Humans have an innate biological response to nature. Elements within nature have helped our species survive and evolve to where we are today. Our need to affiliate with nature is ingrained in our genetic makeup. Nature, being as complex as it is, is made up of more elements than we may initially realize. There are 26 elements in biophilia that have been studied and proven to create physical, psychological, and physiological responses for humans. In our modern world, humans spend over 90% of their lifetime indoors. The goal of my thesis project is to create an elegant model living environment that incorporates the 26 elements of biophilic design. More specifically, I would like to design a residence that brings the outdoors in to evoke our innate response to nature.

The COVID-19 pandemic created an unexpected and unprecedented global work experiment that permanently changed how we work, where we work, and the role work plays in our lives. This abrupt transition from a ‘traditional’ on-site work model to a remote work model has had a prolonged effect on people on psychological, emotional, and professional levels. While productivity levels increased, well-being and work/life balance decreased. I saw this as an opportunity to reimagine the hybrid work model in a post-pandemic world. How do we combine the best parts of working on-site, such as socialization, movement, and routine, with the flexibility of working remotely? In my thesis, I have created a coliving and coworking community where groups of friends or colleagues can stay for extended periods of time to work remotely all while exploring the city of Portland, Maine together. Through deliberate space planning of the site, I decentralize ‘work’ and ‘life’ functions to foster socialization and movement and increase well-being and work/life balance.

Homelessness and food insecurity are issues in every metropolitan area across the United States. Current solutions only offer temporary answers, which is not a sustainable way of thinking. Prioritizing the people and the community needs is a way to begin to understand better design strategies for long term solutions. A new way to start thinking about designing a permanent residence and providing food security is by creating spaces that provide safety and security to aid in comfort and recovery, fostering a community to work together to address these issues, and make the system a sustainable one to break the cycle of homelessness while helping the environment for which they inhabit.

The current segregation of living and non-living systems, especially in our cities, has had devastating effects on both humans and the environment. With biotecture, the synthesis of biology and architecture, we can design a brighter future, in which our philosophical understanding of the ‘natural environment’ incorporates architecture as an integrated constituent.

Urbanization requires adaptation to population density and embrace of associated housing typologies, including vertical living that is cost-efficient, sustainable, resilient, and inclusive.

Through understanding and defining the multifaceted idea of home, this thesis explores designing living spaces that connect people to place. In this case, connection to place is established through two methods – enhancing a sense of community and allowing for user autonomy.

Urbanization requires adaptation to population density and embrace of associated housing typologies, including vertical living that is cost-efficient, sustainable, resilient, and inclusive.

Previously incarcerated youth suffer from a lack of re-entry services available to them. My thesis proposes a space in which a variety of services are offered to youth who have recently been released from the justice system. These services will focus on rehabilitation, transitioning back into normal life and reducing the chance of re-offending, while fostering a sense of community.

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.

Three Court Green is a mixed use residential project offering luxurious urban living centered around three unique courtyard experiences. It explores the crossing point between vernacular lessons in thermal comfort and contemporary expectations of urban living.