BUILDING AS SCAFFOLDING FOR HABITAT

academic / 2016 / East Boston master plan programs used: Rhino, Illustrator, Photoshop, AutoCAD architectural services diagram noise pollution buffer landscape-human interactions

Designers and ecologists often refer to ecosystem services when describing the many and varied benefits provided by the natural environment to humans. This project proposed to re-interpret the relationship between ecology and the urban realm -- instead looking to explore how building architecture can be used to support animal habitats, illustrating the architectural services the built environment can provide to ecological systems.

BUILDINGS AS SCAFFOLDING FOR ANIMAL HABITAT

Chelsea River neighbourhood amenity terrace habitat sanctuary high-rise building carved to extend the marsh habitat up and through the buildings saltwater marsh planting platform within the landscape viewing platform above the landscape architectural services deployed across the site, not to a scale roof garden riparian planting buildings step back to allow sunlight to penetrate to the ground stepping into the landscape occupiable pop out french balcony above vs. within landscape in between thickness within thickness at level vs. below canopy

BUILDINGS AS SCAFFOLDING FOR ANIMAL HABITAT

Previously an asphalt parking lot in the East Boston neighbourhood, this 25 acre site is transformed into a tidal saltwater marsh with buildings and neighbourhood amenities standing on stilts, allowing the surrounding marsh habitat to mature and evolve without impediment and to avoid flood damage, in anticipation of major storm events.