Page 292 - Beyond Decommissioning

Experience and lessons learned 273

A recent project reshaped a tunnel extending 750m through the Kiyotsu Gorge, one
of Japan’s most impressive landscapes. The project consists of five different
immersive artworks, each representing a natural element, namely water, wood, earth,
metal and fire.
The five installations include a lake framed by mirrors; a foot bath in a wooden
dome; a room filled with distorting mirrors; a public toilet imagined as a reflective
capsule; and a series of color-changing lights. Construction details of these installa-
tions are given in Dezeen (2018f ).

6.7.5.3 Viaduct arches

The spaces underneath elevated road and rail viaducts, often disregarded in environ-
mental planning, can be put to a wide range of productive uses with some imagination
and architectural skills. A viaduct can be seen as a road but also as a roof. As a simple
case, an elevated railway can be used to hang lighting and signage for a covered
bike trail.
As a consequence of the growing densification of the urban spaces, the need of
using land more efficiently is more acute than ever. The (re)use of viaduct arches
is a remarkable example of this continuing trend. There are numerous international
examples of viaduct vaults that have been successfully mobilized to create places
of social, environmental, and economic value, for example, coffee bars or nightclubs,
offices, or art, play or sports facilities. Unfortunately, such diverse solutions are not so
common. Frequently, these spaces are left unused and filthy. At worst, they attract
vandalism and crime.
A survey conducted across many world’s cities explores the potential and actual
solutions for better utilization of viaduct spaces and offers international guidance
(ARUP, n.d.). Some examples follow.
A simple approach to railway viaduct redevelopment can be figured out from
Fig. 6.54, Vienna, Austria. These arches have been occupied by shops, restaurants,
workshops, etc. An in-depth discussion about the archaeological and cultural values
of the railway viaduct in Pedley Street, London, illustrating the reuse of the arches as
workshops, warehouses, etc., is given in Industrial Archaeology (2010). With a wealth
of colorful murals, Pedley Street, and surroundings have become an icon of contem-
porary art. Reportedly, the businesses installed under the arches served also to stop
uncontrolled traffic under the railway structure. Another example of redevelopment
is the Viaduc des Arts, Paris. After many years of neglect, the Paris Municipality res-
tructured the bridge arches inviting handicrafts to move there; on top a park replaced
the old rails (“Promenade Plant ee”). The rehabilitation project mainly consisted on
closing the vaults with a glass walls on both sides. This project enabled the reuse
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of the 64 vaults (between 150 and 460 m each) and the installation of a row of art
galleries and caf es (Benghida and Benghida, 2017). At Issy-les-Moulineaux, near
Paris, a similar rehabilitation project was accomplished and the railway arches are
now occupied by the studios of young artists (Les Arches, 2012).
The Vienna G€ urtel (Beltway) highway dates from the late 19th century, when
Vienna was becoming a metropolis. The Vienna city railway line along the G€ urtel