蘑菇传媒

When Chana Rhodes, a fifth-year architecture major, got her assignment to design a community center on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, she set out to create an inviting place for people to gather.

Then, she took the assignment to the next level, designing a welcoming space for animals and insects, too. These outside-the-box ideas earned her the 2024 Common Bond Scholarship from the American Institute of Architects Center for Architecture.

鈥淚 designed the roof to make the most of the building, to make it friendly for animals鈥攂irds, butterflies, and bees specifically,鈥� Rhodes says. 鈥淭hey need a habitat where they can make a stop while they鈥檙e migrating, so I added flowers and greenery specific for certain species that would come that way. I bought some butterflies to observe what else they would need in their habitat and, as a result, I added some mesh to my design so the butterflies could hang onto it.鈥�

Of course, the community center was primarily meant for humans, so Rhodes considered what would be important for people to have in that space. A lobby, classrooms, bathrooms鈥攁ll the expected features鈥攂ut Rhodes wanted her design to be more sustainable and environmentally friendly than the architecture of the past.

鈥淲hen I got the assignment, I thought, 鈥榃ait, another building in the city? We have enough.鈥� So, I thought about how I could make a building that didn鈥檛 look like a building,鈥� Rhodes says. For example, she designed a basement so the building would have plenty of square footage but could be shorter and less intrusive. She also brainstormed sustainable features with humans in mind鈥攆or example, keeping people cool during the summer months.

鈥淎ir-conditioned (AC) spaces can be harmful for everybody, so I designed a passive ventilation system,鈥� explains Rhodes, who is currently an architecture intern at the engineering firm STV Inc. 鈥淚 designed the building in a way that needs less AC and uses less energy. It鈥檚 more eco-friendly.鈥�

Now in her fifth year, she鈥檚 beginning her thesis project, focusing on coastal architectural designs. Rhodes, who received the 2024 H2M Edward J. Fulford Scholarship Award at the 16th Annual Alumni and FRIENDS Reception, says she wants to make spaces that welcome everyone in all parts of the local community.

鈥淚 want to make sure everyone is heard and finds a space for themselves,鈥� Rhodes says. 鈥淚 am Orthodox Jewish, so I come from a minority part of the community. At the forefront of my design lens, I鈥檓 always thinking about what type of people and animals would be inhabiting these spaces, so I can build with intentional design. My focus is on how I can take care of the creatures that are living in these places while implementing architecture.鈥�

鈥淐hana is committed to making a difference in the world,鈥� says , teaching assistant professor and chair of architecture. 鈥淪he is a student with very strong work ethics, and her work is evidence of how much care is invested.鈥�

鈥淚 came to architecture with a curious, open mind. What can I build to help people? For example, the Belt Parkway is always congested, and I always think, 鈥業 could get to school 30 minutes earlier if they designed this differently,鈥欌�� Rhodes says. 鈥淢y classes gave me space to explore what I was interested in鈥攅cology, animals, plants, and people. I came to architecture because I wanted to help people.鈥�

By Ashley Festa