Water that surrounds Manhattan and the story of our harbor water quality in many ways reflects the history of New York City. The Harlem, East and Hudson Rivers, Jamaica Bay and the unmatched natural harbor comprising Upper and Lower New York Harbor have physically shaped the city and have supported a vigorous maritime trade, industry, diverse ecological community and recreation. In so doing, our waterways, as much as any other element of the city, distinguish our people and neighborhoods.

Long before New York became the urban sprawl it is today, it was surrounded by a vast land with tall-grassed meadows and fields of wildflowers where the fresh breeze was described as pure and sweet. The harbor contained assortments of fish so great that they could be easily taken of the water by hand. It’s hard to believe that the city we have come to know was once this so called “oasis”.

When a New Yorker thinks of the sea, New York is probably not the first place that comes up. Manhattan is in fact an island surrounded by water-The New York Harbor Estuary. Upon Henry Hudson’s expedition to look for a northern route to China, the New York Harbor was discovered. Home to a vast network of marshes, mudflats, creeks, canals, and narrows, this once pure place, home to a plethora of species has been forgotten. Without conscious knowledge, our waters have gone through some of the most drastic changes within the last few centuries and we have lost our link to the sea.

Our ignorance of the damage we have done to the ecosystem which we rely so much upon is an issue that needs to be realized in order to save what is really keeping us all alive. Humans have dominated the planet. We have re-created the earth to support human life at the expense of other life-forms. We need to address the environment in which we live and it is vital to expand architecture beyond the idea of it being designing for us and only us. Humans must learn to cohabit, living constantly in balance with nature, creating symbiotic relationships with the ecosystem. The unquestionable example of this lies within our own harbor.

Most people today, don’t associate oysters with New York, but back in the mid to late 1800s the oyster was an immediate indicator of the city. Historically, oysters have been used for many things. The indigenous Lenape people used oysters for trade, weapons, jewelry, soil sweetener, construction, and food. The best practice was to throw shells back into the harbor to maintain the continuity of the oyster reefs who thrive on lime content in the water. Piles, called middens containing thousands of shells have been found throughout the New York City area. Dutch colonists who settled in New Amsterdam were able reach into the shallow shores and pluck a few oysters from its waters. Oysters used to be today’s pizza, hot dogs, and bagels of New York, but declined due to over harvesting, dredging and increased pollution. It was the waters of the harbor that had given the oyster beds their life, though in time they would be the very reason for their death.

Oysters are unusual mollusks in that they build up structures in three dimensions, constructing underwater architecture layer by layer, filtering bacteria, acting as a natural buffer against storm surges and providing a habitat for marine life. The result are massive, complex reef structures, which function as wave attenuators. These bivalves are filter feeders, improving water quality by facilitating the removal of excess nitrogen and other pollutants from the water. A single oyster has the ability to filter twenty four gallons of water a day, therefore one billion oysters have the ability to filter the entire volume of the New York Harbor within a cycle of three days. With this continuous cycle of filtration, sunlight could penetrate deeper into the water column allowing for greater production of submerged aquatic vegetation which then increases dissolved oxygen and the retention of sediment. Historically, oysters have played a pivotal role in the preservation of the waters surrounding Manhattan. Today, we are struggling to bring them back to a home that has been completely destroyed.

During the last decade, water quality in New York Harbor has improved to the point that many waterways are now being utilized for recreation and commerce throughout the year. The city is working with Environmental Quality regulations to further improve water quality throughout New York Harbor. The New York Harbor is cleaner today than they have been in 100 years. At the turn of the 21st century, environmental laws such as the Clean Water Act, improved water quality so that conditions were finally ripe for large-scale restoration. Though wastewater treatment systems, Harbor Survey Programs and other systems to manage and treat solid waste have helped to get to where we are at the present, the problematic combined sewage overflow system is a major reason why the harbor is continuously polluted, and why natural systems such as oysters might help. Governors Island is currently putting forth an effort to help bring oysters back to the New York Harbor through a program called The Billion Oyster Project. Working with the New York Harbor School, their mission is to restore one billion live oysters around 100 acres of reefs within the New York Harbor by 2035, making the Harbor once again the most productive waterbody in the North Atlantic and reclaiming its title as the oyster capital of the world.

