2024 | Professional

NY Architectural Design Awards Gold Winner Winner

SKY DROPLET

Entrant Company

YUHAN ZHANG & DREAMA SIMENG LIN

Category

Innovative Architecture - Sustainable and Green Building Technologies

Client's Name

CONCEPTUAL

Country / Region

United States

Imagine a future where Chicago’s skyline isn’t just a symbol of architectural prowess but a beacon of sustainable living—where the food you eat is grown just a few floors below, making the concept of a "food desert" obsolete. This visionary project redefines urban life as a series of vertical ecosystems, where skyscrapers become thriving green spaces that nourish both body and soul.



Inspired by the delicate patterns of a water droplet, this mile-high vertical community at the Chicago lakefront seamlessly extends the city’s green belt into the sky. Four conjoined towers, supported by an intricate diagrid exoskeleton, are woven with vertical farms that directly address food inequality in urban neighborhoods. These towers aren’t just structures; they are living organisms, powered by cutting-edge green technologies. Year-round vertical farming transforms them into agricultural hubs, significantly reducing the carbon footprint of food transportation.



The towers harness the power of nature with solar panels that convert sunlight into energy, and wind turbines that capture the breezes sweeping in from Lake Michigan. Rainwater harvesting systems collect and purify water, ensuring that this vertical community remains self-sufficient even in times of drought. But the innovation doesn’t stop there—cloud harvesting technology captures moisture from the air, turning even the sky into a resource for sustaining life within the towers. It’s a vision of the future where urban living and sustainable technology coexist, creating a healthier, more connected way of life for generations to come.

Credits

Dreama Simeng Lin
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