First Place in Architectural Design Category***

Harvest(in)Gowanus is an entry to the 2012-2013 Gowanus by Design: Water Works Competition held by the Gowanus Alliance in New York City, NY. The submission looked at the site opportunistically as a demonstration project for entire remediation of the Gowanus Canal. At the mouth of the Flushing Channel, the project rests lightly above the land as it tells a story of water and community. By "harvesting" the existing materials on the site down to the polluted soil, the project allows for future in-habitation of a once extremely polluted site. To bring people back to the water's edge, the facility marries two programs: a community center and a water treatment/retention facility. By implementing a boat dock and a ski slope, the existing conditions are activated and encourage interaction by its inhabitants. In addition to the provided program, the project looks at applying densification techniques as the water levels rise. Each floor above the current water level can function as water storage as well as mixed use programmable space. By activated the role of water within the everyday lives of people, the project encourages a new relationship with the earth which may potentially educate people to care for their water sources in a more direct way.