Even somewhere as inauspicious as the Beckton Alp, a toxic 19th century spoil heap, is redolent with value for the people who use it.

Despite the only way in being a hole illegally made in the fence, the alp is a vibrant social space used by a diverse range of people for the kinds of adventure we just don’t have anymore.

During three months residency in a portacabin at the base of the alp we observed and documented use and evidence of use, both human and otherwise.

In 50 days of actual presence on site, over 300 people were observed.







The paradox of this “bad” landscape as also a place of the sublime and of adventure was tested during the residency by hosting social encounters. One of these encounters was an invitation to lunch below the summit extended to the scaffolders from the yard at the base of the alp. Both tested scenarios and observed use formed a brief to return the alp as a fully accessible, social, bioremediated landscape, but one that retains the intrinsic qualities that make it so beguiling.

The concept for bioremediation is to treat the surface rainwater as both a source of pleasure and potential poison and by making visible a treatment system so reference the hidden marsh landscape now sealed away beneath the surface. 

The design will separate the surface water from the leachate, rills and pools with reed beds as green sponges will cleanse the less toxic surface run off, and will keep it as far as possible from penetrating the reinstated clay capping.  

That water which does penetrate the cap will percolate through the toxins and as leachate will be collected at the base in an enclosed chamber, the “bad” water will be pumped up using renewable energy to be let down again through an enclosed serial system to filter out the toxins.   

The proposal is for a hybrid landscape of remediation and the sublime, for adventure and for the knowledge of risk.  The form this landscape may take is evidenced through the natural and cultural history collection of the alp. This collection is based the Enlightenment tradition of knowledge through observation and comprises of artifacts and “specimens” entirely constructed from material found on site. The Collection is cultural evidence of the value of the intrinsic paradox of the alp.

The collection was made in collaboration with local individuals and organizations, the Beckon adult education art class made landscape paintings, the director of the local undertakers narrated a roll call of loss, the Over 50s book club donated memories and a botanical illustrator made drawings of constructed species.


Date: Tuesday 11.03.08
Time: 09.15-18.20
Weather: windy, heavy rain, black clouds, some dry patches. 
Methodology: 
Present project and historical local area maps and images to over 50's reading group at beckton globe library
launder gathered clothes from site
make contact with local undertakers T Cribb and Sons
work on samples in laboratory
Tools used:
none recorded
Samples to laboratory: 
1 x black suit jacket
2 x elasticated black "hats"
1 x black cumberband
1 x velvet vhs sheet
1 x black primark t shirt
1 x black bra
1 x pink baby gro
further samples to laboratory:
1 x pink patterned cushion
1 x silver "blinkz" identity bracelet
1 x set of keys with "joan" keyring
1 x black school bag containing homework, a book on bogey eating, a calculator, a pencil case, a delivery note for  a food wholesalers "chetans".
Human occupation off alp site:
15.00 middle aged man looking through laboratory window.  leaves when he is noticed.
Human occupation on alp site:
16.15 couple, mid twenties, kissing on the summit.
17.30 man working out on summit (previously seen)
18.00 couple walking towards the summit.
Non human occupation on site: 
2 x magpies
1 x rat on tollgate road
Ambient sounds: 
as before 
howling winds
trees rustling
heavy rain
Ambient smells: 
wet dirt
sewage
Remarks:
trace owner of school bag via her school south park primary in ilford. R________ contacts via telephone, she "dropped" her bag somewhere but couldn't remember where,  about eight years old, resident in east ham.
alp noticeably more empty owing to weather.
Occupation images:
Inventory images:
none taken
Samples to laboratory images:

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