This thesis proposes an Urban Ecology Center that engages the community about the importance of our ecosystem and supports an effort through design to introduce educational programs that could help to revitalize the New York Harbor while providing a base of operations for the Billion Oyster project. It uses oysters as a paradigm to display the way in which we have deteriorated our environment, and demonstrates how these creatures are our symbiotes. This Ecology Center contrasts typical ecology centers in that it becomes a part of the ecology not only educating about but taking the initiative using oysters as a natural filtration system to clean water. Creating a mutualistic symbiotic relationship with the ecosystem and bridging the gap between the impact on the ecology of the environment and the experience of the visitor, this facility is designed with the whole environment for all of its inhabitants.

This ecology center’s location on the South Street Seaport waterfront allows for maximum daylight around the site. As the architecture cascades down into the harbor, the interior creates symbiotic relationships within its different floors. The levels are split up into zones that evoke the three zones of ocean: euphotic (sunlight), disphotic (twilight), and aphotic (midnight) and light phenomena that happen within each of these zones are translated through design elements. The building programs incorporate a submerged observation level (lower level), an ecological library and auditorium (1st level), an exhibition (2nd level), office space (3rd level), and hands on workshop space (4th level). Outdoor terraces step down to the water surface which extends from within the structure to create an accesible landscape that changes with its distrubutions as the interior ceilings to create varying pools and seating. Beneath the water’s surface is treated as an interior ecosystem providing a habitat for oysters which can be observed from within the lower level built interior. Symbiotic interfaces can be experienced from within spaces creating programmatic connections. This thesis uses the oyster as catalyst of design because of the good they can do for our ecosystem, therefore the interior creates a habitat for filtration and agglomeration of design elements and visitors, choreographing the space for symbiotic relationships.

The future of oysters depend on the environment, present and future. Oysters thrive in the perfect mix of saltwater and freshwater. The New York Harbor Estuary makes the perfect place for the growth of Oysters. They flourish in waters around twenty degrees celsius and prefer waters of low salinity. Due to global warming, waters are becoming warmer and more acidic. With acidity high in waters, lime content in the ocean will decrease and oysters will in turn not be able to grow and thrive. Though they aren’t a solution, oysters are a great way to maintain a healthy marine ecosystem. But we do not know for sure that this strategy will be feasible, looking at the future transitions of ocean conditions.

Living Ecology is the respect for all forms of life. It is a miracle that life exists and that each and every one of us get a piece of time to be part of that action. The ocean is not just water, rocks, and sand. The ocean is alive, it is a living system where most of the action is very microscopic. Most of the oxygen in atmosphere is generated by sea. The ocean drives climate and weather, stabilizes temperature, and shapes Earth’s atmosphere. Water from the sea forms clouds that return to the land and the sea as rain sleet and snow. No water no life, no blue no green. The thought is instilled in the human race that the ocean can take care of itself. Though vast, resilient and powerful, the ocean is in trouble, it is more vulnerable and responsive to human life than ever before. No one imagined that we could do anything to harm the ocean by what we put into it or what we took out of it. It seemed at that time to be a sea of eden and now we are facing paradise lost. Our capacity to find, kill, and market are endangering the very existence of marine species. The last half century was a time of revolutionary change. We are at the tipping point of losing ocean species forever. Improving the New York Harbor through oysters is part of a larger mission of caring for the ocean… We have the power of knowing, judgement, and the ability to improve the ecological life of our planet.

Parsons School Of Design

Fall 2017

Instructor(s): Paul Scott, Renee Joosten, Pei Heng Tsai

In collaboration with Srushti Totadri, Ana Ahumada Lucia Sandoval + Yin He.

The site of this foster care home is located on 125th street within Harlem, New York. It stands adjacent to the Metro North Railway Station. This resulting in constraints around the site such as noise and sound, but also allowing views into the building from the stations. The building is comprised of eight levels including a basement and is oriented into the typical Manhattan grid. The programs related to the foster care facility will be located within the different levels of the building. The main typologies that the project focus on include the Teen home and a program for Young Adults. Apart from the residential programs, the building also creates spaces (The Junction) for an intermixing of activities on different floors.

