Medicative Architecture: Bioplastic Ice Fishing Huts as A Rehabilitative, Bioremediation Proposal for Contrecoeur’s Contaminated Protected Wetlands

This thesis uses the materiality of pharmaceutical capsules as the research inspiration to examine dissolvable structures. Using the typology of the ice fishing hut, these temporary constructions will be deployed in pursuit of a community-led landscape rehabilitation and aims to improve the contaminated ecosystem surrounding Contrecoeur, Quebec. The thesis is composed of two parts. In the first part, a dialogue between the personification Contrecoeur as a patient requiring medical treatment for high concentration of contaminants found in his protected Wetlands. The second part, a conventional explanation of the research-by-design project including the material research into an extensive collection of dissolvable bioplastics forming the main material investigation for this project. In conclusion, the ease of in-house fabrication of bioplastic allows the ice fishing community to self-build dissolvable structures and engage in the rehabilitation of their local ecosystem, simultaneously continuing a culture of self-expression in the design of their ice fishing huts.