Avani Project Book Final

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Stage Details



Structural Intro At our case study level we imagine the structural level being the physical changes that will be made to the space. Here we go into how we imagine the parking garage to be retrofitted to facilitate our social and natural programming. In our endeavour to make the parking garage more multi-use we propose certain systems like vertical farming, rainwater collection systems, hydroponic irrigation systems, and a plethora of sensing technologies that we would then integrate into the space. At the city level it shows how the structure of the city will change overtime as a result of the network of connectivity established through the integration of technology into its buildings and the lives of its citizens. — 53 —

Structural Stage 0 PARKING PARKING + FARMING + SAFETY Our primary concept for moving parking garages from single–use to multi–use is centered on adding farming and safety elements into the space, while decreasing the over–emphasis on parking over time. — 54 —

FARMING The preliminary changes of Stage 0 would see vertical farming structures and aquaponics begin to be installed in the space. In this stage, the garage is mostly still a parking space, with some added structures to support farming. — 55 —

Structural Stage 1 — 56 —

PARKING + FARMING + SAFETY Moving into stage 1, we would expand the farming capacity of the structure to keep up with growing food demands and install sophisticated multipurpose sensors that would provide data to assist the plants and people in the building. — 57 —

VERTICAL FARMS Various forms of space–efficient farms will continue to be introduced to the space, including varieties of vertical farms, hydroponics, aquaponics, and others. MULTIPURPOSE SENSORS To assist with the growth of crops, smart sensors would be installed in the space, including video, audio, sonar, light-level, and RF. In addition to monitoring the farms, these sensors would serve multiple functions and assist the adaptive sensing network. This will be elaborated upon in the Social level section. — 58 —



Structural Stage 2 — 60 —

PARKING + FARMING + SAFETY In stage 2, our focus would turn to reinforcing the underground sections of the space to prepare for the upcoming flooding of coastal areas. We would also upgrade the sensor system to enhance connectivity and responsiveness of the to space, including connections to screens and speakers, as well as navigational LED walkways. In this stage, emphasis on parking is slowly being stripped back, with more vertical farms added, resulting in less parking spaces. Instead, the garage is being moved closer to a community space. — 61 —

UNDERGROUND REINFORCEMENTS In preparation for flooding, we would reinforce basements to hold water by sealing drains and other orifices. In preparation for marine agriculture, we would also create devices that reflect sunlight down a highly reflective column, and bring sunlight underground so that seaweed can be cultivated in low light conditions. This concept is based off a similar project done by the Lowline in New Yorki. i. http://thelowline.org/ UPGRADED SENSOR SYSTEMS To create a higher level of fidelity for the system in the space, the sensor systems would be upgraded to collect more data and interact more physically with individuals inside. The LED walkway idea sees light-based pathways installed inside the garage that the system could trigger to direct people inside the space to a particular location. This could be used for emergency scenarios, like weather events, or for simple applications, like interior navigation. — 62 —

WHAT IS THE ADAPTIVE AWARENESS NETWORK? The Community Adaptive Awareness Network is a concept that would help organize our future society. It is an integrated network of sensors and responsive technologies that interact with individual nodes which could be a person, a building, vehicle or other structures. ROOFTOP RENOVATIONS Additional green spaces would be added to the structure, including gardening beds on the roof for the community to interact with, along solar panels to aid system processes. — 63 —

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Structural Stage 3 — 65 —

PARKING + FARMING + SAFETY Stage 3 is focused on a need–based resource allocation system governed by the community adaptive awareness network. Moving forward from the parking garage module, the tech and logics present in the previous stages will be implemented city–wide. The map on the previous page shows how structures across the city could be transformed into multi–use spaces that are all able to interface together as part of the network. THE ADAPTIVE AWARENESS NETWORK Inspired by the phenotypic plasticity in ants and the collective awareness of altruistic systems, this network of connectivity connects people to their environment, their needs and to each other. Over time this network of inputs, responses and feedback loops governs the structure of the city by controlling long term resource allocations based on need. — 66 —

SYSTEM DETAILS This system would be able to reorganize over time based off input from individual nodes which could be a person, a building, vehicle or any other actor connected to the community adaptive awareness network . That reorganization could be physical, like activating temporary shelter spaces in response to a weather event, or it could be digital, like a ping being sent out to notify the citizens of a certain community or individual need. if the city can recognize need and respond to it effectively that adds to resource efficiency especially when resources are scarce. Only provide things where they are needed- this need can be crowdsourced — 67 —



