Decay, Abandonment, and the Unattractive in Nature
- Rayva Nelson
- Jul 21, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Feb 11
Previous part here.
"Landscape scars" is a term used to refer to urban spaces that have eroded and been subject to natural decay due to neglect, inactivity, or other factors that facilitate environmental deterioration. I have two aims. Firstly, I want to rethink ideas like decay, that assume negative connotations. Secondly, I want to evaluate how these negative connotations perpetuate the notion that communities, where environmental or urban decay happens, are neglectful or otherwise responsible for green space deterioration.
To start, take a moment to reflect on your initial reaction when you hear "decay". Even though I do not consciously hold a negative conception of "decay", my initial reaction to the word is still shrouded in unease. It takes effort to reimagine decay as part of a natural growth process. Decay, especially in nature, shouldn't be relegated to negative perceptions, like ugliness, when humans are responsible for assignments of beauty and appeal. Additionally, when confronted with a space that is seemingly deteriorated or abandoned, it is our responsibility to seek to uncover the "aesthetic potentialities hidden behind natural forms". This empowers individuals and communities to either revitalize spaces or shift perceptions beyond surface-level appearances.
Once these previously unattended spaces are viewed outside of superficial lenses, "decay" can be reconstrued as one aspect of a space in flux. It may not be conventionally beautiful, and therefore may have little perceived social value, but it represents the history and change the space has undergone. In the same way, decay was facilitated, it also paved the way for new forms of growth. Both in terms of ecological succession and human intervention, decay provides opportunities for reinvention, adaptation, and resilience. Recognizing decay as a vital phase in the lifecycle of spaces allows for a more holistic understanding of urban and natural environments. This shift in perspective encourages us to see decay not as a failure, but as an invitation to explore, reimagine, and ultimately celebrate the continuous evolution of our surroundings.
In this sense, re-imaging "decay" will always be intertwined with community belonging, history, and aspirations for new possibilities of freedom and choice. I should note that I don't believe this is the only way we should look at "decay" or abandoned spaces. We can also rethink the meaning of the words we use to describe these spaces from a personal point of view, rather than a community-oriented perspective. However, these deteriorated spaces are more than likely former, or even current, community or shared spaces.
Without changing our perception of decay and deterioration, it's difficult to avoid assigning blame for their presence. For example, if I walk past a front yard with dead bushes, I may be quick to assume that the homeowner has neglected their plants, resulting in the dead bush. In truth, there is an abundance of potential causes ranging from soil quality to disease. Maybe, despite the owner taking care of the bush, it was trampled or destroyed in a storm, making it difficult to salvage. It's simply easier to assign blame and to assume that blame should be assigned. Changing the foundation and unconscious biases that influence our perception takes a conscious effort. An effort that is much harder to put into practice than the former.
What is important to ask ourselves here is why it's important to shift the narrative and refrain from assigning blame. When we assume negative connotations of "decay" or "deterioration" and that someone is to blame for these processes, we inadvertently shift responsibility onto communities that may lack the resources to maintain or reinvigorate these spaces in the long term. This is especially true with green spaces. Having dedicated green spaces is often a sign of a community that flourishing in terms of access to resources or wealth. Simply put, when communities are disproportionately faced with socioeconomic obstacles, green spaces can go from luxuries to burdens if they are not designed with the community in mind. This is not to say that some communities should not get green spaces, but rather that their erection and design must be conscious of community needs and accessibility.
To avoid perpetuating the idea that some communities facilitate deterioration, we should re-evaluate what deterioration and decay mean; consider the implications of our assumptions, and how making conscious changes is conducive to positive change for the green spaces and communities these spaces are tied to; and realize that the role of the green space architect is where these considerations must start. I encourage you to reconsider decay as an opportunity to build more inclusive and resilient spaces and reflect on what stories abandoned spaces in your community tell, and what potential might they hold.
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