The Future of Construction

A webinar series + design challenge for high school students

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Semoi Khan

Independent • Queens, NY

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Verdure Wedges is located on an island in NYC, Jamaica Bay, which is very polluted especially due to environmental racism. This overcomes social and environmental injustices by being multi-functional. The star is the green wedge architecture, inspired by shapes in nature, which grows aesthetic flowers and edible vegetation. This not only feeds, and nourishes the environment, especially for the of minorities in the area, the specific rainbow pattern of colors per wedge represents pride for LGBTQ+. Underneath these wedges, there is a function which sorts out waste that lingers in the sea in the polluted bay. It separates compost and different types of recyclable waste through technology, utilizing a tank which stretches around the island to separate the biodegradable material (compost), and reuses compost through a biofuel generator for renewable energy to power the waste separating machine, and to nourish the green wedges. There is a challenging yet aesthetically constructed wave-like bridge to get to the island, designed for biking and walking. Here, the peoples’ motions supply kinetic energy, while the photovoltaic glass making it up supplies solar energy, both renewable power sources supplying power to the elevators of the bridge, the waste separator machine, and even the biofuel generator. Finally, there’s the light projector which shines every night the images, stories and names of those who are martyrs and activists relating to discrimination (either based on race, culture, color, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, etc) and social injustice, spreading awareness and putting these issues in an important light.

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