Digital Portfolio
Urbanization has become a crucial topic in our developing world. With the population ever-increasing and real-estate becoming ever-limited, attempted re-urbanization plans have displaced tens of thousands of people from their homes. With space now a luxury and cost-of-living increasing, this has forced housing developments to become money-oriented rather than people-oriented, creating an "everyone for themselves" mentality. The Fillmore District of San Francisco, CA fell victim to such city red-lining re-developments - a district once known as the “Harlem of the West,” filled with vibrant jazz music, cozy mom and pop' shops, and a socially interconnected community, became a gentrified neighborhood with a severed cultural connection.
My goal is to re-think the approach taken towards urban development, in order to increase overall mental, emotional, and physical wellness among the population. With space becoming a scarcity, it is important to use every square-inch of it to its greatest potential. This is why my focus is to re-design egress stair environments in order to create a spatial experience that is more functional, physically healthy, and intimately connected, without sacrificing sacred square footage but instead enhancing it. By realizing this potential, we can create a stronger connection between the residents, architecture, and culture of local districts, as well as creating a greater sense of safety and community by exploiting Jane Jacob’s notion of “eyes on the street”