HYPHAE, Alternative Living System
[space] Hyphae, Alternative Living System
Concept
Residential
2 Week Sprint
Los Angeles, California
2023
Concept
Residential
2 Week Sprint
Los Angeles, California
2023
DESCRIPTION
Inspired by the intricate and resilient networks of fungi, Hyphae reimagines spatial design as a dynamic, living system. The project merges sustainability with human interaction, fostering immersive environments where nature and humanity thrive together.
Hyphae is more than a space—it’s a vision for the future of living and working, and solving the housing crisis in Los Angeles. Designed to house creatives, engineers, and environmentalists, it offers income-based micro-housing and creative studio spaces, creating an ecosystem of collaboration and innovation.
At the heart of Hyphae is a sustainable growth system inspired by the mutualism of lichen—a symbiotic relationship between fungi and algae. The fungus provides protection, while the algae generates energy. This delicate balance serves as a metaphor for Hyphae’s mission: a symbiotic relationship between humans and nature. Together, we can evolve and grow in harmony, realigning our existence to mirror the patterns of the natural world.
Inspired by the intricate and resilient networks of fungi, Hyphae reimagines spatial design as a dynamic, living system. The project merges sustainability with human interaction, fostering immersive environments where nature and humanity thrive together.
Hyphae is more than a space—it’s a vision for the future of living and working, and solving the housing crisis in Los Angeles. Designed to house creatives, engineers, and environmentalists, it offers income-based micro-housing and creative studio spaces, creating an ecosystem of collaboration and innovation.
At the heart of Hyphae is a sustainable growth system inspired by the mutualism of lichen—a symbiotic relationship between fungi and algae. The fungus provides protection, while the algae generates energy. This delicate balance serves as a metaphor for Hyphae’s mission: a symbiotic relationship between humans and nature. Together, we can evolve and grow in harmony, realigning our existence to mirror the patterns of the natural world.
LICHEN: Growing Together
Lichen is a symbiotic relationship between fungus and algae. One produces energy, while the other provides protection. Alone, neither could thrive, but together they become a powerful force in nature. By embracing this model of mutualism, we can imagine a similar relationship in Hyphae—humans and nature living harmoniously, growing and evolving together. By aligning our way of life more closely with the patterns of the natural world, we can cultivate a coexistence that is balanced, resilient, and in sync with the rhythms of life around us.
Lichen is a symbiotic relationship between fungus and algae. One produces energy, while the other provides protection. Alone, neither could thrive, but together they become a powerful force in nature. By embracing this model of mutualism, we can imagine a similar relationship in Hyphae—humans and nature living harmoniously, growing and evolving together. By aligning our way of life more closely with the patterns of the natural world, we can cultivate a coexistence that is balanced, resilient, and in sync with the rhythms of life around us.
Reveals the growth system and the adaptability of interchangeable modules, which can transform into residential dwellings or workspaces. It situates the project within its site context, highlights the two cantilevered levels, and integrates the lift, illustrating the interplay between structure, function, and human experience.
Highlights the overall layout of the growth system, showing the arrangement of interchangeable modules, circulation pathways, and integration with the site context. The system is designed to evolve alongside our lives, allowing spaces to grow, adapt, and shift between residential and workspace functions while maintaining cohesion across the project.
SITE ANALYSIS
The project is situated in Silverlake, nestled between two roads on a steep hillside with views overlooking downtown Los Angeles. The site’s topography informed the design strategy, allowing the two primary building systems to be cantilevered, responding to the slope while maximizing usable space and preserving natural circulation. This approach creates dynamic relationships between interior and exterior spaces, opens up sightlines across the hillside, and enhances the connection to the surrounding landscape. The cantilevered forms also allow the building to interact with the sun, wind, and natural drainage patterns, integrating environmental responsiveness directly into the architecture.
RESEARCH
The ideas behind 1200 N grew out of a study of how bees live and colonize, exploring how small, interconnected units can form larger, self-sustaining systems. I was inspired by the way hives function collectively, each individual contributing to the health of the whole, and began imagining a residential system that operates with similar principles of mutualism and interdependence.
From there, my research expanded to the work of Neri Oxman and her explorations of material-driven, biologically informed design, as well as experimental projects in moveable and modular cities. I looked at small units that could adapt, respond, and evolve over time, both individually and as a network. This led to the idea of architecture as a living system, where humans, nature, and built environments coexist, grow, and change together.
Through these investigations, the project became a reflection on adaptive, circular, and functional living—drawing on lessons from nature to imagine spaces that are not only inhabited but cultivated, cared for, and actively evolving with their communities.