The Medlock is one of the rivers that runs through the urban centre of Manchester and has a long history. During the industrial revolution, the Medlock was hidden in the ‘bottom’ of the city, gradually being polluted and forgotten.
The river implies and records human history, including their interests, orientation and desires; Cultural memory obtains legible shape in the river, especially in urban areas; Time gives elements of the environment, such as rivers, maturity and the ‘new’ landscape is enhanced, not mournful. The river, as a beautiful dimension of time, tells the story of landscapes and the processes of nature.
In this Atelier, three different kinds of sites were chosen to rediscover the importance of the Medlock, making it a part of the city again while meeting the needs of nature as well as society. By materializing the river as a symbol of time, the site will be reformed to revitalize the deteriorated corridor. Creating a chance to make people reflect and recall experiences throughout time in different ways, establishing the relationship between people and the river, and bringing Medlock back to people's daily life by re-engaging people with the river.