Due to this location’s exterior proximity to the railway station on 125th street, the east facade provides opportunity to create a buffer which would lessen sound and noise to the interiors. The Junction emerges on each floor on the east side of the interior. The programs assigned to this Junction would involve activities for the entire community within the building like therapy spaces, fitness facilities, lounges and recreational areas. The Junction would also provide a lens for the passers by to view the building and to an extent de-stigmatize the idea of who foster children are. The lower level of the building extend itself into the community through a retail or a commercial enterprise. Considering the mind set of the residents within the foster care system, simple moves have been made to create different levels of engagement where a teen could engage with themselves within their own private space or with their neighbors within the floor or the entire village. These levels of engagement occur through multiple interventions on different floors.

Parsons School Of Design

Spring 2017

Instructor(s): Derek Porter, Nelson Jenkins, Matt Franks, Davidson Norris

In collaboration with Chandni Azeez + Srushti Totadri.

New York’s East Village community is made up of complex layers such as art, music, social reform, culture, history, nostalgia etc. The Stack library peels away the layers within its design revealing the essence of the East Village. By looking at the buildings within the area as modules within a greater context, different qualities of daylight are received. The building orientation is adjusted to provide varying experiences of light based on the movement of the sun. Perforation densities on the façade were created by identifying the faces of the façade receiving different amounts of daylight. The density of this perforation changes depending on how much sun each facade receives. Qualities of a typical East Village building such as brick tones and fire staircases enabling inhabitable facades are adapted into this library through a corten finish and exterior balconies for outdoor experiences while also acting as a shading device. As the day transitions to night, colors within the Library’s interior come alive just as the vibrant colors of the East Village fill the streets of New York. Reviving the East Village, capturing moments within its history, and layers of dark and light shift in accordance with the dynamism of the sun. The overlapping of these luminous relationships then reveal different pages of light within a new chapter of the East Village. Houston, we’ve landed. Introducing The Stack: a library capturing and revealing the essence of the East Village.

Parsons School Of Design

Spring 2017

Instructor(s): Derek Porter, Nelson Jenkins, Matt Franks, Davidson Norris

In collaboration with Chandni Azeez + Srushti Totadri.

Floating volumes of light within a generally dark space function as the focal piece of Spire. As one ascends from the ground to the top level, their sense of perception and scale to the sky changes; they transition between dark to light, disappearing into the light as they enter the spire (carrels) and re-appearing into the darkness as they exit. In order to perceive a sensitivity to light, uniformity of material such as concrete is intentionally chosen as the encompassing material. This brutalist approach creates three structural masses extruded from the ceiling, evoking buildings rising from the ground, while the surrounding elements like the entry lounge and meeting area are situated in the surrounding landscape. Light slices the volumes at different planes, exposing hidden movement within the spires. The two lower spires function as conventional study carrels, letting in diffused daylight, while the top spire functions as a sanctum for studying, opening to the sky, letting in direct daylight. Natural light also pours in from the skylight above the meeting room and the offset northwestern wall which helps for wayfinding pulling visitors to the back of the space (hence the transition from dark to light). The electric lighting captures the same essence of day by strategically placing lights in the same areas where the sun intervenes. The pathway to the final spire glows with concealed light further emphasizing the journey.

Parsons School Of Design

Fall 2016

Instructor(s): Glenn Shrum, Francesca Bastianini, Alex Pappas

In collaboration with Fabienne Hierzer + Ann Le.

Rhizome’s Co-working space creates a network of eclectic communities through a stimulating, dynamic, and inspirational collaborative networking hub for young professionals who are looking to be a part of a creative community, regardless of discipline. Interdisciplinary cross-pollination of ideas with an open and comfortable atmosphere allows for our community to work together, creating partnerships and relationships in a flexible environment.
The lighting concept flows with the concept of Rhizome. Lighting of the corridors and circulation spaces are areas depict a network between different ideas, connecting these different thought processes together. Lighting of the offices, contain a main single node (Light) that signifies one collective idea. Lighting of the communal spaces, contain large clusters of light, signifying the shared diversity of thoughts in the coworking environment. Dividers in between offices create a layer of transparency while enclosing the space for an incubator of ideas.

Parsons School Of Design

Fall 2016

Instructor(s): Derek Porter

In collaboration with the Fall 2016 Light Space Art Class.

