Rebecca Martin, "Opaque Ground: Reimagining Human-Soil Relations in the Lower Don Subwatershed"
Urban soil holds the residue of human activity while supporting non-human worlds. It regulates water cycles, stores carbon, and sustains life, yet is undervalued. In the face of biodiversity and climate crises, increased soil literacy is essential for designing resilient cities that work with natural systems.
To promote soil literacy, this project proposes an urban soil survey and a series of experimental gardens along a 10-kilometer trail in Toronto’s Lower Don Valley Subwatershed. These gardens integrate varying degrees of intervention with one rule: no new soil can be added. Instead, existing soil conditions are explored through collaborations with plant life.
Program: Master of Landscape Architecture
Advisor: Alissa North