FLUID ECONOMY

Pawtucket Falls has always been a node for power and recreation.

In pre-Colonial times Pawtucket’s falls served as a key fishing location for anadromous fish populations seeking passage up the Blackstone River.  Later, the falls became the source of mechanical power which created a movement worldwide: The Industrial Revolution. During this time a trench was created that powered many mills: Sargent's Trench.

With the invention of hydro-electric generation, a new age spawned. The trench was covered, and in its place at the head of the falls the Bridge Mill Power Plant was built, one of the first of its kind. Today, a museum paying homage to its greatness, full of industrial wares and technology, is kept behind locked doors - too dangerous for the public viewing.

Unfortunately, with its impressive history shrouded - the space around this historic nexus has died. This is a proposal to bring back this historic waterway and use it’s presence to build new infrastructure for new industries and open this historic site back up.

Today, the water of the Blackstone River is valued for its ecological services in lieu of the raw power it once held. Unfortunately, the plant produces warm water that requires cooling down to acceptable temperatures before entering the Blackstone River. The designed effluent outlet is a living machine, which cleans the water, and outputs it into an external wetland. 

HYDROPOWER/BREWERIES MODEL

Programs : AutoCad, Rhino, and Laser Cutter.
Materials: Baltic Birch, Acrylic, Chipboard, Piano Wire, Paint.