Social Intro At our case study level, our social level outlines how the increased multi-use programming and adaptive awareness system might benefit the community. Urban design is often viewed from a structural lens, but we seek to address social issues through social solutions here. How might we use emerging technologies to improve our spaces? How might we use social programs to create more welcoming community spaces? — 69 —

Social Stage 0 PASSIVE ADDRESS + APP INTERFACE As we mentioned a little earlier, we want to build an adaptive sensing network that addresses needs across the case study and larger city. In stage 0, people will tap into/ access the adaptive sensing system through the format of a smart device app. This will allow an accessible forward route into the system. Another important element on the social side is reducing the amount of violent crime that occurs. Due to the vertical farms implemented in the same stage from the Structural level, the garage will be naturally brighter and more populated. This will begin to passively address crime rates by removing factors that contribute to making current garages hotspots for assaults. — 70 —

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APP DETAIL COMMUNITY PAGE This region of the app would allow community members to browse local news, job listings, shared food options, and other community interfacing options. It could operate as a function- driven social media region. DEVICE STATUS CONTACT NETWORK This panel would allow The user could input their connectivity to smart devices, communication preferences here. including magnetic smart fabrics In the event of an emergency, the to be introduced in Stage 3. system could read these settings and prioritize first contact EMERGENCY OPTIONS accordingly. This setting exists to allow greater control for the user. Working in accordance with the A use-case might be a user who contact network, this panel would wishes to avoid a hefty ambulance let the user designate system bill, so they prioritize a family responses to different tiers of contact over emergency medical. need (ex. major emergency, minor emergency, etc.) MEDICAL RECORDS Here, the user could upload their medical history. This would allow greater speed in assisting them in case of emergency, allowing the system to detect the correct signs of a recurring health incident. — 72 —

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Social Stage 1 — 74 —

COMMUNITY DRIVEN + UPDATED APP In stage 1, we would be focusing on how to allow the benefits of the farming within the garage to reach to residents of the local neighborhood. To ensure the transfer of power from the hands of the entity that built the garage to the hands of the people who live and act in the space, a training program would be instituted. This program would teach community members how to cultivate the farming space. These trainings would be open to the entire community, without discrimination towards marginalized groups like the unhoused or the undocumented. A harsh reality of urban life is that despite those aforementioned groups being full members of the communities they live in, they are often seen as separate or unwelcome. This ability to engage in the space and become an active, visibly productive member of the community could begin to address the stigmas marginalized groups face in these settings, all while maintaining the farm space which provides food and income. The app would continue to be updated, with further connections drawn between the physical space and the digital. For example, in the community page of the app, trainings for the farm could appear as job listings. — 75 —

Social Stage 2 CONNECTING TO MENTAL HEALTH + GREEN SPACES This stage would include further development of the green spaces in the garage, particularly the conversion of the roof into an accesible community garden and gathering spot. Building up regions that possess a biophilic appeal would significantly assist mental health of locals.i i. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2760412/ — 76 —

CONNECTING TO ADAPTIVE AWARENESS A major element of this stage would be the conversion of the garage from a passive space to an active one. This means that the system governing the garage would be able tlo use its vast array of sensors and digital connections to monitor its space and respond appropriately to incidents that could occur inside. The diagram map on the following pages illustrates how, given a series of events, the system might respond to an individual collapsing inside the garage. — 77 —



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SYSTEM IN ACTION In the previous pages, we saw this proposed system of responses in action. The system follows a series of decisions to assist them. These decisions make use of the app and the sensors installed during the structural section. BYSTANDER EFFECT To address the passivity caused by the bystander effect, the app would contain notifications and triggers that would work with the screens and LED paths installed with the structural Stage 1 to guide people in the space to assist others in need. INSPIRED BY ANTS This method of recursive, algorithmic decision making was inspired by our research into the behavioral patterns of ants in the research phase. The strength ants have is that they are capable of acting as nodes to a larger superorganism. Our adaptive awareness system aims to make use of a similar network of nodes, treating all sources of information (devices, sensors, people, etc.) as usable bytes of data. — 84 —



