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Prairie grasslands, located between the diverse landscapes of forests and wetlands, functioned as an effective water holding and management system for the Upper Mississippi River Basin, thanks to their long roots that seeped deep into the soil. However, modern day commercial farming has removed most of the prairies, which has contributed to worsened flooding events of the region.

Drawing inspiration from the resilient operative notions of this native landscape, our project proposes to build resilience and tackle the challenges of flooding disasters, water pollution, and degraded soil health, starting with the Quad Cities.

By following Duck Creek as a transect through the diverse conditions of agriculture fields, urban and suburban fabrics, and waterfronts in Scott County, we propose site specific interventions along this natural transect, beginning inland and moving towards the confluence with the Mississippi River, that together aim at building an equitable and healthy way of living with water.

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This projects won Lucille Smyser Lowenfish Memorial Prize from Columbia University GSAPP as the most outstanding project in the final semester design studios