Being one of the major industrial arbitrators between the port of Long Beach, California and the rest of the United States, today the city of Vernon is home to 18 people per square mile. At it's current growth by the year 2080, the Los Angeles population will double, thereby contributing to a horizontal expansion, sprawl, creating tension on infrastructure such as energy, transportation, water and housing. How can a new typology transform the industrial city of Vernon? The city of Vernon at its current industrial state offers more then a place to house revenue-based manufacturers; it provides underused spaces between warehouses and industries which can become potential housing sites for the growing population in the city of L.A. The proposed tower constructs itself as interstices of a network. The high rise typology covers less land area then a low rise development; it addresses high density development through reducing the impact of urban sprawl on the environment, traffic congestion, and transportation costs which can significantly reduce the emission of carbon dioxide. The adaptable housing becomes an integral part of the tower where the housing typologies become flexible and adaptable systems that respond to the inhabitants needs and functions. The integration of sustainable building systems such as solar energy, passive heating and cooling strategies, waste management, and vegetation, decrease the amount of energy consumption. The tower serves as a paradigm for cities with homogeneous conditions.
Status: Competition Entry
Location: Vernon, CA, US
My Role: Designer.
Additional Credits: Team Biocina/Popik, 2008, 1st place entry.