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:
No comments:
Date: Monday 10.03.08
Time: 09.30-17.20
Weather: extremely windy, heavy rain, black clouds. 
09.50 clears to sunshine and blue sky.
12.00 heavy rain again for rest of day.
Methodology: 
collect soil sample from summit. 
observation of north face of alp under bridge bordering greenway.
work on samples in laboratory. 
Tools used:
camera
trowel
Samples to laboratory: 
1 x pot of soil
1 x kingsford community school badge
2 x bottle tops from north face
5 x delivery notes:
3 to fairdales pharmacy ltd, 360 bethnal green road, london, E2- from the specials laboratory
1 to profot services ltd, 65 vyner street, london, E2- from draytac europe ltd
1 to green room digital, 87a worship street, EC2- from dams
1 x receipt from whsmith fro chewing gum dated march 1st
Human occupation off alp site:
none recorded
Human occupation on alp site:
10.50 man appears from path to west of summit, mid 30's, pulls camera from bag and photographs.  very strange as we are both doing the same thing. "i feel like i should say hello" to which he says he was thinking the sam.  he comes here quite often to photograph london in different weather conditions.
10.55 a runner approaches the viewing platform, stops at the top of the path, does some lunges and stretches and sprints back down.
11.10 a young man (mid twenties) walking a bull dog very quickly on path to the north of the alp from the greenway to the retail park, avoids eye contact.
16.00 four teenage boys (14-16) enter via the viewing platform on bikes, battle the wind up to summit, three out of four fall off, at summit they drop bikes and stand up against the wind with arms outstretched.  exit after ten minutes.  one notices my presence and blows a kiss.
Non human occupation on site: 
1 x magpie
seagulls
2 x blackbirds
1 x sparrow
Ambient sounds: 
as before 
howling winds
trees rustling
harris fence clanging (sounds like tubular bells)
heavy rain
Ambient smells: 
wet dirt
Remarks:
very dark and gloomy today, alp is weather bashed, pools of water flood the base.  rubbish has all collected towards sides of path due to wind,one empty beer keg and beer cans at summit.  lots of plastic bags at approach.  there is a fresh fox faeces at the summit.  two steel piles have been dragged to the makeshift den by the amphitheatre.
Occupation images:
Inventory images:
none taken
Samples to laboratory images:
No comments:
Date: Thursday 06.03.08
Time: 09.15-16.30
Weather: overcast, cold with blustery winds, intermittent sun in late afternoon.
Methodology:
worked on samples in laboratory
observations on site with P____ W____, M___ and V____
Tools used:
none recorded
Samples to laboratory: 
blue nylon hairnet 
red balloon
downy black feathers from summit.
1 x orange ballcock 
Human occupation off alp site:
10.30 3 people walking east along greenway
Human occupation on alp site:
12.30 4 young women sitting on wooden platform, V____, M_____, Verity and I exchange a nod with them, they throw stones at us as we descend the steep slope to the  amphitheatre
12.40 one male dog walker (early 60's) with large chocolate labrador called Jake, engage him in conversation through his dog. 
 
Non human occupation on site: 
3 rats and a mouse in the beds bordering Tolllington Road
1 x butterfly at south entrance
1 x dog (jake)
Ambient sounds: 
Ambient smells: 
Remarks:
P____ W_____ comes to site and describes his experience of it as a ski slope. From the summit we look over Beckton and he recalls his time in the late 1980's building the infrastructure when he worked for T______, he considered the quality of the work poor at the time and this he says is borne out by the way the place has aged.
Occupation images:
Inventory images:
none taken
No comments:
Date: Wednesday 05.03.08
Time: 09.15-17.00
Weather: overcast clearing at 12.30, cold with north westerly wind.
Methodology: 
observations on alp site. document the alp from the churchyard of neighbouring st mary magdalene churchyard and east ham nature reserve.
