As humanity continues to expand, we have occupied over 6.24% of the Earth’s total surface, even though only 9.6% is truly habitable. That means 65% of livable land is already developed—leaving just 3.36% untouched. In consuming so much of what little Earth can offer, we’ve erased ecosystems, forests, and biodiversity. This thesis is an experimental proposition—a new way of thinking about how architecture can evolve to diminish our physical footprint on the land by reimagining both the form and geometry of how we build.
It proposes a suspended, porous superstructure that elevates human civilization above the ground, making way for a continuous international park below. Inspired by the microscopic strength of graphene and carbyne, the system uses a voronoi-based geometry to distribute density in the air through a lightweight, resilient lattice. The structure rises above dense urban cores and lowers over suburban landscapes, responding to existing conditions while minimizing ground impact.
The story this thesis tells is one of reversal: by lifting our footprint, we restore the planet’s surface—opening space for biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, and ecological stewardship. This is not architecture as domination, but as symbiosis—a continuous, evolving system that lets the Earth breathe, and redefines how we coexist with the land.