A network of algae tubing wraps the structure, located on the exterior to capture maximum sunlight for algae photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and phosphorus are collected from the air and river water, respectively, and pumped through the algae tubing as a filtration process.

The algae’s final destination is the education center, located on the bridge, where residents work to maintain the ecomachine and facilitate transformation of algae to biofuel and food using bioreactor technology.

This intervention utilizes microalgae and bioswale ecomachinic processes to sequester carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and phosphorus and produce clean oxygen and water for the Allegheny River. The harmonious interaction between wood structure and biotic form creates a habitat that educates residents and the public about algae processes while also allowing for a zero waste building system.

Sunlight as a consideration drives the sheared angle of the form, allowing for maximum southern solar exposure for both individual homes and for algae photosynthesis. Aimed as a method of creating new jobs and housing opportunities for Pittsburgh’s unhoused and underserved populations, the building system is owned and operated by residents, funded through the production of biofuel as a byproduct of algal processes.

Private residences are nestled within the overall form, and the architectural sequence of each home prioritizes a view of the river. Residents and visitors alike experience what it means to live in an ecomachine, and how biophilic design could be the key to combating climate change in the building and construction industries.

The project’s paver system features a gradient of circular stone elements which come together to form the rain gardens in the communal space.

This move allows for a varied interaction with nature and built environment, and minimizes large swathes of paved concrete surfaces in the outdoor spaces.

The overall material processes rely on as little concrete as possible, using structural steel and wood members to inform construction logic. Gradients of public and private program allow for diverse and nuanced interaction with site and architecture, and create a playful mix of indoor and outdoor, communal and private spaces.

Interfacing with the ground, the tree placements allow for quiet contemplation and respite in a large, open, public space.

The introduction of layered form allows for interaction with the river at multiple different elevations, including in a semi-private dock which offers boat access and a more nuanced interface with the Allegheny river.

The education center (which houses algae bioreactors) is accessible from the bridge, and makes up the primary public sequence of the project.