Tools used:
camera
Samples to laboratory: 
none recorded
Human occupation off alp site:
none recorded
Human occupation on alp site:
14.30 late teenage boys enter via platform
14.40 three asian schoolboys enter from retail park via viewing platform
15.50 two boys on bikes cycle across summit to exit via wooden platform
16.20 solitary man on summit looking across to us, mid 40's
Non human occupation on site: 
3 x magpies
Ambient sounds: 
as before 
10.45 sound of playtime to the west of alp.
Ambient smells: 
no new smells recorded
Remarks:
A den has been built by the lower amphitheatre with evidence of a fire in front of it.
A fresh apple core on the path.
Occupation images:
Inventory images:
none taken
No comments:
Date: Tuesday 04.03.08
Time: 08.45
Weather: sunny clear sky but clouds over by 09.45, strong NW wind
Methodology:
observations on site
off site research to Charity shops in East Ham high Street to source ceramics with similar blue and white design to fragments found on site
Tools used:
Samples to laboratory: 
black clothing and jewelry from east fence edge
Human occupation off alp site:
10.30 4 young men are playing football in the insulation yard on the north side of Alpine way with a ball made from industrial cling film
Human occupation on alp site:
12.50 man ascends from wooden platform with camera(cleared again to blue sky)
13.30 2 boys, one in uniform on wooden platform until 13.44 then descend to amphitheatre and begin making a den on the ridge
14.30 the den making boys leave the site by the south fence and walk east along Alpine Way
14.47 2 young men (late 20's) are at summit, gesturing to points on the horizon and drinking from bottles leave at 15.00
15.21 2 young boys in school uniform descend from wooden platform tentatively towards amphitheatre and inspect the den , joined by 3 other boys, all leave via south fence and head west along Alpine Way
Non human occupation on site: 
Ambient sounds: 
Ambient smells: 
Remarks:
09.20 returning from alp the rubbish in front of the porta cabin door includes 8 cigarette ends, an empty 10 pack of marlboro lights, a crumpled five pounds sterling note and a receipt for a visa application passport number 157390059 from the Pakistan high Commission date february 8th
Animal tracks on the north and west face very evident in the damp grass.
looked along west face for feathers seen last week but they are gone, either rotted into the ground, blown away or removed
13.30 - 13.45 helicopter (not police) circling overhead
Occupation images:
Inventory images:
No comments:
Date: Monday 03.03.08
Time: 09.45-17.30
Weather: sunny, very cold, strong north west wind.
Methodology: observations on site with L______R______, botanical illustrator.
sample collection for pigment making.
Tools used:
camera
spade
Samples to laboratory: 
2 x pram blankets 
1 x large thistle with roots
60 red berries
30-40 clusters of ash berries
Human occupation off alp site:
none recorded
Human occupation on alp site:
11.00 solitary man on summit descends via wooden platform
12.10 ascend with L____ R_____, meet man with dog , first observed 13.02.08, he enters from the south and ascends in front of us, we meet him on the way down and talk through the dog, who is called Domino ("as in the game and because he likes to dominate")
13.55 one solitary eastern european male (mid thirties) waits for my exit before he cautiously enters via wooden platform, hols one can of beer in plastic carrier bag) exits 14.20
14.00 another lone male, similar age to one detailed above enters via platform with box of beer.
15.00 solitary man on summit until 15.05 descends with caution via the wooden platform
Non human occupation on site: 
crows on summit
1 x dog
Ambient sounds: 
14.15 radio playing from industrial park t'pau "china in your hand" can hear workers singing along.
Ambient smells: 
no new smells recorded.
Remarks:
2 pram blankets, one knitted, one quilted with a bear image and french text are left beneath the wooden platform. one football, with the inside expanded looks as if it has a growth coming out of the side of it.
Occupation images:
Inventory images:
none taken
Samples to laboratory images:
No comments:
Date: Friday 29.02.08
Time: 14.30-16.50
Weather: overcast, blustery winds.
Methodology:
Tools used:
Samples to laboratory: 
Human occupation off alp site:
K_____U_____ visits the portacabin to collect his memory stick.
