2017-2018 Steel Competition Top Ten For Student Winners
First Place: Open
Tatiana Estrina
Tatiana Estrina
In Northern Ontario, open-pit mining is frequently used to extract minerals such as gold and diamonds. However, when the mine closes, the area is often left empty while the miners鈥� families face unemployment and uncertainty. In anticipation of the closure of several Ontario鈥檚 mines, UPROOT provides a structure with an alternative use for these areas. UPROOT calls for the redevelopment of open-pit mines into stepping community farmland, offering new possibilities for its use after closure. It provides a sustainable solution to global environmental concerns regarding abandoned closed mines as well as creates new opportunities in response to Ontario laws requiring mining industry to take responsibility for re-generating the area after natural resources are depleted. The design itself acts as a linkage within the pit as well as re-establishes the relationship between towns and their local food production. By taking advantage of structural steel鈥檚 strength under tension, UPROOT becomes a suspended hub for agricultural and social activities.