Site Analysis - Del Norte County, CA, United States

Sites throughout the continental USA were studied and evaluated for the greatest viability in terms of available resources and in the face of increasing climate change. There were three main reasons that the site, ‘Del Norte County, CA’ was selected: (i) lowest climate risk factors based on projections for 2040-2060; (ii) redwood forests where the tallest structures were produced by nature and they have existed for the longest time; and (iii) coast for the expectation of floods and flood resilience.

Timber City

Patrick Dilger, Malhar Kate, and Nathaniel Staniak

The Timber City is a new typology for the American city in 2070. With a density for 10 million people, the city is composed of traditional towers connected by skybridges. These bridges are the new urban plane, where horizontal programs like zoos, parks, theaters, campuses, residences, and stadiums become part of the urban landscape which connects the city. The collection of towers and bridges becomes a network for the 15 minute city, with the lively activity of public programs happening at different levels throughout.

Mycelium Myriad

Katarzyna Wodzisz and William Manzanilla

The task of this project began with the idea of “The Resilient City” From day one, our concept was to use biophilic design and utilize trees, and other natural structures as inspiration behind our city. After all, what is more resilient than forests? The answer was fungi. While forests had been around for 360 million years, fungi have been around for 1,300 million years. The Mycelium Myriad City was designed with the inspiration of many types of fungi, using not only their appearance, but their functions in nature as well.

Vertical Adaptation

Jiwon Park and Divya Sureban

The rise in population and climate change is expected to exacerbate issues of urban sprawl and congestion in cities worldwide. To address these challenges, we've envisioned a futuristic city in Del Norte County, CA, which prioritizes nature preservation and quality of life. This city will utilize tall buildings with raised floor plates and skybridges, effectively creating a new ground level.