Human occupation on alp site:
Non human occupation on site: 
Ambient sounds: 
no new sounds recorded
Ambient smells: 
no new smells recorded
Remarks:
K_____ U_____ arrives to collect his memory stick, we tell him how much we like his monobrow project and ask if we can photograph him (see occupation images)
Occupation images:
Inventory images:
No comments:
Date: Wednesday 27.02.08
Time: 08.40-17.00
Weather: sunny with cloud.  very cold.
Methodology:
work on samples in laboratory.
Tools used:
none recorded
Samples to laboratory: 
none recorded.
Human occupation off alp site:
Human occupation on alp site:
11.05 man at summit taking photographs descends and ascends via wooden viewing platform.
12.40 man ascends via wooden platform
13.20 mand and dog walk to summit and exit via wooden viewing platform.
15.11 young woman on wooden platform for ten minutes looking south.
15.40 young couple ascend from wooden platform.
15.45 young man at summit, walks down to wooden viewing platform and sits there.
15.50 young man with large camera ascends on south path to summit and takes photographs.
15.50 woman from 15.11 on wooden platform with young man kneeling in front of him, either crying or engaging in a sexual act.
Non human occupation on site: 
1 x dog
Ambient sounds: 
no new sounds recorded.
Ambient smells: 
no new smells recorded.
Remarks:
Occupation images:
none taken
Inventory images:
none taken
No comments:
Date: Monday 25.02.08
Time: 11.30-17.30
Weather: very sunny on arrival, overcast after 15.00, north westerly wind
Methodology:
collect samples for pigments.
work on samples in laboratory and make pigments.
Tools used:
none recorded.
Samples to laboratory: 
3 x bunch of burdock from lower pathway near amphitheatre
15 x heads from ash tree in woods at east side, half way up path.
1 x bunch of grass from the summit.
18 x dandelion heads from north face.
2 x cuttings of fir tree by wooden platform.
12 x red berries from west face of alp.
3 x bunches of thistle from north west face
1 x dead branch of pussy willow.
1 x umbrella 
1 x bone
Human occupation off alp site:
none recorded.
Human occupation on alp site:
14.35 two young boys climbing south face to summit
15.15 solitary man at summit.
15.35 young boys (12) not in school uniform on east eating, a police car with sirens passes, they all duck and try and make themselves small.
16.15 three teenage girls in school uniform walk from summit to derelict platform, struggling against the wind.
Non human occupation on site: 
none recorded.
Ambient sounds: 
no new sounds recorded.
Ambient smells: 
as before
Remarks:
chicken bones from wooden platform area, noted on the 22.02.08 have gone.
find a piece of sculpture in the trees to the left of path at east of alp, made from twigs, bound with string with a dummy attached to it.
Occupation images:
Inventory images:
none recorded
Samples to laboratory images:
none recorded
No comments:
Date: Friday 22.02.08
Time: 09.00-17.00
Weather: overcast, cold with north westerly wind, patchwork sky.
Methodology:
worked on samples in laboratory. Cast some found objects.
Tools used:
none recorded
Samples to laboratory: 
1 x chicken bone
1 x white shawl/baby blanket
1 x white carrier bag containing eight pornographic magazines left between yesterday and today at the south fence gap
Human occupation off alp site:
16.30 group of three girls and one boy from group observed at 15.55 on alp, enter retail site for snacks at woolworths cafe
Human occupation on alp site:
13.50 man at summit descends via wooden platform
14.15 two adults and three children ascend to summit from wooden platform
14.15 two boys and two girls at summit, sitting and then lying, exchange words with family group.
15.10 four young men on wooden platform eating and drinking.
15.25 four young men from 15.10 ascend from wooden platform stand aside as the group of two boys and two girls descend: no exchange.
15.29 previous four young men descend via wooden platform to concrete plateau.
15.55 seven young including twoo boys and three girls at summit, photograph each other.
15.55 three young boys go through fence at the south base after seeing group at the summit and ascend the south face.
17.00 three young women descend from the summit via south face steps then across to the west and hang out, descend to amphitheatre and then go back to the summit.
17.05 a solitary man at summit.
Non human occupation on site: 
none recorded.
Ambient sounds: 
as before. no new sounds recorded.
Ambient smells: 
13.00 sewage
Remarks:
no new rubbish on the summit.
