Collaborative Strength
From Blueprint to Footprint: Envisioning Carbon-Positive, Resilient Coastal Urban Environments through Collaborative Design Practices
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Thomas Spiegelhalter
This research, funded by the US National Science Foundation and the EU Belmont Forum and conducted by our Carbon-Positive Research Design Studio from 2018 to 2024, tackles the deficiencies in current traditional master planning strategies for low-lying coastal subtropical urban development. Aiming for carbon positivity, resilience, and operational city climate adaptability, this 5-years research project is a critical component of the Climate Resilient Urban Nexus Choices initiative. It focuses on integrating sharing practices within open-access climate change resilient urban frameworks and Integrated Decision Support Systems (IDSS) tools, thereby reducing climate disruptions and vulnerability via the adaptable food, water, and renewable energy nexus implementation strategies. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the project utilises generative AI-SynBio digital twin scenario tools and workflows alongside data-driven urban planning strategies in four cities. It pioneers a participatory Urban Living Lab approach to boost community engagement and collaborative decision-making. The methodology encompasses a thorough gap analysis, pinpointing city-specific needs, creating data-driven tools, and validating resilient scenarios projected up to 2100. The research uncovers the pivotal role of sharing practices in diminishing urban environmental impacts, bolstering community ties, and fostering economic inclusivity. It offers a comprehensive framework for policymakers and urban planners to merge sharing economies with urban development strategies, creating sustainable, resilient, and holistic urban spaces. In essence, our findings advocate a participatory, integrated urban planning approach to reconciling sustainability objectives with community well-being. They offer a strategic blueprint for future subtropical coastal urban landscapes prioritising environmental resource management, blue-green infrastructure and transportation networks, and societal equity.
Featured Evaluating the Role of Co-Living Spaces in Enhancing Resource Efficiency in Sustainable Urban Fabrics
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Daniel Dasig, Jr.
Co-living spaces or shared living arrangements have gained significant traction in recent years as a viable housing model in urban settings. The concept promises not only to address the growing housing crisis but also to promote sustainable living by enhancing resource efficiency. This study evaluates the role of co-living spaces in enhancing resource efficiency by examining key metrics related to energy and water consumption, waste management, and environmental sustainability. This study employed descriptive-correlational research design to measure and correlate resource efficiency in co-living spaces and traditional housing units. Data were collected from 10 co-living spaces and 10 traditional housing units located in major cities across the Philippines. The findings of this study highlight the potential of co-living spaces to enhance resource efficiency in urban environments. The significant reductions in energy and water consumption, as well as waste generation, demonstrate the viability of co-living as a sustainable housing model. The findings indicate that co-living spaces offer significant potential for enhancing resource efficiency in sustainable urban fabrics. The reduction in energy and water consumption, coupled with high occupancy rates and prevalent resource-sharing behaviors, underscores the viability of co-living as a sustainable housing model. Future research should continue to explore the long-term impacts of co-living spaces on urban sustainability and investigate ways to optimize these living arrangements for even greater resource efficiency. The results suggest that co-living spaces offer significant advantages in terms of resource efficiency, supporting the shift toward more sustainable urban development practices.
Living and Learning for Equitable Futures: Reconsidering the Design of Public High Schools in the United States
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Amy Trick
The founders of the United States in the 18th century believed that the maintenance of their young democracy would require competent citizens by way of an educated population. These early leaders proposed the development of the public education system that, by way of public schools and public charter schools, instructs 90% of youth in the United States as of 2024. However, funding of the public school system has dramatically declined in the last decades following the recession in the early 2000’s. The political landscape with Donald Trump’s victory for the US presidency in 2024 also sets up the potential dismantling of the Department of Education and further immobilizing of the public school system. Given the difficult circumstances facing public education in the United States, it is an opportune moment to consider how reimagining the programmatic and architectural design of education models can equip youth for imminent challenges. Increasing financial support to improve facilities, retain excellent teachers, and reduce class sizes are proven reforms that improve the quality of education for students – but what if the particular strengths and site features of a specific context and the subsequently responsive architectures could positively influence education? Given this, students within the Clemson University School of Architecture proposed design solutions for urban, public boarding high schools, programmatically and architecturally tailored to diverse locations across the country. The case studies produced show how site-specific architecture and programming can suggest alternative futures for education and enhance public life through design and integration into city fabrics.
