Project

Reclaimed Soils

Country

Colombia

Reclaimed Soils reframes Colombia’s war-scarred landscapes by using contaminated soil as both bioremediating material and medium for remembrance, as decades of conflict have left the land polluted with residues from explosives and heavy metals that damages ecosystems and communities.

Through Microbially Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP) with the Sporosarcina pasteurii, a bacterium that binds particles and immobilises toxins like lead and zinc, soil from conflict zones is transformed into bioremediating blocks that are used as sustainable building materials for interior applications. Ana Bejarano Olano displays this process through a small aquarium filled with liquid, where a brick is being biomineralized.

Each block carries the dual meaning of trauma and renewal, turning polluted landscapes into sites of remembrance. By combining biotechnology, cultural memory, and restorative design, the work supports ecological healing while preserving the history of communities affected by decades of conflict.