Mouth of the Gowanus Canal (Source: wikimedia.org) The Gowanus Canal is one of the most polluted bodies of water in the United States. Located in Brooklyn, NYC, this mile and a half long Canal was used as a commercial and industrial waterway for the numerous industries and businesses in the surrounding area. Large ships carrying … Continue reading Bringing out the Best
As a fan of the fantasy genre, I have always been attracted to the concept of tree architecture. Almost every fantasy world has some magical city hidden in the forest, where the branches intertwine into canopy walkways and the trunks serve as dwellings. Belgian architect Luc Schuiten has taken this idea and applied it to … Continue reading An Irrational Request
In a previous post, I brought up the idea of making our city’s infrastructure more aesthetically pleasing. Infrastructure – almost by definition – is hidden, buried underground or constructed in a far-off area away from the central city. By making our infrastructure aesthetically pleasing and placing it at the center of attention, the public has … Continue reading The Art and Engineering of Infrastructure
Despite being essential for the function of society, infrastructure is often shunned or avoided by the general public. Facilities such as wastewater treatment plants, landfills, and gas plants often have a difficult time being constructed as no one wants to live near an ugly, smelly, or “dirty” site. While some transportation infrastructure, such as bus … Continue reading Service that Inspires
A while ago, I wrote a blog post on Engineered Ecologies - a particular interest of mine. I have struggled to put into words why I find the concept so interesting, but I think I’ve come to some sort of explanation. Engineered Ecologies allow natural processes to continue to function while utilizing them for some … Continue reading A Little Help From Nature
Bijan Haghnegahdar, a designer in New York City, came up with an interesting idea which he calls Being Nature. The idea was born out of the simple observation that we as humans like to keep the things that are necessary for our survival – mainly trees and plants – out of our habitats. It seems … Continue reading The Perfect Tree-house
Sustainable building practices encompass many ideas: minimum resource consumption, efficient energy usage, recycled materials and so on. Often, new buildings and designs incorporate the latest technological innovations and use the newest materials (that are sometimes formed out of recycled products). But there’s a new technological innovation that’s starting to catch fire (pun intended), and this … Continue reading You Wooden Be-leaf it
Tall glass buildings, white paved wide streets, winding rivers and green parks with large trees surround you as you head out into the city. It’s a beautiful blue day, with a few fluffy clouds dotting the sky along with the rows of flying cars going by. You pass by many other pedestrians who also decided … Continue reading Working With What You Have
As a person with an interest in combining the built and natural environments, I suppose it comes as no surprise that I also have an interest in urban agriculture. Despite growing up in the mid-western state of Wisconsin, I actually haven’t had a lot of exposure to traditional farming or much contact with cows. But … Continue reading Is Vertical Viable?
Despite one of my New Years Resolutions being “write more”, I have only managed to write two posts and it’s already halfway through January. I’ve been taking advantage of the last few days of my winter break by starting a little story that was in my mind (apparently, it was in my mind for quite … Continue reading If You Have It, Why Not Flaunt It?
Ethan Yen 