Social Stage 3 EXPANDING & ENHANCING The final stage would see the expansion of this cascading series of logics across the citywide system. The rise of magnetic smart fabrics and non-electronic tokens would allow all people, regardless of economic level, access to the technology needed to interface with the system. The system itself would not be limited to the parking garages and instead would operate across the entire urban landscape. SMART FABRICS During our research into relevant elements into their apparel. For emerging technologies, we example, a person prone to seizures discovered a process for encoding could encode that, along with their data into magnetic thread which necessary medication. As they enter can be woven into apparel items.i a smart space like the garage, the We speculated this technology system would be able to read their could be used to further enhance chosen data using magnetometers. interfacing between people and Then, if that person were to have the adaptive awareness system a seizure in the space, even if their in stage 3. Theoretically, if one mobile device was out of battery or was wearing clothing woven with if the system was down, the local the correct magnetic threading, garage system would be able to they could encode personal data access the medical data and react. i. http://smartfabrics.cs.washington.edu/ — 86 —

NON–ELECTRONIC TOKENS input object (a token), we could allow an incredibly low–cost way to Our theorized use of smart access digital systems. To encode fabrics offers an exciting their token with personal medical alternative to traditional data data or whatever else, an individual storage, but one issue it faces could simply visit a public internet is further marginalizing any resource like the library and use the individual who lacks access system there. From that point, their to technology, such as the token would be comprehensible to unhoused. To address this the general system by way of RF deficiency, we have also scanners and WiFi backscatterii, researched a method of providing the same safety net as the interfacing with our digital smart fabrics. ecosystem without the need for an electronic device.i By using ii. https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/consumer-elec- this technology, which simply tronics/gadgets/plastic-internet-of-things-without-batter- requires a conductive physical ies-or-electronics i. https://printedanalytics.cs.washington.edu/ SYSTEM MAP The system map on the next page shows the connective network of technology that would bind our city, with the rollout ordered by our stages. Here, we would apply the same multi-decision logic from the parking garage example across all the structures in the city. — 87 —

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Natural Intro Our natural level goes into how we envision our relationship with nature. It tries to define a new, more equitable dynamic between humans, cities and native ecosystems by the planned assimilation of the city into its surroundings to create an integrated ecosystem. Rewilding of the city space repositions humans within nature’s framework and makes room for a respectful, balanced, and healthy relationship between the two. — 91 —

Natural Stage 0 — 92 —

URBAN FARMING + GARDENING As shown in earlier stages, here we would call for establishing urban farms that grow indigenous food and medicinal crops. — 93 —

Natural Stage 1 INTRODUCING BIODIVERSITY In the wake of global warming and rising populations it will become increasingly important for the city to support itself. This is where nature can come in and create an abundant landscape in the city so we might take what we need from it but also nurture it to live with us. We see so much potential for future cities to be meaningfully green and by that we mean, the plants grown inside the city should either be food crops, medical plants or ecologically relevant and rezzstorative. Our goal is to gradually transition the parking structures in the city into productive urban farms that nourish their communities. Growing medicinal plants in these community gardens might provide people with knowledge and access to beneficial plant based remedies. We would also work to reintroduce native ecosystems into the city by transforming monocultural public parks into havens for indigeneous biodiversity. — 94 —

URBAN HEAT & BIOSWALES Existing concrete parking lots and pavements are impermeable flood prone areas and causes of urban heat island effect . We propose depaving significant surface area of concrete and constructing low impact developments like bioswales and other biofilters to make the ground more permeable to water to mitigate floods. These bioswales can be created around the edges of parking lots and around pavements, roads and rooftops to capture and treat stormwater and other polluted runoff . They can also be integrated into road medians, curb cutouts, sidewalks, or any public space. WHAT ARE BIOSWALES? Bioswales are elevated low impact drainage systems used to treat stormwater. As the storm water runoff flows through the bioswale, the pollutants are captured and settled by the leaves and stems of the plants. The pollutants then enter the soil where they decompose or can be broken down by the bacteria in healthy soil. They are extremely beneficial in protecting surface water and local waterways from excessive pollution and help recharge groundwater. Bioswales can also be designed to be aesthetically pleasing and attract animals and create habitats. BIOFILTRATION During Stage 1, biofiltration wall modules could be added to buildings to help filter out pollutants and increase air quality. — 95 —

Natural Stage 2 APPROACHING WATERWORLD To capitalize on the rising sea levels we propose establishing marine agricultural systems in the lower levels of buildings by strategically retrofitting them to flood and receive sunlight through reflective daylighting techniques as seen in Lowline Project.i We could cultivate algae, seaweed, oysters, mussels and other useful species. These could be consumed as food but also have great economic value. Mussels and oysters are also filter feeders and clean the water that passes through them. i. http://thelowline.org/ — 96 —

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