Green Union Carbide Redesign

This project is a reimagining of 270 Park Avenue that explores communal living, sustainability, and adaptive reuse in an urban environment. The redesign transforms the tower into a shared residential space centered around public gardens and local food production. Instead of functioning only as a traditional high-rise, the building is intended to encourage interaction between residents while creating a stronger connection between people and the environment they live in.

Each floor features a communal garden space that residents are encouraged to use and maintain together. The project imagines these gardens operating through a hydroponic system, allowing a variety of plants and produce to be grown while using less water than traditional soil-based farming. By incorporating food production directly into the building, the design encourages residents to take a more active role in the food they consume and the spaces they share.

The exterior of the tower includes a large living wall designed to help reduce heat absorption from the building’s glass façade. Along with helping regulate temperature, the vegetation also creates habitat opportunities for pollinators and other local wildlife within the city. The goal was to make the building feel more connected to its surrounding ecosystem rather than separated from it.

Overall, this project was designed to explore how dense urban housing could support more sustainable living practices. By giving residents access to shared gardens and spaces to grow produce locally, the design encourages a reduction in waste and creates a greater sense of community within the building.