Occupation images:
Inventory images:
No comments:
Date: Thursday 21.02.08
Time: 10.00-17.30
Weather: Overcast, cold, very windy. Starts raining at 16.45
Methodology:
soil and ground observations on alp.  work on sample in laboratory
 
Tools used:
none 
Samples to laboratory: 
1 x cd titled "bhangra beats 2002" with the following contents (spelling as on track listing):
50 cent- 21 questions (accapella).mp3
50 cent- candy shop (instrumental).mp3
50 cent- get rich or die tryin'-21 questions.mp3
50 cent- the massacre-hate it or love it(remix) feat g.mp3
50 cent- wangsta (instrumental).mp3
50 cent and g unit feat joe- sickamore- watch me do me is.mp3
50 cent feat olivia and marques houston.mp3
50 cent feat young buck- dj whoo kid king of new york.wma
50 pence- chris moyles-she's dyslexic.mp3
50 pence- get rich or claim benefit-in da pub.mp3
abhijeet, alka yagnik- raaz- tum agar amne.mp3
accapella- eminem unreleased-superman.mp3
accapella-notorious big-biggie.mp3
accapella- the game and 50 cent.mp3
adnam sami- lucky-no time for love.mp3
atif aslam- zeher- woh lamhe (remix).mp3
baby bash feat akon- baby i'm back (cds).mp3
baby bash ft akon- i'm back 2.mp3
bad azz 2 pac-ghetto star.mp3
baddiel and skinner- three lions (footballs coming home).mp3
bally sagoo feat rishi rich- naiyon dil lagda (remix).mp3
bases25gramos - 25grsinconcert-track09.mp3
beanie man- everyone falls in love sometime.mp3
beanie man feat chevelle- dancehall queen (mix).mp3
beyonce feat missy elliot, free and mc lyte- fighting temptation.mp3
bhagge re mann.mp3
big l 2pac and jay z- bad boys 4 life.mp3
bollywood riddim-beenie man- my neck my back.mp3
bounty killa- lean back riddim remix.mp3
bounty killer- reggae gold 2002- killa is ah killa (mix).mp3
bounty killer- reggae gold 2002- killa is ah killa (mix 2).mp3
bounty killer feat c franklyn- dancehall queen. mp3
brandy and monica- never say never- the boy is mine.mp3
fya feat ward 21 and taz- ride da riddims (summer select - to).mp3
game- big t and doc present instrumen- hate it or love it ft.mp3
game- big t and doc present instrumen- hate it or love it f2.mp3
game- instrumentals- this is how we do (instrumental).mp3
gogo- backyard band- everyone falls in love.mp3
gubi sandhu- sold my soul (desibeats net).mp3
gubi sandhu ft lightening mc and gi jatt- urban flavas 2 rd8.mp3
jay-z feat nas, eve and 2pac- murderer- remixes by damur- any.mp3
jon b with 2pac- cool relax- are you still down.mp3
juggy d- billo.mp3
kaal- kaal- tauba- tauba.mp3
kaal- taubatauba.mp3
kami k ft hunterz- the streets of bollywood- the streets o.mp3
khiza- djbanger@coolgoose.com munim545@hotmail.com- dheera.mp3
kumar sanu and alka yagnik- vijaypath- raah mein unse mulaka.mp3
kumar sanu, sadhana sargam- jurm- jab koi baat bigad jay m .mp3
l'il mo- 21 questions riddim- 21 answers (21 questions rem).mp3
lets enjoy- dhol wajda.mp3
lil kim feat twista- thug love- (promo cd)- thug love (dirt.mp3
lil zayne- none tonight.mp3
lucky-lucky- no time for love- jaan meri ja rah sanam.mp3
main hoon naa- main hoon na- chand mera dil.mp3
mario- turning point- how could you.mp3
mark morrison- horny.mp3
maxi priest- drop leaf riddim- (promo cd).mp3
michael jackson- history- they don't care about us.mp3
mohammad rafi- hum kisise kum nahi- chand mera dil.mp3
nas- street's disciple- just a moment feat quan.mp3
nelly- da derrrty versions the reinvention- ride wit me rem.mp3
old school reggae- old school reggae mix.mp3
outkast-roses vls- roses (instrumental).mp3
