Eco-Farm

Fall 2024 - Yuan Liao

Located within Chicago’s urban landscape, this project envisions a community-based eco-farm that weaves together architecture, agriculture, and adaptive design.

Drawing inspiration from kirigami, the art of cutting and folding, the design introduces flexible structures that shelter greenhouses, open-air markets, and educational spaces.

These responsive forms expand, contract, and filter light according to weather and season, creating a balance between protection and openness. Air, sunlight, and shadow continuously transform the spatial experience, making the farm feel alive and ever-changing.

More than a site for food production, it becomes a living system where architecture and ecology work together to sustain community life. Through modular and foldable design, the project reimagines how urban architecture can adapt, respond, and grow with its environment.