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ECO-MORPHOLOGY
ENVIRONMENT, FORM & FEEDBACK | THIRD-YEAR STUDIO
Carnegie Mellon University | School of Architecture
Instructor Dana Cupkova | Professors Nina Chase and Matthew Huber | Fall 2017
Project Site : Strip District in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
In Collaboration with Denise (Zhenting) Jiang
Compiled documentation of Eco-Morphology .
This housing is located in Strip District of Pittsburgh with a direct relationship to the Allegheny River. Based on the site conditions present in Strip District, such as wind, sunpath, and flooding, the housing morphology is designed to resolve those issues in the urban context using eco-machines like the living machine, and to mix the urban and suburban communities harmoniously. To create a unified community, different sized courtyards are present. The housing unit geometry allows the units to interconnect, grow, and expand spontaneously by shifting and rotating. The overall site is arranged so that more dense area

signifies the residential area and loosely connected area signifies the public area that any neighbors can access, even the river. Topography of the site is manipulated to orchestrate the water flow and collect stormwater even in the neighboring areas to treat in the living machines. The courtyards contain the living machines that use biofilters to treat the collected stormwater and wastewater that can be reused in the community. The treated water is also used as mist in the courtyard for direct cooling experience for the residents during summer. Roof and floors are extended to create shades, and more housing units are stacked where the wind mostly comes from to prevent strong wind. The connection to the river is very subtle, and the residents and neighboring people can easily access the water.
Site Plan

Abstract Site Plan

Renders

Courtyard with Living Machine

Public Amenities

Site Section
Environmental Information Overlay




Geometry Matrix
Living Machine Process & Application


Water Collection

Mist Diagram : use

Mist Diagram : flow
Final Model



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