Public Dyeworks: The Eco-Industry and Hydrology of the Chicago River's South Branch

Abstract

This thesis seeks to redefine our relationship to the natural landscape by challenging our perceptions of what industry is. The goal of this thesis is to break down the processes of mass-production and make them part of local and accessible processes that better serve and engage nearby communities. Through the program of an eco-industrial textile facility, this thesis demonstrates how architecture can serve as a primary means to reconnecting people, industry, and nature by revealing and celebrating human activities as an integral part of natural cycles and systems.