Fabiana Araujo, Chris Buccino, Rob Daurio
The megalopolitan territory is inscribed with four centuries of uneven spatial development. Iterative processes of dispersion and concentration have served a primary role in coordinating the structured coherence of the territorial fabric, division of labor, and social hierarchy to support large-scale economic development. These processes have created voids within the territory. This project investigates the Berkshires as a unique instance of this phenomenon, situated at the intersection of Benton MacKaye’s two megalopolitan projects. How might the Berkshires operate in the next economic cycle and with relation to the megalopolis? Embedded within and residual of this proposition are two dialectical realms of scenario-based interpretation: exogenous and endogenous forms of territorial restructuration. The exogenous form investigates further integration implied through anticipated high-speed rail projects, the reintegration of previously abandoned rail lines, and underutilized and degraded spaces within the valley section. The two scenarios under this hypothesis acknowledge the tendency for processes of urbanization to be motivated through capital investment in infrastructural projects. The “North-South” scenario tests ways to better integrate the Berkshires with the megalopolis through a public mobility system that runs along abandoned railroads. This scenario takes into consideration the current tendency of investments in public mobility systems, particularly rail-based ones. The “Productive Parks” scenario imagines a new model for the Berkshires, one that proposes a new hybrid, both social and economic, combining new industrial and cultural activity with recreation, and the productive use of the land. Running parallel to the Appalachian Trail, the project imagines a new economic network moving from the river basin outward. This new corridor would be a productive park, combining industry and recreational activities. The backbone of the project is transit
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Voids of Megalopolis