Resonance is the culmination of the spatial and experiential research conducted by students in lighting design, interior design, architecture, and design technology to theorize, design, and construct an operational artifact to the unveiled in support of the event Questioning Light, featuring guest speaker Emrah Baki Ulas. Resonance uses the phenomenon of light to spread the image of exhibition participants infinitely in two directions - into the past and future - as they move within the work, forcing them to confront their own positioning in a mechanized out-of-body experience. Consistent with the theories of artists studied in the class, the work is incomplete without incorporating the movement of the body, reminding us that the human component is the most vital of any designed experience.

Parsons School Of Design

Spring 2016

Instructor(s): Hana Kassem, Paul Scott

Vertical Farming is becoming more and more prevalent especially in low income areas, especially this area of New York being a food desert where access to affordable nutritious food is scarce. “Greenhook” provides the Red Hook community with a sense of growth through vertical farming methods, which in turn, helps the community, sustain themselves as well as provides revenue for improvements to happen in the interiors of the residential units. Some opportunities of this type of programming include utilizing the rooftop spaces as growing spaces for the residents to grow their own food, then selling the produce in a market that can happen on weekends in the mall area of the community. The residents can also be educated on these types of systems with job opportunities, collaborating with the urban farm on site which could function as the social or education hub for these types of aeroponic tower systems.
Then bringing this same concept of growing into the interior, which could provide air quality and lighting opportunities. The interior focuses on light, air, and green living with an emphasis on nature and health. A living wall system acting the spine of the building along the stair wells which also function as a bio filtration system improving air quality on the interiors.  Natural materials such as bamboo and eco-resin bring the interior to life through walls and louvered partitions, which permit the flow of light and air throughout the apartment. Sliding and folding components act as a membrane that breathes up and down transforming spaces for different levels of privacy and multi-functional use. The axis of light in the interior acts as the spine of the individual apartment unit and is emphasized with an altercation of the natural material with a vertical farming system or a window glowing from the end of the axis. With it’s materiality and design, the interior of these affordable units can accommodate all walks of life positively affecting the health and well being of the Red Hook community.

Parsons School Of Design

Fall 2016

Instructor(s): Glenn Shrum, Francesca Bastianini, Alex Pappas

In collaboration with Marta Casarin + Tripti Sahni.

Rainbows are a natural phenomenon and part of their magic lies in their surprise element. Inspired by the spectral projections though the space at different locations and at different times of the day, this light installation abstracts this effect within the recycle niche, to be seen at all times rather than just at various times throughout the day. Its goal is to draw attention to the niche with an interactive installation that evokes people to think and question how this spectral phenomena happens. Using light as the primary material, and the prism as a tool, the installation activates light’s color reflecting properties when people interact with it to render the site.

Parsons School Of Design

Fall 2016

Instructor(s): Glenn Shrum, Francesca Bastianini, Alex Pappas

A beam of light can be viewed when it interacts with particles in the air. Since particles aren’t apparent enough in a 15”x15” box, the idea of this exploration is to trace the path of a beam by the transmission of light through an aperture and several layers of translucent material with a highly specular surface below allowing the light to be reflected. The beam of light deteriorates with every material contact but the human eye perceives the light and essentially connects the dots allowing us to trance the path of light. Source 4 luminaire was selected as the light source because of its ability to focus light.

Parsons School Of Design in collaboration with the Royal College of Art

Spring 2016

Instructor(s): Alfred Zollinger, Jonsara Ruth

In collaboration with Joanna Filter, Sukji Jeon & Rami Kanaan

The goal of this charette is to initiate and develop dynamic temporary or permanent space, and rethink them as part of the urban interior. Located near between 52nd and 53rd street and 6 1/2 avenue in Manhattan, New York, La Vie En Jaune functions as a passage away from the traffic of Times Square enhancing the mood of the busy “New Yorker” on their commute to and from work. The curved structure provides seating for dwelllers throughout the entire corridor. Daylight from above pours through the space its yellow acrylic shell filters a color of optimism and happiness. As the sun sets the space is given back to the community as the yellow ambiance is maintained with electric lighting filtering in from the bottom of the structure turning it into a performance space using the adjacent building as a medium to cast shadows upon. This project proposal could then be applied to the entire 6 1/2 avenue using different colors to provide a different mood for each space.

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Spring 2014 - Fall 2014

Instructor(s): Steven Clarke

In collaboration with Mirella Garcia, Arely Lopez + Jamie Mitchell.

