First Place: Open

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’ families face unemployment and uncertainty. In anticipation of the closure of several Ontario’s 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’s strength under tension, UPROOT becomes a suspended hub for agricultural and social activities.