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Industrial (R)evolution
The American industrial landscape is changing along with the Industrial Revolution paradigm.
While the iconic forms of silos and grain elevators (see image above for an example in the Lake Calumet area of Chicago) remain, recalling the studies of Charles Sheeler and Charles Demuth, their representation of human ‘mastery’ over nature is being challenged.
The rebirth of the Ford Motor Company’s River Rouge Complex as an employee-centered facility that reduces the ecological impact of a typical manufacturing plant was guided by William McDonough + Partners”. Their concept of ‘cradle-to-cradle’ design initiates, among other things, the challenge to recast industry as a beneficial process rather than as one which consumes resources to manufacture products that eventually become waste, while producing more waste in the process.
The Lake Calumet region of Chicago connects to the Atlantic coast via the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence seaway and was once home to industries that moved tremendous quantities of goods such as steel, concrete, and grain by barge prior to the growing dominance of interstate trucking.
Industry has received a boost of late with involvement from, again, Ford. Of further interest, a competition for an environmental center) and a tour courtesy the Sierra Club.
Some thoughts:
Why is helping a car company produce more cars a good thing?
Is such news a cover for business as usual under the label ‘green’ or ‘sustainable’?
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