, the Melipeuco town was founded as such. Nowadays, there are 28 recognized Mapuche indigenous communities in the surroundings. The Mapuche people have been continuously struggling in political rivalries with the national leaders, which has led to a marginalization of the indigenous community during the last century. For example, there is an overlap between the area that this community considers their land, the Llaimamapu, and the limits of the Conguillio National Park, which causes conflicts regarding the management of the land. The thesis aims to understand how the volcanic landscape determines the Pehuenche culture and how the development of this landscape can be an opportunity for the Mapuche community to thrive besides engaging others with their valuable cosmogony.
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1950
1970
1983
1984
Reduction process. Mapuches receive Merced land tittles
Forestal Reserve Conguillio
National Park Conguillio
Biosphere reserve
Creation of SNASPE Law N18.362
1941
1929
1884
0
3000 b.c. First human settlements. Hunt + recolection Use to eat araucaria fruit
Foundation of Melipeuco
Leyend Contours 40km radius Llaimamapu limits National Parks limits Mapuche communities Llaimache communities Towns 0
Lava garden area 31 Indigenous -communities 1:150,000
2.5
5
10km
Legal protection Llaima volcano is situated inside the National System of Wild Areas Protected by the State – Sistema Nacional de à reas Silvestres Protegidas por el Estado (SNASPE), considering part of the Conguillio National Park (created in 1970) and the Araucarias Biosphere Reserve (since 1983). The later received its name from the tree Araucaria araucana which grows in the area. Araucarias are considered a vulnerable species; however, they can survive being buried under scoria and ashes besides growing in volcanic environments. The mentioned nearness to vegetal-animal protected areas and human communities creates the necessity to elaborate a design that interacts with the natural disturbance. Even though the Llaima volcano is part of the Conguillio National Park, it acts mostly as a background for the forest and lagoons but not as geological landscape experience activator.
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Araucaria / Pehuén / Monkey Puzzle Tree Araucaria araucana (Molina) K. Koch Grows between 600 to 1700 m.a.s.l. in the Andeans, forming communities called “pinares.” It requires full sun and well-drained soil –mainly of volcanic origin–. It grows in association with other conifers and Nothofagus species.
Growth stages
This evergreen tree loses its branches when the tree grows, ending with a naked trunk crowned by high branches that make it look like an umbrella. It has a rugose, thick, and cracked bark which is resistant to fire. It has a slow growth rate, and its first fruit appears when it turns 25 years. However, it can live for 1,000 years. Its pine cone is edible and has a relevant role in the MapuchePehuenche diet. Currently is classified as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Leyend 0
Araucaria forest
Distribution within a -20km influence radius 33 1:300,000
2.5
5
10
15km
Materiality The vegetation of the site is composed of around ten trees species and several small shrubs and herbaceous. They organized creating clusters of endemic vegetation that change its expression through seasonality. Most of this vegetation grows here because of the volcanic soil. Regarding the vegetal configuration, some common communities are Araucaria-Coigüe, Araucaria-Ñirre, Roble-Raulí-Coigüe, and Lenga. In the area there are 200 vegetal species, among them, only 21 are introduced, and only 3 have conservation issues: Araucaria araucana, Austrocedrus chilensis, and Prumnopitys andina. This vegetation creates a particularity of the site, a unique biome that will determine how vegetation can create sacrificial areas for this specific volcanic landscape. This rich endemic and protected forest is also home to high biodiversity of fauna species, some of them are native as the Huemul or South Andean deer, the Zorro Culpeo or Andean fox, and the Ranita de Darwin or Darwin’s frog to mention a few. Overall, the local wildlife is composed of 27 mammal species, 105 birds, 6 reptiles, and 6 amphibious.
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GavilĂş Chloraea gaudichaudii Brong.
Sisyrinchium Sisyrinchium pearcei Phil.
Lupino Lupinus polyphyllus Lindl.
Pozoa Pozoa volcanica Mathias et
Uvita de cordillera Berberis empetrifolia Lam.
Valeriana Valeriana fonki Phil.
Dedalera Digitalis purpurea L.
PillomeĂą-lahuen Polystichum plicatum Hicken
Chilco Fuchsia magellanica Lam.
Hierba del chivato Haplopappus glutinosus Cass.