The project task is to develop an archaeological park for the excavation at Iklaina, Greece. The essential elements of the design must support the theories of place. The challenge of the site is to design with minimal intervention while addressing the programming elements required; entry road, wall and entry gate, parking/ drop-off, interpretive/ visitor area, collection, outdoor lab, and storage for excavation tools.
The concept for Parko Vita Archaeological Park is to create a site sensitive experience through an additive, subtractive and modular design, mirroring the process and dichotomy of archaeology, and connecting the user through a system of levels and facilitate interaction and an understanding of Mycenaean history. The elevated decking functions as the predominant interpretive area where people may observe the excavations, learning about the history and ancient archaeological finds that were discovered there including the eariliest state record from the Greek Mainland. The polycarbonate and photovoltaic panel shading system dominating the upper layer of the site allows diffused light and protects the excavation from weather constraints such as wind and rain. This unique contemporary site plan is designed to captivate both tourists and villagers to its secluded location.

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Spring 2015

Instructor(s): Daniel Ortega

Alzheimer’s is a disease that attacks the brain, it’s the most common form of dementia. It is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States and the only one in the top ten that has no cure, prevention, or way of slowing. Cross-disciplinary studies between the medical field and landscape architecture prove that natural light, designing for the senses and contemplative spaces are linked to reduced patient recovery time. The majority of our design profession has focused their efforts towards an institutionalized setting such as hospitals, and care home facilities for different types of patients dealing with various diseases. According to the American Society of Landscape Architects, “Landscape architects design therapeutic gardens for use in nursing homes, which are not only known to decrease the symptoms of the patients suffering from neurological disorders like dementia and Alzheimer’s, but also decrease the stress and anxiety of the care-takers and nurses in these facilities.” Landscape Architecture can set a new paradigm shift for healthcare design that integrates healing gardens as part of a residential design typology.

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Spring 2014

Instructor(s): Steven Clarke

The concept of this footbridge is the re-use of materials in the natural environment. Existing stones on site as well as recycled glass are used in the gabion abutments. The crossing contains ADA accessible steel grates supported by corten steel I beams with planters spanning along both sides with native xeriscape plant life. Since the water at the park is toxic, the pedestrian bridge provides guests of Cornerstone park a way of interacting within the environment without having to worry about the water hazard. The experience of the bridge during the day is completely different than the experience it provides at night. Bikers, skateboarders, runners, walkers, etc, utilize the bridge during the day as a crossing. At night the iridescent glow from the bridge will act as a focal point of the park, gravitating community members to its location.

Parsons School Of Design

Spring 2017

In collaboration with Ann Le.

Competition: Clue Competition 2017

"Reflection on the possibilities for extending the personalization of private spaces to the personalization of public spaces."

After crossing the threshold into a connected urban environment, we somehow feel the need to disconnect. This personal device functions as a portable sanctuary of a private space when people need a moment to themselves in the hustle and bustle of a crowded city. This object extends, inflates and expands; its structural canopy uses light to create a glow, surrounding a person, shifting with the transition from day to night. This visual field encapsulates a user within light, evoking a sense of privatization in a personalized environment within the urban context.
The Parasol uses an umbrella canopy. It utilizes the transmission and reflection of light through dichroic film to create an individual and personalized space. It is an easy to use, portable daily object, which creates an individual safe haven, for those in a place where privacy is hard to find, in a society where we must live cohesively.

Parsons School Of Design

Fall 2015

Instructor(s): Allan Wexler

The East Village is an up and coming community of diverse strangers. “Suds” functions as a multi-functional gathering space where members of the community can socialize, participate in conversation, and conduct duties such as doing laundry, all while kicking back and having a drink. This laundromat helps to answer the question of “what do we do while we wait?” Thus, this its vision is to act as a social meeting point of communities turning strangers into neighbors.

This project utilizes a minimalistic material palette which includes wood, steel, glass and red brick. The machine units are under the table so everyone has their own individual space but these large communal tables (like a conference table) encourage interaction with guests. The feature in the middle of the tables emulates a river and gives off negative ions such as humidity in the winter and acts as a coolant during the summer also reflecting the lights from above. The shifted space functions as a bar designed around the constraints of structural columns existing in the space. The tables are multi functional in that one do their work or talk with others and fold their laundry on them but for those who don’t feel comfortable folding their laundry in public the private niches located in the back of the laundromat function as private folding areas or private conversing areas with build in storage capabilities on the top.

Parsons School Of Design

Fall 2015