Sorry for the corny, three-years-too-late title, couldn't think of anything better at 3:30 am.  Anyhow, earlier in the semester we were given two days to design something at our site (off Girard Avenue near the zoo in Philadelphia, PA) that was sustainable and/or heightened a certain experience of the site.  Upon entering our site, I got an overwhelming sense of deadness and decay and I chose to play with that notion.

First, it's winter time, so all the leaves are brown and crusty, the trees are bare and skinny.  However, the sun still shines and it still rains, or snows.  These are both catalysts that are necessary for life.  Thus, I chose to design  something simple that harnessed these natural elements and fostered life and growth.

What I came up with is something new for me as a designer.  It is every bit "me" (simple, straightforward) but this time I chose to experiment with triangular geometry in the form of the "pod" that has the potential to be very complex.  When it rains, the rain is filtered through the "roof" and collected in a receptacle underground which in turn irrigates plants that the "farmer" grows to sustain himself within an otherwise dead site.  There is also a glass panel above that acts in the same way a magnifying glass does and focuses the sun's energy to one point. Photosynthesis, baby. Anyway, here are some of my sketches and pictures of the pod. Enjoy.