Plant species palette shrubs/herbs
SUMMER January
AUTUMN
February
March
WINTER
April
May
June
July
SPRING August
September
SUMMER
October
November
December
Araucaria / Pehuén (Molina) K.Koch Ciprés de la cordillera/Cedro Austrocedrus chilensis Notro Embothrium coccineum J.R. Forst. Laurel (Ruiz et Pav.) Tul Radal Lomatia hirsuta (Lam.) Diels ex J.F.Macbr Raulí Nothofagus alpina (Poepp. et Endl.) Oerst. Ñirre Nothofagus antarctica (G. Forst.) Oerst. Coigüe Nothofagus dombeyi (Mirb.) Oerst. Lenga Nothofagus pumilio (Poepp. Et Endl.) Sauco del diablo Raukaua laetevirens (Gay) Franchet Vulnerable
Fruit season
Flower color
Leaf color
Almost threatened 40m
30m
20m
10m
0m
e
a
gü
re
lí
ng
oi
Le
C
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au
el
al
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ad
Ñ
R
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La
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s
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N
C
A
la co
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ill
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rd
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Tree species Bloom calendar
SUMMER January
AUTUMN
February
March
April
WINTER May
June
July
SPRING August
September
October
SUMMER November
December
Amancay Alstroemeria aurea graham Pasto quila Agrostis incospicua Kunze ex Desv. Frutilla Silvestre Fragaria chiloensis (L.) Mill. Culle Oxalis valdiviensis Barneoud Anislao Pozoa volcanica Mathias et Constance Quinchamalí Quinchamalium Dombeyi Brongn. Añañuca de los volcanes Rhodophiala andicola (Poepp.) Traub ?? Rhodophiala araucana (Phil.) Traub Huilmo Sisyrinchium pearcei Phil. Valeriana Valeriana fonkii Phil. Gavilu Chloraea gaudichaudii Brongn. Orquídea del campo Chloraea longipetala Lindl. Lucilia Lucilia araucana Phil Calycera Calycea herbacea Cav. Var. viridiflora (Phil.) Pontiroli Fruit season
Flower color
Leaf color
50cm
50cm
25cm
25cm
0cm
0cm
C yc er
lia
(r
ilu
ci
al
Lu
av
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la ia ph a do n ho ca R rau a
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ca ñu s ña os e A e l can d ol v
ha
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Herbaceous species Bloom calendar
The volcanic material has different shapes, colors, and sizes. Therefore, the Llaima territory is composed of several types of ground. Each related to chemical compositions or its volcanic origin, changing if they are the product of lava, lahars, or ashes, and also regarding the temperature in which they emerged. After lava cooling down, volcanic rocks are porous elements that erode quickly by weather conditions or the effect of external forces. In that way, volcanic activity determines specific shapes in the territories.
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Red lava
Lahar mixture
Profiles
Small grain lava
Rocks
Soil textures and colors
Volcanic dunes / ashes
Scoria
Mix organic + lava
In a representation effort, all the drawings that characterize the volcanic landscapes are organized in three books. These are the atlases of time, shape, and perception. I picked these three topics because they are part of both the meaning of landscape, but also of the landscape creation process. Shape relates to the physical aspect of the landscape, with form, distribution, and materiality of the landscape. Time refers to the constant changes of a landscape; the landscape is made of processes, the interaction between living and lifeless elements, and the memory of past events. In this sense, a single territory embodies several landscapes regarding the time frame when we are observing it. Finally, perception defines our experience of the landscape, how we understand our environment by meandering through it, and what emotions does it evoke on us.
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DESIGN STRATEGIES
On the Importance of Natural Disasters. I think natural disasters have been looked upon in the wrong way. Newspapers always say they are bad. A shame. I like natural disasters and I think that they may be the highest form of art possible to experience. For one thing they are impersonal. I don’t think art can stand up to nature. Put the best object you know next to the grand canyon, niagara falls, the red woods. The big things always win. Now just think of a flood, forest fire, tornado, earthquake, Typhoon, sand storm. Think of the breaking of the Ice jams. Crunch. If all of the people who go to museums could just feel an earthquake. Not to mention the sky and the ocean. But it is in the unpredictable disasters that the highest forms are realized. They are rare and we should be thankful for them. Walter De Maria, May 1960 [In: Young (ed.): An Anthology, 1963.]
