Metabolon is the reorientation of the former Leppe disposal center. Since 1982 the site acted as a disposal center for many materials, by 2005 they prohibited the dumping of waste materials. While a small section of the site is still a disposal site today, the closed sections have been reworked into a site to better serve the surrounding communities.
The proposed design work for the site originated from student proposals, each with a different quality. By the end they had narrowed it down to three designs and combined aspects of each one with the next. This included a large mound at the center of the site, unique recreational activities , and integrated community buildings.
Today the site includes: bike tracks, walking trails, quality views, playgrounds, slides, a restaurant, and educational exhibitions. One major aspect of the site was to properly reflect the beauty of the surrounding landscape back into the site. This was accomplished by allowing pedestrian access to the top of the waste mound and creating a destination for people to think and linger.
I really enjoyed my site visit, although I do not fully support this as a "sustainable" site. It does help educate people about the potential of a site like this, but the landscape will never fully heal, but perhaps that is the sustainable aspect. The fact that we are held accountable for our actions and the power we have over the enviorment.
