Ganyiel, South Sudan | According to the International Rescue Committee, 2.5 million people in South Sudan are presently in crisis and emergency levels of food insecurity. To mitigate growing concerns, the goal for the project was to provide an architectural solution which treats both nutritional and biological health for the internally displaced in South Sudan. Particular focus was placed on treating women and children in the most remote and inaccessible areas of the country.

Inspired by the existing innovation center, the idea of IC2 (Innovation Center 2) is to make connections between different users of the center; one to one, group to group, and company to company. Creating bridges between the incubator spaces and the post incubator spaces, metaphorically and physically is the concept of this project. Spaces in-between bridges form the informal work areas, where collaboration and team work are more needed. Break areas and lounges are also located in between these bridges.

The Buffalo Explore n’More children’s museum is a prospected project for the canalside of Buffalo that is in the early design phase by a local architect. The goal of the studio was to design a museum to give new design concepts and ideas to the local firm that is working on the project. The major design concept of this project was to start with the volume of the site extruded and subtract based on site conditions and programmatic needs.

The intervention proposal for Makoko, Nigeria was developed from a study of the existing conditions of the area. The project is a redesign proposal of existing homes through a transformation of construction methods and building materials. The problems that occur from the existing construction that the project focuses on are flooding during the two rainy seasons; trash and wreckage build up in the water, unsafe conditions, physical demands of construction, and overall aesthetics.

The project begins with the construction of a four layered platform with plastic drums as the base. The drums are introduced so the platform will be able to stay above water level when flooding occurs. This allows for fewer stilts to be hammered into the waterbed : only four stilts are required to ensure that the platform does not float away. Structural bents can be constructed horizontally on the platform to be raised and connected at 6′ O.C. Roofing material is to be applied with any local material that is not water permeable. In the case of Makoko, Nigeria, corrugated metal is an abundant resource and will be the typical building material for roofing.

Thesis Committee: Beth Tauke & Ernest Sternberg

Design Goals :

• Create intimate outdoor spaces lacking on North Campus, provide more surface area for retail exposure to Lee Road, direct access from courtyards to retail, dining, and university store.

• Provide continuous indoor route for students using building as a shortcut or as protection from inclement weather, direct access to retail from both indoor and outdoor route, direct access to retail invites public usage of courtyards.

• Accomodate any type of resident, with a majority of fully accessible apartments (the rest are visitable).

For this project, the bus terminal was developed as a building with 2 functions : it acts as the central transportation hub on South Campus and it also performs as a ‘gateway’ to the campus and direct pedestrians. To do so, the building is split in two parts : one side serves as a bus shelter with a bicycle rental/storage space, and the other side houses vendor activities (i.e. coffee shop, newsstand, etc.). The central part of the terminal, in between these 2 aisles, function as a pass through, that all pedestrian are able to access to enter the campus.