Design for Life
Design for Life
2017
Brief: Design a public seating space on 13th street and 5th Avenue in partnership with the Department of Transportation.
Collaboration: The Design Build class was a multidisciplinary group of 13 design students from architecture, interior, product, and more.
The structural framework is made from 360 pieces of Vietnamese bamboo. The design acts as a multi-level planter creating an organic separation between the road and the sidewalk while providing six benches that cantilever off the main frame.
The inspiration to use bamboo came from seeing its application in scaffolding and infrastructure throughout many countries across Asia. As an organic grass it is incredibly fast growing and produces little waste when harvested. When used correctly it has impressive structural properties that can rival those of concrete and steel.
The plants in this structure are suspended in 75 pouches made with recycled water bottles. This unique material provides a porous enclave in which vegetation flourishes. The twelve solar panels mounted to the frame provide energy to LED lights embedded into a number of the planters. This solar powered lighting is activated by an arduino, with a light sensor that triggers light to activate in the evening.
The whole project intends to offer a unique space of rest and respite within in the busy metropolitan environment in which it is located and encourage the implementation of alternative materials that have a lighter environmental footprint than some of their counterparts.
AwardsCore77 Awards: Notable Mention, Community Choice Award, and Grand Prize Winner, 2018
PressDesign BoomAdobe Project 1324The New York Times