This project critiques the rigidity of Phoenix’s Jeffersonian grid by reintroducing elements of the erased Hohokam canal system, grounded in naturally occurring geometries that once sustained a complex hydro-centric society. Guided by a close mentor and pupil of Enric Miralles, the project involves a series of meticulous hand-drawn mapping of the site’s underlying geometry to reinterpret the built environment as a reflection of these natural systems. As such, the proposal layers past, present, and future expressions of water: canyon-like forms shaped by erosion, bio-swales channeling water along topographic lines, and structures designed to anticipate and guide the erosion of the building and land over time.
Medium: Lead on vellum.