Phytoremediative Deathscapes: An Ecological Reimagining of Afterlife

Abstract

This thesis examines how architecture can rethink the way we care for the earth and the dead through a lens in which death is not an endpoint but a process of renewal within the larger ecological system. Set in Sudbury Ontario’s decommissioned Vale Copper Cliff Nickel Refinery, the project envisions a restorative deathscape that unites the dead, the living, and the landscape. The principles of natural decomposition are applied to the restoration of the post-industrial landscape, nurturing an interconnected system of care that addresses ecological and cultural scars. Phytoremediation and terramation, a process that transforms human remains into nutrient-rich soil, are employed in the project to address industrial pollution and facilitate memorial practices. By merging the care of loved ones with the care of the earth, this project fosters a renewed relationship with the landscape—one akin to gardening, where mourning and regeneration become deeply interconnected.