URBAN INSTITUTE

The project brief required that our studio design a structure capable of housing a scaled urban model of Oakland while also addressing the city’s current needs. I believed this brief to be arguably outdated, putting the architect in a position of way too much power. Rather than imposing my own ideals and solutions to an already vibrant urban culture, I aimed to develop a series of large public spaces that would foster communal activity within downtown Oakland. My goal is to provide for the city—not direct them.