Yuehan Li

A Sublime Scar
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Recovering the lost interface of Las Mitras

In 2000, Las Mitras was designated a nature reserve, yet mining persists, compromising natural recharge and drainage systems. Major excavation sites at both ends of the mountain, exploited by private companies like Cemex, have significantly diminished the landscape.

During flood season, Las Mitras channels large amounts of water through exposed limestone cliffs into the Rio Santa Catarina, carrying pollutants that accumulate and disperse unimpeded. The region’s water should ideally be retained, slowed, and reused, but industrial scars hinder these functions.

I propose repurposing the Las Mitras quarry sites as catalysts for social and environmental renewal, transforming the landscape into a transparent, sustainable space that highlights the native extractive history and remediation efforts. This initiative aims to retain and purify mountain runoff, easing drainage pressures during flood events while establishing a model of mountain-water reciprocity.


printTo reshape these disrupted surfaces, we aim to establish geomorphic links between the quarries, creating ecological continuity. During the flood season, the higher quarry pit holds significant rainwater storage capacity,about 300 thousands cubic meter of water, while the lower ones are shaped into surface wetlands to slow water flow.
This sublime scar will become a stage for the city. Cross-sections illustrate maximum water levels and the relationship between the upper and lower quarries pits and their flood operations. The higher exposed cliff will be re-vegetated, and lower terraces can serve as seating for an amphitheater.