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Design with disturbance Disturbance Any relatively discrete event in time that disrupts the ecosystem, community, or population structure and changes resources, substrate availability, or the physical environment, including both destructive, catastrophic events as well as less notable, natural environmental fluctuations. Typically, a disturbance causes a significant change in the system under consideration. (White and Pickett, 1985)
In the pursuit to explore how to inhabit the volatile landscape this thesis reflects in the idea of resurgent grounds. Focusing on materiality and process, the goal is to propose a landscape design prototype that highlights the creative capacity of the volcanic landscape rather than its destructive forces. Volcanic eruptions destroy the land but also recreate it. In that sense, the volcanic disturbances can reshape the landscape at the same time that lava residues serve as landscape material. The thesis explore in the idea of time –the life, death, and reborn in the lava footprints–, the concept of shape –how landscape architecture can modify the volcanoes foothill–, and the idea of perception –how design can engage people in a different appreciation of the volcanic landscape–. Hence, this project looks to design with the disturbance in two different ways: 1) By designing in a place that is susceptible to recurring natural disturbances, therefore, to be constantly transformed and reshaped. 2) By using the disturbances, both natural and artificial, as a means to construct the project. - 43 -
In other words, the project goal is to start processes in the landscape using disturbance as a catalyzer for landscape renovation. Therefore, this design project reshapes the territory, before, during and after volcanic events and the interventions guide experiences of and through the landscape, heightening cultural, ecological, and risk awareness and creating thresholds of engagement.
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Geological movements
Volcanic Eruption
Natural Disturbances Wind Erosion
Snow melt Water Rainfall Bikes Cars
Erosion
Pedestrians
Human Disturbances Ground movements
Machinery People gathering rocks
**Use the disturbance as a construction process - 45 -
To test the thesis in the Llaima volcano, I followed four main design strategies: 1) The volcano as a landmark. The first strategy is to put the Llaima volcano as the center of the frame, it is the genius loci of the project. The Llaima surrounding is an impressive volcanic landscape that the project looks to embrace focusing on enhancing what is already part of the landscape. Nowadays, most of the program near the volcano is located in the southwest area along the Conguillio Lake paying inadequate attention to the geological landscape of the site. This design proposal aims to make the volcano the center piece of the landscape, positioning it as the place where the landscape originates and as a crucial landmark. I aim to position the volcano as an attraction and also highlight its relation with the surrounding landscapes. For that reason, the first step was to create new programmatic areas better distributed around the volcano to put the volcanic building as the center of the landscape. 2) The volcanic landscape as a walkable system. The design thesis proposes the - 46 -
creation of a network of paths that connects the current roads and infrastructure to the new programmatic areas with the idea to circumscribe the volcano and also have access to it in different elevations getting to experience the changes that highness provokes in the volcanic landscape. Thus, there is the first level of existing roads that confine the volcano, then, there is a second ring that allows any pedestrian and bikers to move around the volcano, finally, there is a third ring only for pedestrians, at about 2000 meters above sea level that permit to have a panoramic understanding of the context of the site. Until that elevation, all the paths respect a 5% slope, allowing that most visitors can get to an area that now is inaccessible without hiking experience. This primary path system is constructed with the red lava founded in the area, creating a contrast between the paths in the black volcanic rocks surroundings. This path looks to engage with the volcano by walking through the footprints of the historical eruptions, understanding how the lava flows into the surrounding inhabited places, observe how the vegetation stops growing due to the highness of the site, get a closer view of the glaciers, and see the other volcanic landmarks in the surrounding territories. - 47 -
This path maintains a constant height in the red ring areas, allowing people that won’t hike to the crater to have a closer experience to the volcano. The mountains have had a historical significance for humanity and for that reason, this landscape design aims to provide a space to experience the relationship with that geocosm. Finally, the project calls the audience to experience the landscape with the body. Visitors shouldn’t observe the volcanic landscape only with their eyes. They should be able to walk through it, to touch it, hear how it interacts with the wind or water, smell it, and even taste it. In other words, as a piece of landscape architecture, this project aims to allow people to experience the space with all of their senses and with their body in motion. 3) The geological heritage as a threshold of engagement that creates new spaces for people to interact with the disturbed natural environment. The project aims to explore and manipulate the perception of the volcanic landscape by reshaping the topography of the foothill; this allows to highlight specific views, change the scale perception of the space, creates new intensities, and foster relationships both with the environment but also between people. - 48 -
Hence, the project is an interactive landscape where people can explore the volcanic ecosystem while learning about it; specifically about the flora, fauna, geology, Mapuche cosmogony, and astronomy of the site. To engage with those themes, the project considers seven new programmatic nodes: a universal accessibility walkway, an astronomical observation spot, a fauna observation site, a campsite, a Mapuche culture area, a botanical garden, and an overlook — all connected by a main geological route which also includes resting areas, shelters, and bathroom facilities. To create these new places and experiences, I decided to take advantage of the local materials. The geology of the site considers several textures, colors, and sizes which will be used as constructive materials but also as part of the display of the geological route. 4) The uncertainty as an opportunity. This thesis understands the volcanic disturbances as something uncontrollable. In that sense, the design project researches in how to promote specific processes in the land rather than stop the disruptions motions present periodically in the territory. Therefore, to design with disturbance, it was essential to understand how the watershed and wind fluxes affected the site.
