Turning abandoned land into usable developments

[Neo]

Inside of a 330 foot quarry in Songjiang, China, the design is being finalized on a one of a kind 1000 person hotel complex. The hotel itself will scale the 330 foot quarry wall and offer underwater levels at the basin that will include a restaurant and an aquarium.

In the United States, abandoned quarries are sometimes left to the fate of mother nature to return the landscape to a natural habitat for plants and creatures and other times they are reserved for geological classrooms or other simply uses. What if we turned these abandoned sites into functioning developments rather than current alternatives like China is doing with this particular project in Songjiang? Where do the benefits lie? Is it better to let mother nature return the quarry to usefulness or should we step in and create futuristic developments that offer such amazing and unique amenities that only a quarry could offer for hotel guests and possibly even residential facilities?

Some images of the quarry hotel project being developed in China:

[johnnydr87]

That is very cool, and a great way to reuse/reinvigorate what would normally be neglected land.

Of course, the major precondition for converting old quarries like this into hotels is that they be near major population centers and have real, economic use. Most quarries in the US are in rural areas.

So basically, my thoughts are that if a quarry is in a rural/environmental area, Mother Nature should reclaim it. Putting a major commercial development in a natural area could have adverse environmental consequences similar to or worse than the quarry itself, and it probably wouldn't be economically feasible to begin with.

[Pyaxi]

Gotta to say, i'm impressive! It's reminding me of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. Funny, in our city just planning use old quarry into new park for part of Downtown Park called Jordan Valley Park. They were talking about put water there, but it geologists warned quarry unable support, and it's next to major road by about 5 feets. I wish we can do that same thing in our part of downtown, but America cultures take serious about nature lands. I don't blame them. I wish we were that rich city.

[symsdogg]

Someone should send this idea to the Emirates. If anybody would do it, it would be them! Seriously, they'll doing anything and everything!

If you're interested, google Dubai and see what all they're putting in. Blows my mind.

Very neat idea. Thumbs up to the Chinese.

[Princess_Sparkles]

That's cool!!!

[sean]

Edinburgh has the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena which re-uses an abodoned quarry.

Climbers have always been creative in seeking venues for training. I know of a bunch of quarries here in the US that are regularly used for climbing, but the activity is very clandestine.

[Justadude]

Of course every site is different, but you have to consider the potential health risks of building on a quarry. Remember we are talking about exposed minerals which are usually buried deep underground, which are now exposed with no topsoil. This is a potential health hazard to anyone who might come into contact with the water that now fills the quarry.

A good example of this is the old copper quarry in Ducktown, NC (very close to the TN border). The water inside the pit is a gorgeous, almost Mediterranean turquoise color. But the water is so acidic that you could melt a wristwatch in it. Not that every quarry is like that, but it's an example of the potentially dangerous nature of this type of development.

[sean]

Another example of creative brownfield re-use is Mount Trashmore in Va Beach. They had lemons (trash dump) and made lemonade (municipal park).

[tobbilla]

I only want to say its amazing!

[elginite]

They're building a lot of cool stuff in China these days.