Collage by Mitchell Pinkney Jr.

Comfort Abimaje

Multisensory Utopia  – Architecture is often experienced in the visual realm, but it has the ability to stimulate the other senses. Buildings need to connect with humans and the environment around them; if unsuccessful, there is a tendency for a sterile and monotonous experience.

Abdultattah Almasari

Cohesive Kitchen – How can architecture facilitate social cohesion in North American neighborhoods through technology? Social cohesion in neighborhoods between residents is an essential to building a healthy environment. In this project, social engagement fosters physical heath, mental health and social heath in the community.

Briana Blowe

Off-the-Books Academy – How can an alternative learning environment engage underprivileged K-6 children in education and health through technology?  Children are not engaged by traditional educational teaching methods in public schools. The goal is to create an alternative learning environment that is flexible, collaborative, active and hands on with the help of digital media.

Andrew Fuller

Communal Grind – Community skateboard and recreation park, combined with housing services and resources for at-risk youth in Madison-East End. Through architecture, the line between resources and recreation for urban at-risk youth can be substantially blurred. Structures pose unique opportunities for social engagement. Buildings become part of the landscape. In turn, intentional planning creates a multi-use community amenity.

Amberlyn Kauffmann

The Game of Life – Collaboration of Community and Public Health. How can architecture integrate public health services and prevention techniques to yield an equitable system within the built environment? Through architecture, multidisciplinary public health services are integrated for residents across generations. Substance abuse rehabilitation and family planning centers benefit the public greatly. Surrounding this program with interactive games breaks the stigma of visiting such services.

Nkiruka Jane Nwachukwu

How can visual and performing arts be integrated into the built environment to help people with mental health disorders in an urban community? This architecture uses the four natural elements: air, earth, fire and water, and incorporates the healing effects of visual and performing arts as a therapeutic tool to provide a calming effect for people with PTSD.

Juan Manjarres Perez

HABITAD: Immigrant Housing – HABITAD recognizes that poor living conditions have a negative impact on people’s success. This project proposes a housing solution for immigrants facing overcrowded living conditions. Its adaptive modular design aims to promote the immigrant’s economic development, positive assimilation and health outcomes.

Mitchell Pinkney Jr

The Authentic Community – How can architecture address segregation in neighborhoods decaying from urban blight? Architecture used as an intervention for blighted neighborhoods is often destructive to the existing community fabric. Architecture for blighted communities should instead grow from the community while being responsive to future needs.

Kara Sheikhattari

Community Engagement – How can architecture contribute to the improvement of social health, such as social capital and social cohesiveness in poor urban communities? Gentrification changes the culture and character of the neighborhood, and lack of social participation in poor neighborhoods should be addressed by modern design and use renewable energy to improve access to resources.

Zahra Williams

Nomadic Collective – How can artist contribute to the improvement of urban life in post-industrial cities impacted by urban renewal? En Plein Air Collective is a response to the living and making conditions for artists who are renewing post-industrial cities. This project explores an artist-operated space to live, make and exchange while interacting with community and inviting the public to engage.