Janet
‘Quarrying Fluidity’ investigates river valley quarrying. More than 40 percent of construction aggregates come from quarrying river valleys - an act very damaging to the ecosystem of a river. This is becoming a global issue as there is an increased need for extraction of aggregates for construction worldwide. At the same time, quarrying gives us a rare opportunity to create new modes of inhabitation in a wetland setting. The project is located on a currently operating sand and gravel quarry on the Great Ouse River in Milton Keynes. It proposes a new quarrying technique through which an inhabited hydrocommon is constructed over time. ‘Quarrying Fluidity’ proposes a new model of inhabiting a ground of wetness which brings human and ‘more-than-human’ inhabitation together. Programatically, the proposal begins its life as a sand and gravel quarry, supplying Milton Keynes with new aggregates. Through the quarrying activity, large water basins are created which are then used as water purification and storage facilities. Multiple wetland gardens are constructed, where new habitats are to be created - for humans, wildlife and their entangled futures.
