Cherry (Yangzi) Guo
The project focuses on the transient journey of ascent from the Welsh town of Blaenau Ffestiniog to the site of slate ruins on the mountaintop plateau, enabling visitors to traverse the scarred landscape and explore relics left behind by the 19th century mining industry.
The proposal aims to address both the tangible remains of the infrastructure and the intangible cultural legacy created by the mining community. Operating around the diurnal and nocturnal cycle, the scheme not only allows visitors to experience the industrial heritage of the landscape, but also provide retreats for those who wish to restore their circadian rhythm and sensitivity to natural light.
As the site is located within a Dark Sky Reserve in Snowdonia National Park, the use of permanent fixed lighting is minimised, and inhabitation of darkness becomes a crucial aspect of the scheme. As night falls, the site’s industrial identity is temporarily disguised and transformed into a landscape of glistening fragments, interplayed by slate and copper.
By synthesizing analogue and digital techniques, a series of large-scale hybrid drawings have been created as part of an embodied activity performed throughout the design process, with elements such as time, distances and lighting conditions incorporated.
