Clearview Environmental Farm, Delaware County, Pennsylvania
General Design: Honor Award   |   Temple University

The Clearview Environmental Farm is designed to replace the existing landfill located at the confluence of Cobbs and Darby Creeks in Delaware County, PA. For many years, the landfill has been poisoning the soil, water and the people in the neighborhood. The landform was placed in an ecologically vital and sensitive system – the floodplain of the creeks – creating an obstruction in the natural water flow.

The entire Eastwick neighborhood is located within the 100-year flood zone that is also influenced by the Delaware River tidal movement; therefore, the local residents are exposed to extreme nature forces on daily basis. It is time to turn this land into a healthy environment that actually can work for people by cleansing the water and the soil, purifying the air, providing a good quality open space and assets that can benefit this society economically.

Ècolibrium, Philadelphia, PA
General Design: Honor Award   |   Temple University

Inspired by the traditional elements of a French formal garden, Ècolibrium strives to convey a balance between French traditions and modern interpretations for the viewing public at the 2011 Philadelphia International Flower Show. The exhibit focuses on sustainable ideas and concepts including rainwater harvesting, local food production, creative reuse of found objects, and use of sustainable construction materials. The minimalist design blurs the boundaries between art, architecture, and landscape. Artistic inspiration was drawn from the abstract art of Piet Mondrian, the impressionist art of Claude Monet, and landscape elements of French architect Andre Le Notre. Additional project goals include imparting hands-on education and integrations of landscape design and horticulture.

The entire Eastwick neighborhood is located within the 100-year flood zone that is also influenced by the Delaware River tidal movement; therefore, the local residents are exposed to extreme nature forces on daily basis. It is time to turn this land into a healthy environment that actually can work for people by cleansing the water and the soil, purifying the air, providing a good quality open space and assets that can benefit this society economically.

Langley Avenue District at the Philadelphia Navy Yard,  Philadelphia, PA
General Design:  Merit Award   |   The Pennsylvania State University

In 2004, Liberty Property Trust obtained rights to be the sole redeveloper of the 1,200 acre decommissioned Philadelphia Navy Yard in Philadelphia.  In collaboration with Robert A.M. Stern Architects, a master plan was created, initiating the process of transforming the extensive property into a sustainable innovation and technology hub.  The master plan proposed phased development plans for the entire property, except for a small portion running parallel to Langley Avenue.  The charge to our student team was to propose a redevelopment plan to transform these industrial grounds into a mixed-use community, which would address and complement nearby land-uses, and generate a competitive economic return.

The entire Eastwick neighborhood is located within the 100-year flood zone that is also influenced by the Delaware River tidal movement; therefore, the local residents are exposed to extreme nature forces on daily basis. It is time to turn this land into a healthy environment that actually can work for people by cleansing the water and the soil, purifying the air, providing a good quality open space and assets that can benefit this society economically.

Refocus of Homewood South, Pittsburgh, PA
Student Community Service:  Honor Award   |   Pennsylvania State University

This project is intended to assist in the revival efforts of a depopulated urban neighborhood in Pittsburgh. With the assistance of several community members, the plan focuses on inventorying and analyzing the town, from historical uses to current lot conditions. The focus for the students was to interact directly with residents of the community, focusing on community workshops and outreach efforts to ensure a final product with broad input from the community members. This input is most evident in the form of community goals in the booklet as defined by community members. These goals are a direct result of working with the community to establish how they want Homewood South to be known. This document was then given to members of the community to guide and focus their efforts on strategic initiatives within Homewood South to achieve their desired community goals.

The Wood, Homewood, Pittsburgh, PA
Student Community Service:  Honor Award   |   Penn State University

This project is part of a larger collaborative community design effort, facilitated by Penn State Outreach and several of my classmates. Though a number of public meetings and design workshops, the residents’ desire for an urban farm became apparent. The Rosedale Block Cluster, the neighborhood’s prominent non profit organization, enlisted me to design their prospective urban farm.

Energy Tanks,  Southeastern Pennsylvania
Analysis & Planning:  Honor Award   |   Temple University School of Environmental Design

Clearview Landfill is in the beginning stages of reclamation through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Students were challenged to design ideas that would reclaim the Superfund site and become beneficial to the surrounding neighborhood.

Opportunism in the Periphery, Madrid, Spain
Analysis & Planning:  Merit Award   |   University of Pennsylvania

For more than 15 years, the city of Madrid has been pursuing an aggressive urban redevelopment initiative that has included massive investment in infrastructure, civic amenities, and collective housing.  Much of this investment has been at the periphery of the city, between the M-30 and M-40 ring roads, and has focused largely on the housing category mentioned above.  As a result of poor planning; over-dimensioned infrastructure; land-use policies that restrict programs other than housing; a generic, over-scaled public realm; and the economic crisis of 2008, these PAU’s (housing developments) have become the biggest challenge facing Madrid in the coming years – other than the city’s massive debt – and necessitate entirely new approaches to dealing with the vast, empty, generic, programmatic monocultures characterizing the city’s edge.