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After that, I defined three ways to reshape the topography by favoring the formation of volcanic dunes: a) By positioning vertical nets that can trap the sediments that flow through the slope with rainfalls and snow melting. b) By moving big volcanic rocks and create new hills by stacking them up. c) By planting shrubs to stabilize the terrain. In these three cases, the smaller particles of volcanic rock that are moved with the wind will start to fell into the new topography complementing it. Part of achieving this goal is to respect the angle of repose of the volcanic rocks that I mentioned previously, allowing the new landscape spaces to persist in the site without the need of maintenance or inclusion of several intruder materialities. The project also considers the potential future flows of lava. As the later eruptions increase the material in the slope, it is always more likely that new lava or lahars flow will follow the path of the most ancient eruptions. Taking that into account, I proposed zones of sacrificial vegetation to help to slow down the lava flow and to create new - 50 -
geological shapes while the lava cools down. These sacrificial vegetation areas will be planted in the most recent lava path to increase their probability to have time to grow into a forest before having to confront volcanic fluxes. Furthermore, even though it will depend on the density or fluidity of each eruption, lava tends to act as a watershed, creating meanders in its way down the mountain. Therefore the new topography created by the project will have the capacity to interact with the lava in a future eruption to help to spread it, which might result in it cool down faster. Finally, the project uses mainly volcanic rocks as the material because it is what is available. In that sense, the project appears as a vernacular landscape architecture design which uses the disturbance as an opportunity. Volcanic rocks are an effect of volcanic disturbances, but that can be used as construction material, providing an economy medium to develop landscape design — both a material for topographic interventions, but also to create public furniture made of re-melted lava.
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Topographic studies
35 ยบ 25 ยบ
10 ยบ
1:50.000
Master Plan 1:30,000 To Curacautín
P P
2h
P P 1h20m 20m 1h20m
1h40m
20m
20m
10m
1h20m
1h20m
To Vilcún
P P 1h5m 45m
P
P
20m
1h30m 2h10m
1h
1h10m
P
2h15m 1h20m
40m
20m
1h20m 20m
2h10m
1h10m
1h 35m
20m
P
P
To Icalma
To Cunco
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- 56 Astronomical route
- 57 Fauna observation route
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After the master plan, this thesis developed more thoroughly three specifics areas of the design which show the volcanic landscape in its three main areas of elevation and are also related with the concepts of shape, time, and perception: The first area is a walkway within a lava field. This site is in the foothill of the volcano, in a relatively flat area and the middle of a watershed/lavashed footprint. This area takes those fluxes as an opportunity to reshape the topography of the foothill, creating a landscape that plays with the natural fluids making them meander in their way downhill. This new topography also respects the existing rock masses; this means that for every hill that appears, a hole in the ground would also be created. This intervention relates mainly to the idea of the shape and how design can recreate the territory by respecting its own composition rules. It also concerns with the idea of perception by allowing people to get hidden and exposed between these new topographic elements, creating specific views to the Llaima volcano and the Sierra Nevada extinct volcano. Hence, this mounts and holes develop spaces for people to wander and interact, and to observe the foothill of the volcano from a new perspective. Finally, this program relates to the idea of time because the topographic - 60 -
