Abandoned industrial sites are generally characterised by soil and subsoil contamination. The current approach to their remediation is the ‘clean slate’ approach, which involves remediating the entire site before its redevelopment. However, this method is not sustainable from an economic, social or technological perspective: it delays the reuse of large areas, often well-connected to infrastructure, the reuse of which could prevent further land consumption. A possible solution to this problem is the application of the principles of adaptive reuse.
This study, conducted at FULL (Future Urban Legacy Lab) at the Polytechnic University of Turin, presents an interdisciplinary approach to spatialising, visualising and managing the interactions between remediation and urban design for the transformation of contaminated urban areas. The core of the study is based on a parametric decision-support toolkit, called AdRem, developed to compare available remediation techniques and schematic urban design solutions. AdRem utilises a 3D modelling interface and VPL (Visual Programming Language) scripting. The required input data consists of a geometric description of the site, contamination status data, feasible remediation techniques and their associated characteristics, as well as schematic urban design recommendations. A filtering process selects the techniques compatible with the site’s intended use. The result is an optimised remediation and reuse plan that can support an interdisciplinary discussion on possible site regeneration options.
