How should one design on brownfield land?
First and foremost you must learn from the pollution cleaning experts everything they know about the specifics: type of pollution, site history, site geology, hydrology and type of soils, findings about and status of present pollutants, removal, remediation and/or mitigation methods, techniques and costs, regulatory laws applicable for the cleanup of site's pollutant(s), timing, schedule and documentation to clean the site. As design solves problems, you consider all possible reasonable, rational and safe approaches to solve and mitigate the complex problems at hand. The ensuing design is definitely influenced by the chosen pollution cleanup approach and strategy. It is also very intense, very interesting and very challenging. The most fascinating aspect is bringing back to life a "dead" piece of land, which needs people, landscaping, clean air, clean soils, and clean water. This entry level mixed use housing and retail takes advantage of a beautiful location along a canal of the Sacramento River delta. Single family homes, townhouses, flats, live-work units and convenience retail shops help create a new neighborhood and bring this piece of land back to life.