shapes will start in a specific way, but they will be weathered turning into a different topographic composition. This area is accessible by two separate routes and sets a starting point to go up near the volcano. At the same time, it is thought as an area that can be visited by anyone regarding their physical conditions. To do that, the main path of the intervention is an elevated wood walkway. This material permits people in wheelchairs or with difficulties to move around to have a smooth surface to wander around and be able also to get involved in the experience of the volcanic landscape. Also, the wood walkway will be elevated, so the snow doesn’t cover it, allowing it to work all year round. The second area is a botanical garden that shows a curated composition of volcanic vegetation. This intervention is located near the tree line, and it is mostly related to the idea of time and how the growth of vegetation works as a measurement of time. In this area, the topography is re-accommodated to create several bowl shapes that will help to collect rainfall and snowmelt. Therefore, those spaces are designed to retain water to support the plants grow in the site. This places will also be intervened - 61 -
9 20
9 10
93 5
844
925 930
94 0
866
898
942
922
94 5
873
0
95
5
95
936
869
963
834
924
958
0 96 5 96 0 97
5
901
97
936 953
971 98
922
0
98
5
99
0
99
5 00
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101 5
10
05
10
10
946
869
10
881
915
905
900
890
895
880
885
87 5
870
86 0
86 5
887
Walkway within new topography section 1:7,500,000
Section 1:200
COIHUE WOOD 3X6” COIHUE WOOD 3X6” COIHUE WOOD 2X6” COIHUE WOOD 2X6” STEEL ANGLE 50X50X4 mm. VOLCANIC STONE FILLING
Section 1:50
Detail 1:10
CAP SCREW 1/2 X 7” STEEL SQUARE TUBE 75X75X3mm.
by adding organic material. Volcanic areas turn into fertile lands after hundreds of years, which is why I’m proposing to use human intervention as a way to accelerating the succession process. As you can see in the 1:1 material model, the ground in this area will be composed of a mixture of different size volcanic rocks in collaboration with organic materials. This botanical garden also uses the principles of the rock garden to be constructed. The cracks on and in between the rocks will start to slowly be filled with organic material that will allow herbaceous and woody plants to thrive. Besides, this area will include an extension of the current forest with the fastergrowing species to create a cluster of sacrificial vegetation. This program plays with the idea of perception by organizing herbaceous and shrubs by sizes, color schemes, and blooming periods to create patches within the botanical route which you wouldn’t be able to observe in a natural composition. For instance, solely for the hard conditions, plants tend to grow scattered in this landscape, whereas this topographic iteration allows to improve the site conditions and therefore more - 64 -
plant could grow together. Finally, the shape appears in this part of the project as a trigger for ecological processes. The third and final area is an overlook near the top of the volcano. This place is located in the highest loop of the path and relates to the perception of the volcano because it is situated in a deserted area of the mountain, which is covered only by rocks or snow regarding of the season. This place allows to experience the greatness of the mountain, to feel small in comparison with the landscape, and be admired by the surrounding territory. At this point, the audience is also capable of observing the other volcanoes and valleys in the region. To exaggerate that perception of immensity the project considers a wood overlook that hangs from the hill, separating itself in some areas, creating the illusion of being flying on top of the immense volcanic landscape. This area doesn’t consider a topographical intervention due to the steep slopes surrounding but still includes the red lava path, to make evident the intervention with a designed pathway that contrast the natural landscape without diminishing it.
