Archi-Love | Canal : Studio : Grow

Remember how I told you how super busy I was with school Monday, and how you can see the work I did at least a year ago in my portfolio? Well I thought perhaps it would be fun to use today to show you the project I worked on for the second half of this semester. (I did another project during the beginning of the semester, but it was a group project, and I don't know if my group-mate would love me posting our work for little weasels to steal and call their own!)

The studio had a competition format, meaning we didn't get to defend or explain our design choices to a jury; we simply had to create a final presentation and let it speak for itself. It was refreshing and nerve wracking at the same time. So, in the spirit of the a competition-style jury, I will shut up and simply show you my project!

Since I'm sure you can't read that itty-bitty text, here's what it says:

"The site will be a bridge between neighborhoods, connecting people and cultures. Many spaces will be shared by the community living here, yet they will be balanced by individual spaces that create a sense of ownership. Spaces will be designated for farming and a marketplace to sell the harvests, further connecting to the community and adding a much-needed resource to this site.

"This neighborhood will utilize urban density to bring the community together, providing many opportunities for interactions. Family will be the center of housing solutions, often extending to include the non-traditional family as created by relocated refugees. Each space will allow opportunities to be personalized to fit the individuals housed there.

"Economic freedom will be facilitated through many aspects of the design. Community gardens and farming will create sellable goods which will be distributed at an on-site market open to the surrounding community. The project will also have easy and direct access to local schools, encouraging education as a path to transition to economic independence for residents.

"Community interactions will be facilitated in many ways as a method to create belonging and familiar relationships. Spaces such as gardens, walking paths, playgrounds, and community dens will allow residents to become a support system for each other. Community will also leak beyond the borders of this project into the surrounding neighborhoods.

"Environmental sustainability will be part of everyday life, naturally incorporated so that residents don’t rearrange normal daily activity to facilitate it. Sustainable facets of the project will include agriculture methods, urban density and shared spaces, and a marketplace to sell organic, local produce. The canal will be considered as a viable energy and irrigation/non-culinary grade water source in all aspects of the project."

Now you know what I've been doing with much of my time. I hope you liked it.