Perpendicular City - "A city should tell a story that never ends" by Oussama Khalfi​

Temple University's Tyler School of Art and Architecture M.Arch graduate Oussama Khalfi explores the idea of urban development through vertical expansion in his thesis "Perpendicular City." Khalfi proposes that his project aims to "challenge the way today's society thinks about urban development and propose visionary alternatives. Cities' cores, mainly historical, have become static, which is against the nature of evolution. It is time to give back to the city its right to evolve, become diverse, and adapt by unleashing the urban evolution machine to define the city of tomorrow."

Archinect connects with Khalfi to discuss how his thesis project was shaped, his experiences as an international student, and graduating during challenging economic conditions. We also discuss employment prospects and how recent grads are being affected by the pandemic.

Archinect's Spotlight on 2020 Thesis Projects: 2020 has been an extraordinarily challenging year for architecture graduates. Students were displaced as schools shut down, academic communities had to adapt to a new virtual format, end-of-year celebrations were canceled or changed dramatically, and now these students are graduating into an extremely challenging employment market. To support the 2020 class we're launching a summer series of features highlighting the work of thesis students during this unique time of remote learning amid COVID-19. Be sure to follow our 2020 thesis tag to stay up to date as we release new project highlights.

The goal is to experiment with urban stacking and multi-layering through "infill development" and "Compact Urban Form" principles to amplify urban resilience within a city and predict how this vertical development would affect architectural styles, social patterns, and urban policies.

Please briefly describe your thesis/final project and your inspiration.

When I was looking for ideas and inspirations for my undergraduate thesis project four years ago, I stumbled upon "Rooftop Remodeling Falkestrasse" architecture by Coop Himmelblau in Vienna. I was intrigued by the juxtaposition of two completely different architectural styles from two distant periods. Yet, they coexist together with no tension. This inspired me to investigate how "rooftop architecture," an exclusive architectural phenomenon, could become an initiation platform for cities' urban vertical expansion. The goal is to experiment with urban stacking and multi-layering through "infill development" and "Compact Urban Form" principles to amplify urban resilience within a city and predict how this vertical development would affect architectural styles, social patterns, and urban policies.

Perpendicular City is a unique instance that is shaped by Philadelphia's urban tissue. It cultivates Smart Urban Growth and compacts the development to boost Philadelphia's Sustainability Portfolio. The new vertical city carves its way through the existing urban tissue using a combination formula of rooftops, air rights, and in-between spaces such as the trash alleys of the iconic historical row homes. It injects a desired mixed-use development within a single-use one. The perpendicular city connects with the existing streets through repurposing vacant lots, empty terrains, and non-historical open spaces and buildings (parking, parks, abandoned sites, ruins, etc.) into vertical connection systems.

My Master's thesis book and design project challenge the way today's society thinks about urban development and propose visionary alternatives. Cities' cores, mainly historical, have become static, which is against the nature of evolution. It is time to give back to the city its right to evolve, become diverse, and adapt by unleashing the urban evolution machine to define the city of tomorrow. 

How did your project change as studios transitioned to remote learning?

Having studio classes online was unprecedented, at least for architectural studies. It was particularly challenging for me to work on my studio project from home because I'm not as productive as I am in a studio. Working closely with my professors, colleagues, and friends is an essential booster for me. Furthermore, having limited to no access to our lab's powerful computers significantly increased my production time and made me encounter some technical difficulties. However, with my professors' help and availability, I met all my deadlines and produced my best work so far. So, I thank them very much for all their efforts. 

...carefully draft a plan in which you define deadlines of your own (not only academic deadlines but also for your personal life [...] and most importantly be patient.

Any tips for students working through their final projects?

My tips for students who are going through the same process: carefully draft a plan in which you define deadlines of your own (not only academic deadlines but also for your personal life), eat healthily, and practice your favorite exercise to stay physically and mentally in shape, and most importantly; be patient. This helped me a lot when transitioning to online courses, adjusting to the new normal caused by the pandemic, and being an international student gave me substantial doses of anxiety. 

As a recent graduate, how do you feel about the architecture industry right now and job prospects?

I feel that the architecture industry is currently facing a big challenge probably more significant than in 2008, and we, the recent graduates, are on the front lines facing the aftermath of this pandemic with little access to architectural jobs. For instance, I lost two valuable opportunities that I was working hard to get. One of these was a highly prestigious fellowship at one of the world's most prominent architecture firms. It was hard for me to accept this loss, and it certainly felt unfair. 

...we, the recent graduates, are in the front lines facing the aftermath of this pandemic with little access to architectural jobs.

I believe that hard work is always rewarding. Moreover, since I went back to my home country, Tunisia, to start my professional career, I was struck by the horrifying situation of the architecture industry. Even though Tunisia had a good handle of the pandemic, the architecture industry was hit hard due to other economic factors. It will take a while for it to recover. However, I feel optimistic despite all of the negativity surrounding our industry. I think this is a golden chance for architects to transform this challenge into an opportunity to push towards more sustainability and wellness design concepts in our proposals. Architects and designers play an essential role in preventing such a health crisis from happening in the future.