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CONCLUSIONS
First, these landscape interventions are intentionally susceptible to weather and decay. In other words, the project is not planned to last forever. It is known that nature has processes that are continually changing the landscape and the environment, so, why should we defy nature on that? It is clear that we are not going to win. It does not matter what we design; it will still be held to the evolution and disturbance of a place. Therefore, the final product will be unexpected and different from what we planned. As designers, we should acknowledge that and use the uncertainty as an opportunity for design, producing landscape projects that initiate and foster processes, celebrating the transformation capacity of the landscape instead of trying to fix the design in a singular and particular moment. In other words, these thesis designs are intentionally sacrificial—each considered for a different duration, each acknowledging that the territory is alive. Second, as the project is mainly created with the local elements, the process can be replied in other volcanic landscapes of the world. In that way, when the designed landscape gets to be affected by a significant volcanic disturbance, the methodology can be reapplied, creating a new landscape of engagement in the future. - 68 -
Finally, I want to restate that, even though I do consider volcanic eruptions risky phenomena, the volcanic landscape is much more than only a hazard, it is alive, and as much as it destroys, it also built new landscapes. Both the natural and cultural landscapes around volcanoes are unique because of the existence of the volcanoes in them. I’m convinced that the effects of disturbance as part of the landscape creation process is worthy of being explored and that it is a field of study to keep developing as part of the landscape architecture discipline.
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bibliography
The data exposed in the text in addition to the original cartographies that led to the development of my drawings are based on a combination of the sources listed below.
THEORY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE Blomfield, Reginald and Inigo Thomas. (1892). The formal garden in England. London: Macmillian. Bowring, Ja. and S. Swaffield (2013). Shifting Landscapes In-Between Times in Harvard Design Magazine No. 36 Landscape Architecture’s Core? Dixon Hunt, J. (2004). The Afterlife of Gardens. London: Reaktion Books. Dixon Hunt, J. (2015). The Making of Place: Modern and Contemporary Gardens. London, U.K.: Reaktion Books. Elliott, B. (1986) Victorian Gardens. London: B.T. Batsford. Haig Thomas, R. (1905). Stone Gardens with practical hints on the paving & planting of them. London: Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent and Co., LTD. - 71 -
Hutton, J. (2013). Substance and Structure I: The Material Culture of Landscape Architecture in Harvard Design Magazine No. 36 Landscape Architecture’s Core? Kaplan, S. (1988). “Perception and landscape: conceptions and misconceptions.” In Environmental aesthetics. Theory, research, and applications, edited by Jack L. Nasar, 45-55. New York: Cambridge University Press. Mathur, A. & da Cunha, D. (2001). Mississippi Floods: Designing a Shifting Landscape. London: Yale University. McHarg, I. (1992). Design with nature (25th anniversary ed.). New York: J. Wiley. M’Closkey, K. (2013). Synthetic patterns: Fabricating landscapes in the age of ‘green’. Journal of Landscape Architecture, 8(1), 16-27. Misrach, R., Orff, K., & Aperture Foundation. (2012). Petrochemical America (1st ed.). New York: Aperture Foundation. Tilley, C. (2004). The materiality of Stone: explorations in landscape phenomenology. Berg Publishers, New York: 25. - 72 -
UNESCO— United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. (2016). UNESCO Global Geoparks: Celebrating Earth Heritage, Sustaining local Communities. Paris: UNESCO. Whiston Spirn, A. (2011). Photography and the Art of Visual Thinking.
COMPREHENDING THE VOLCANIC LANDSCAPE Davison, C.R. and T. Rutke (2014). “Assessment and Characterization of Volcanic Ash Threat to Gas Turbine Engine Performance” in Journal of Engineering for Gas Turbines and Power 136(8). DOI: 10.1115/GT2013-94079 Donovan, A. (2012). “Earthquakes and Volcanoes: Risk from Geophysical Hazards” in Handbook of Risk Theory. Epistemology, Decision Theory, Ethics, and Social Implications of Risk. Volume 1: 341-371. S. Roeser, R. Hillerbrand, P. Sandin, & M. Peterson (Eds.) London New York: Springer. Paton, D. (2009). Living on the Ring of Fire: Perspectives on Managing Natural Hazard - 73 -
