LifeLink

The primary focus of this research is to investigate the historical evolution of urban planning in California and its current urban landscape. With the increasing development of highways and the convenience for car owners, the city has become more dangerous and inconvenient for bikers and pedestrians. People constantly take long detours and risk their safety during a walk or a bike ride, and the increasing pollution consistently harms people’s respiratory health.

The aim of this project is to propose an alternative transit reality for Californians, envisioning a significant impact not only on urban planning but also on their lifestyles through a 15-minute city plan. Guided by four principles: Ecology, Proximity, Solidarity, and Participation, the goal is to create a green and sustainable city. This plan advocates living with reduced distances to other activities, creating links between people, and actively involving citizens in the transformation of their neighborhoods.

The goal is to utilize space above busy transits to create a gathering community in a bridge form that functions as a stitch between two separated parts of a city. This gathering community, filled with different programs currently missing in the neighborhood, will help the community reach the 15-minute city goal. This transformation aims to change California’s car-centric cities into places that prioritize pedestrians and cyclists. This change could not only reduce pedestrian accidents but also address the long-standing issue of air pollution caused by vehicles, which affects respiratory health.