The Calumet Region

From Pollution to Prospect.

The Calumet region, once a hub of American industry, now tells a different story - one of environmental degradation and public health crises. For over a century, steel mills, chemical plants, and manufacturing giants operated with little accountability, leaving behind a toxic legacy that went unchecked. 

Vast stretches of land are contaminated with toxins and wetlands, once thriving ecosystems have been drained, filled, or poisoned. Wildlife habitats have been decimated, and the air, water, and soil continue to show the visible and invisible signs of prolonged abuse. Calumet communities have borne the brunt of environmental degradation, with higher rates of asthma, cancer, and developmental issues linked directly to industrial pollution. 

Cries for change began with Hazel Johnson, the “Mother of Environmental Justice,” who began investigating her neighborhood’s health problems in the 1970s which sparked the environmental justice movement for years to come. 

The Calumet Region stands at a defining moment. Many transformative efforts are already in action by dedicated organizations. We can choose to perpetuate a cycle of neglect, or we can build something better. Together, with this proposal and foundational efforts, we can transform the future of this region. 

Why a New Delta?

A deltaic approach, pursued through this design studio's work, briefed researchers and designers to reimagine the region's future through interwoven lenses of climate adaptation, environmental justice for existing communities, and industrial innovation, fostering conditions where emerging novel ecosystems might flourish alongside their human neighbors. The studio's ambitious charge was to reimagine both factory spaces and the nature of work itself, particularly as the subregion attracts new tech campuses. Deltas serve as vibrant ecosystems of ecological exchange, where diverse species interact and thrive. The ultimate goal is to create a system that functions like a delta, moving clean earth, filtering polluted water, and slowing flooding to sustain the health of humans and other species. The brief further invites the studio team to design new governance structures and multi-jurisdictional planning frameworks, recognizing that climate change and pollution transcend the administrative boundaries humans have drawn across the landscape.

The Region.

The Calumet region is located along the southern tip of Lake Michigan and straddles the bistate boundary between northeastern Illinois and northwestern Indiana. Centered around the Calumet River watershed, this geographically and ecologically diverse area encompasses portions of Cook County, Illinois, and Lake County, Indiana. The watershed is defined by a network of interconnected water bodies, including Lake Calumet, the Little Calumet River, the Grand Calumet River, and Wolf Lake, along with a mosaic of marshes, wet prairies, and globally rare dune and swale ecosystems. Historically, the region was home to expansive wetlands and rich biodiversity, supporting Indigenous communities and early settlers who relied on its ecological abundance. 

Priority Area.

Our priority area is what we see as the heart of the Calumet Region, which is the lower portion of the Calumet watershed. This area is largely enveloped within the Chicago metropolitan area wedged between Chicago proper to the north and the industrial towns of northwest Indiana, including Gary, to the east. The focus of our study is a broad circle of approximately 50 square miles centered on the main branch of the Calumet River and the two largest lakes in the area: Lake Calumet and Wolf Lake.