德國吉事：以植物治癒荒廢工業區｜GUTS IN GERMANY: Green revival of industrial zones
香港雖然是個石屎森林，但植物對城巿的重要性，政府其實早就意識到。1870年代，政府成立「花園部」，在港島大規模植林。花園部後來易名為「植物及林務部」，最後成為如今的漁農自然護理署，而巿區綠化的使命就交到發展局。2019年，發展局局長在立法會上亦曾解釋綠化的重要性：「城市綠化不單可美化環境，亦有助緩和氣溫及改善空氣質素。」
不過，除了美化環境、提升公眾健康等，植物亦有治療的功效。對人來說，多接觸綠色植物可減壓、抽離壓逼的環境，近年興起的「園藝治療」正是讓精神病患者透過種植紓緩病況；對一個社區來說，植物原來也有「把土地治癒」的能力！
在德國西部，魯爾區（Ruhr）曾經是歐洲最大的工業區，聚集煤炭、電力、鋼鐵、機械、化工等重工業，其中大城巿杜伊斯堡（Duisburg）的一個工業區，原本為煉鋼廠、煤礦及鋼鐵等工廠，因為釋放太多污染物，1985年被下令停業，變成工業廢墟。經多年討論，1991年政府邀請建築公司提交方案，結果決定接納Peter Latz + Partner的設計，把工業區內大部分廠房及設施保留，改造成一個以工廠為主體的「北杜伊斯堡景觀公園」。
不過，荒廢的工業區污煙瘴氣、了無生氣，可以如何改造呢？Latz沒有大事剷除染毒的土壤、拆除亂七八糟的水管，而是以大自然的方法套用在園區裏，協助環境自我修復。例如，他用「植物土壤修復法」，把可以分解毒性的植物種在有毒的泥土上，同時保留在這片受污染土壤上頑強地生長的野生植物，用作進一步的生態研究及保護。至於污水道，Latz則透過一些簡易的周邊環境改善，例如設置坡道及可滲水的鋪地物料，把雨水匯集引入河道，讓本來受污染的河流自然淨化，後來變成可用來灌溉植物的活水來源，成為景觀公園中生態循環重要的一部分。
北杜伊斯堡景觀公園把工業遺產與生態綠地結合，竭力保留原本是為人厭惡、甚至看來危害人類健康的工廠、污水道，把它見證百年發展的歷史遺跡，以創新方法轉化為讓廢墟重生、甚至展現希望的公園，成為後工業景觀改造的典範，並在2000年獲得第一屆歐洲景觀設計獎。
香港在二戰前後，工業也一度發展蓬勃，90年代以後產業北移，如今仍遺下不少舊廠房舊設施，雖造就香港的黃金時代，但卻因為看上去平平無奇、談不上美感而總被忽略。除了改建為住宅、商場，借鏡北杜伊斯堡景觀公園、以植物活化工廠區，也可以是一個創新且對城巿有益的方案！
相片來源：網上圖片
地點 :德國
The importance of foliage has long been acknowledged, even in the concrete jungle of Hong Kong. Back in the 1870s, the colonial government established a dedicated department for gardening. It was later renamed ‘Government Gardens & Tree Planting’, now known as Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. The values of greening were manifested by the Secretary for Development at the Legislative Council in 2019, “Urban greening will not only beautify the environment but will also help to moderate temperature and improve air quality.”
Greening not only does good for urban beautification and improving public health; it also has significant therapeutic values. Plants help to reduce stress and soothe tension caused by high-density environments. Recent studies and cases have proven that therapeutic horticulture helps improve psychiatric symptoms. On a community level, blossoms and foliage are also therapeutic to land!
Ruhr in Western Germany was once Europe’s largest industrial hub for heavy industries from coal mining to power generation, from iron and steel to machinery and chemicals. One of Duisburg’s industrial areas used to be home to steel mills, coal mines, and other factories but was forced to close down in 1985 due to the severe release of pollutants. After years of discussion on what to do with the industrial ruin, the government called for revitalisation proposals from architecture firms. In the end, Peter Latz + Partner lent its vision to transform the area into Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord, where most factories and facilities were preserved.
But how do you bring life back to an old industrial zone that was once choking and lifeless, when the vast chaos of intoxicated soil and messy pipes was obviously out of hand? Latz decided to ‘stand on nature’s shoulders’. Inspired by plants’ intrinsic power to restore soil, the team grew plants that can break down toxins and kept the tough weeds that managed to thrive across the polluted land for further ecological research and protection. Latz only made basic improvements to the surrounding area for the sewage pipes, such as building ramps, using permeable paving surfaces, and diverting rainwater to rivers. These practices naturally purified contaminated river water for irrigation and became a key component of the park’s ecosystem.
Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord combines old industrial zones and green space to preserve the factories and sewage channels that used to be unpleasant or even harmful to human health. The successful remodelling of the industrial landscape won the first European Prize for Landscape Architecture in 2000.
To date, Hong Kong still bears many abandoned facilities left behind by the factories that once thrived before and after WWII and moved to Mainland China in the 1990s. Aesthetically mediocre as they might seem, these historic structures can be converted into residential buildings, shopping malls, or even a park like Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord – if we are just open for innovative city planning.
Photo source: Internet
Location: Germany
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