outandish- bread and barrels of water- peelo.mp3
p diddy feat faith evans- no way out- i'll be missin you.wma
p-money-feat akon-rewa crew de vu-keep on callin-rewacrew.mp3
paap-paap- man ki lagan.mp3
panjabi mc- everyone falls in love (remix).mp3
phir milenge-bollywood 2- yaad hai.mp3
puff daddy f r kelly- forever- satisfy you.mp3
punjabivirsa com- rishi rich- play back 2- o yaara dil la.mp3
raaz- music- nadeem shravan lyrics- sameer- tum agar saa.mp3
raghav- punjabi hit squad desi beats vol 1- teri baaton.mp3
rajesh patil- baby doll (hot one's)- ghar jayegi.mp3
rayza- http www ocremix org- street fighter 2 guile(rah.mp3
rdb- ambersariya-mac-g-.mp3
rdb- danger 3- nakharay valiay.mp3
rdb-sounds of the north- balle balle- house mix(bhangra.mp3
rdb- sounds of the north- balle balle.mp3
rdb- three-02-dil mera.mp3
rdb- title- din raat.mp3
rdb-urban flavas 2 - dil kush kardhay.mp3
rdb (ranjit mani)- desi beats vol 1- disc 2- put sardaran.mp3
reggae hip hop ragga mix av8.mp3
remix- everyone falls in love remix.mp3
rishi rich- bombay mix- ini kamoze.mp3
rishi rich and veronica metha-voices-  mil gayi zindagi (r and b.mp3
rishi rich and veronica metha- voices- tere nal pyar (bhangr.mp3
rishi rich and veronica metha-voices tum ho meri sanson me. mp3
rishi rich and veronica metha- voiceswho can luv! (r and b mix.mp3
rishi rich ft juggy d- lajwaab 3- track 06.mp3
rishi rich ft sukhshinder shinda- bhangra- sohnyie(remix).mp3
rishi rich ft veronica and jay sean- one night (dil mera remi.mp3
rishi_rich_sounu nigham feat juggy d- balle balle (soundtrack.mp3
robert miles- children (dreams version).mp3
and the following porn files:
porn- pamela anderson and tommy lee- young violet has sex do.mpg
porn- chloe jones public anal sex- in the park- in the park.mpg
porn movie-anal sex rough sex- veron.mpg
and the following music video file:
music video 2pac- 2pac- tupac hit em up uncensored.mpg
and the following applications:
keygen.exe
atomix-atomix virtual dj 2 00 + crack + sample +sk.exe
1 x blue matter for testing
1 x tin of snails
2 x irish lotto slips: numbers 8, 12 ,44 £20.00 stake and numbers 28, 29, 34 £20.00 stake
1 x spoon
Human occupation off alp site:
15.00 man with dog and purpose noted the other day cycles past from the south east to south west with dog.
Human occupation on alp site:
12.05 solitary man stretching on summit.  Photographs towards West Ham.  He notices he is being watched and leaves instantly via ramp.
12.10 two girls appear over crest of summit, crouch down for a while and then photograph each other.  exit via ramp at 12.30
13.00 lone man working out: boxing, lunging and stretching
13.20 same work out man sprints up from ramp to summit
15.35 man with small dog on lead ascends to summit from wooden platform entrance
Non human occupation on site: 
three girls on horses, trotting around the alp boundary from south to west.
Ambient sounds: 
as before.
11.00 ice cream van
11.30 digging/roadworks
Ambient smells: 
13.00 sewage
Remarks:
no new rubbish at concrete plateau, rubbish layout from previous day disrupted by wind.
tissue at summit.
first signs of spring are noted and recorded (see images) contrast from the public west  side of the alp where daffodils are in bloom to the stark pussy willow on the east side.
blue chemical matter noted on the face leading up to the viewing platform.
Occupation images:
Inventory images:
none recorded
Samples to laboratory images:
Selected found audio:
No comments:
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