Risk in Pacific Rim Countries. JOURNAL OF PACIFIC RIM PSYCHOLOGY Volume 3, Issue 1: 1–3. Tazieff, H. (1982). Seismic and volcanic hazards. Impact of science on society Vol. 32, No. I, The violent forces of nature – how science helps to tame them: 89 – 93. Historic cases of diversion of lava https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-29136747 National Public Radio. (2014). Diverting Lava Flow May Be Possible, But Some Hawaiians Object. Reviewed in https://www.npr.org/2014/11/01/360719232/ diverting-lava-flow-may-be-possible-but-some-hawaiians-object week 2
CHILEAN CONTEXT Naranjo, J.A.; Moreno, H. 2005. Geología del volcán Llaima, Región de la Araucanía. Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería, Carta Geológica de Chile, Serie Geología Básica, No.88, 33 p., 1 mapa escala 1:50.000, Santiago. [Geological Map] CONAF – Corporación Nacional Forestal (2006). Documento de Trabajo N° 405 - Plan de Manejo Parque Nacional Conguillío. - 74 -
SERNAGEOMIN – Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (2015). Ranking de los 90 volcanes activos de Chile. Ministerio de Minería, Gobierno de Chile. SERNAGEOMIN – Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (2011). Evaluación de riesgo volcánico a escala nacional en Chile. Rodrigo Calderón (Researcher). Ministerio de Minería, Gobierno de Chile. [online] URL: http://sitiohistorico.sernageomin.cl/pdf/ geologia/ Primeraevaluacionderiesgovolcanico.pdf Martínez, P. (2010). Identificación, caracterización y cuantificación de geositios, para la creación del I geoparque en chile, en torno al parque nacional Conguillío. Geology Thesis. Chile: Departamento de Geología, Facultad de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas, Universidad de Chile. Riedemann, P. and Gustavo Aldunate (2014 [2001]). Flora nativa de valor ornamental: Chile zona Sur. Identificación y propagación. Chile: Ediciones jardín Botánico Chagual. Riedemann M., Aldunate Noël, & Teillier Arredondo. (2008). Flora nativa de valor ornamental: Cordillera de los Andes. Chile: Corporación Jardín Botánico Chagual. Schilling, M., K. Toro, P. Contreras, C. Levy and H. Moreno. (2012). “Geoparque Kütralcura: Patrimonio geológico para el desarrollo sustentable de la Región de la Araucanía.” XIII Congreso Geológico Chileno conference minutes: 896-898. - 75 -
DESIGN PRECEDENTS Anhaeusser, C. (2007). “A walk through time: launch of the geological garden.” in Geobulletin, Vol. 50, no.4 (December): 22-24. Calderone, G., Thompson, J. R., Johnson, W., Kadel, S., Nelson, P., Hall-Wallace, M., and Butler, R. “GeoScape: An instructional rock garden for inquiry-based cooperative learning exercises in introductory geology courses.” Journal of Geoscience Education, v.51, n.2, March (2003): 171-176. Cooper, D. (2015). Dust Kingdom. MLA Thesis Harvard Graduate School of Design. Duke, J. (2015). The Digital & The Wild: Mitigating Wildfire Risk Through Landscape Adaptations. University of Toronto. Great things to People. (2016). “Remolten N°1: Revolution Series.” Reviewed in https:// gt2p.com/Remolten-N-1-Revolution Hayward, G. (2001). Stone in the Garden: Inspiring Designs and Practical Projects. New York: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. Kutralcura GeoPark https://www.issuu.com/sernageomin/docs/kultralkura_web_/188 - 76 -
Lava Centre, Iceland https://www.dexigner.com/news/30433 Vásquez, A. (2015). Modelación del Paisaje Volcánico Chileno: Parques Nacionales y la Representación de una Identidad Territorial. Thesis project 2014/2015. Master in Landscape Architecture, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, School of Architecture, Design, and Urban Studies. Waldron, J., A. Locock, and A. Pujadas-Bote. (2016). “Building an Outdoor Classroom for Field Geology: The Geoscience Garden” In Journal of Geoscience Education 64 (2016): 215-230, https://doi.org/10.5408/15-133.1. Workshop 2018: A Volcano Journey. Architectural Association Guatemala Visiting School.
DOCUMENTARIES Werner Herzog. (2016). Into the Inferno. Tyler Potts. (2007). Maya Lin: Systematic Landscapes. Henry Art Gallery, Seattle Washington. - 77 -
Jóhann Sigfússon. Eyjafjallajökull 2010 – the day the earth stoodstill (or at least the day Europe didn’t fly…) Westman Island 1973 – eruption in your back yard National Geographic (2018). S01 E03 Shield. One strange rock.
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Landscape Architecture Thesis 2019 Student: MarĂa de la Luz Lobos MartĂnez Advisor: Jill Desimini