Hybrid Infrastructures Re:Positioning The Anacostia

Abstract

This thesis is an investigation of the civic potential of infrastructure. As cities continue to grow architects must address infrastructure as a powerful agent to shape cities and enhance urban environments. By engaging larger scales than are typically the scope of an architectural intervention architects can more effectively serve communities of ever increasing complexity. The site for the proposed intervention is the Anacostia River in Washington, DC, a river which has served as an infrastructural armature in the city for centuries. A new waste to energy processing facility sponsors a local food hub and scalable agricultural network with the goal of repositioning the river within the context of the Nation's Capital.