Resilience Commons: a Reconfigurable Wildfire Recovery and Community Rebuilding Center

Hey there! My name is Tejas, and I am a freshman at Cox Mill High School in Concord, North Carolina. I have always been passionate about engineering, architecture, CAD design, and 3D printing, and I enjoy using those skills to solve real-world problems through competitions like this one.

The idea for this project began after I started researching the growing impact of wildfires on communities across the United States, particularly in places like California where entire neighborhoods can be affected by a single disaster. While many recovery efforts focus on rebuilding homes, I became interested in a different question: where do people go immediately after a disaster, and how can architecture help communities recover?

That question led to the creation of Resilience Commons, a wildfire recovery and community resilience center designed to support people during both emergency response and long-term recovery. The project combines emergency shelter, clean-air refuge spaces, wellness and counseling services, workforce training, medical support, and community gathering areas into one adaptable facility. A key part of the design is the Adaptive Recovery Hall, which can transform between normal community use, emergency shelter operations, and recovery training programs through the use of movable partition walls.

Over the past several months, I have spent countless hours researching wildfire resilience, trauma-informed design, biophilic architecture, environmental systems, and community recovery strategies. Using Autodesk Revit, Fusion 360, and 3D printing, I developed a complete architectural model that includes renewable energy systems, stormwater management strategies, air purification systems, adaptable spaces, and a detailed physical prototype.

Overall, this project has taken approximately five months to design, model, refine, and prototype. It challenged me to think not only as an engineer, but also as a designer focused on helping people. I am excited to share Resilience Commons with you and demonstrate how architecture can play a meaningful role in helping communities recover, rebuild, and become more resilient for the future.

Software

1. Autodesk Revit
2. Autodesk Fusion 360
3. Bambu Studio
4. Tinkercad

Tools

1. Bambu Lab P1S 3D Printer
2. Prusa MK3S+ 3D Printer
3. Hobby Knife / X-Acto Knife
4. Metal Ruler
5. Tweezers
6. Sandpaper
7. Safety Glasses
8. Disposable Gloves

Materials

1. PLA Filament
2. Super Glue
3. Foam Board
4. Artificial Grass
5. Model Trees
6. Decorative Gravel / Rocks
7. Model Shrubs / Landscape Materials

Wildfires are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change. Rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and changing weather patterns create conditions that allow fires to spread faster and burn more intensely. As a result, communities across the United States face increasing risks from wildfire-related disasters.

The impacts of wildfires extend far beyond the fire itself. Homes can be destroyed, forcing families to evacuate and rebuild their lives. Schools may close or relocate, disrupting education. Businesses often suffer property damage and economic losses, while critical infrastructure such as power, water, and communication systems can be damaged.

Wildfires also affect the social fabric of communities. Families and neighbors may be displaced, community gathering spaces can be lost, and support networks are often disrupted. In addition, many residents experience stress, anxiety, and other mental health challenges during and after a disaster.

According to wildfire risk studies, over 100 million Americans live in areas vulnerable to wildfire, and millions of acres burn each year. Recovery can take years, highlighting the need for facilities that support both immediate emergency response and long-term community recovery.

The 2025 California wildfires demonstrated how devastating modern wildfires can be for entire communities. One of the most destructive events was the Eaton Fire, which severely impacted Altadena and Pasadena.

Fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds, the fire rapidly spread through residential neighborhoods, forcing mass evacuations and destroying thousands of structures. More than 100,000 residents received evacuation notices, and over 7,000 structures were reported damaged or destroyed during the disaster.

The wildfire caused:

1. Large-scale evacuations
2. Destruction of homes and businesses
3. School and infrastructure disruptions
4. Long-term rebuilding challenges
5. Significant emotional and economic losses

For many residents, recovery will take years due to insurance issues, rebuilding costs, labor shortages, and the loss of community resources. The Eaton Fire demonstrates why communities need facilities that can support both emergency response and long-term recovery.

Wildfires do not only destroy buildings, they also affect the people who live in them. Many survivors experience trauma, anxiety, grief, and uncertainty after losing their homes and neighborhoods.

Families may be displaced for months or years, forcing them to leave schools, jobs, and support networks. Community landmarks and gathering places can also disappear, leading to a loss of community identity and increased social isolation.

Research has shown that natural disasters can increase the risk of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. However, strong support systems, community gathering spaces, and access to recovery services can improve resilience and help communities recover more effectively.

Rebuilding is therefore about more than replacing houses, it is about restoring connections, supporting mental health, and helping communities heal together.

After studying the impacts of the Eaton Fire and the recovery needs of affected communities, the concept of Resilience Commons began to take shape.

Most disaster-response facilities are created for one main purpose. Emergency shelters provide temporary housing. Hospitals provide medical care. Community centers provide gathering space. However, wildfire recovery requires all of these functions to work together because the effects of a disaster do not happen separately.

Resilience Commons is not meant to be only a shelter. It is not meant to be only a medical support space. It is not meant to be only a community center. Instead, the goal is to create a recovery-focused facility that combines these roles into one adaptable place.

From the research, it became clear that a successful recovery facility would need to support several stages of disaster response and rebuilding, including:

1. emergency shelter during evacuations
2. clean-air refuge during smoke events
3. mental health counseling and wellness support
4. food and resource distribution
5. workforce training and rebuilding programs
6. childcare and family support services
7. flexible community gathering spaces

This project is based on the idea of Recovery Architecture: architecture that helps communities recover after disaster. Rather than focusing only on survival, Recovery Architecture focuses on safety, healing, connection, and long-term rebuilding.

This concept became the foundation for the project. Before drawing the final building, the main question became: How can one facility support emergency response, emotional recovery, and community rebuilding at the same time?

Recovery after a wildfire is not only physical. It is also emotional and psychological. After a disaster, many people experience stress, grief, anxiety, uncertainty, and loss of control. Because of this, the future design needed to consider how architecture can affect the way people feel inside a space.

Research into trauma-informed design helped identify several principles that should guide the project. These principles focus on making spaces feel safe, clear, calm, and supportive.

Psychological Safety

People recovering from trauma often need environments that feel predictable and secure. A recovery facility should avoid confusing layouts and intimidating spaces. Entrances should feel welcoming, staff areas should be easy to identify, and public spaces should feel open without feeling exposed.

Visibility

Visibility helps people feel more in control of their surroundings. Open sightlines, clear pathways, and visual connections between spaces can reduce stress because users can understand where they are and where they need to go.

Intuitive Circulation

During emergencies, people should not have to struggle to navigate a building. The future layout should use simple circulation paths, clear wayfinding, and recognizable landmarks so residents can move through the facility with less confusion.

Privacy

Although community connection is important, recovery also requires quiet and private spaces. Counseling rooms, reflection areas, and smaller retreat spaces should be included so individuals and families can process trauma away from louder public zones.

Daylight and Nature

Natural light and views of nature can help reduce stress and support emotional well-being. For this reason, the future design should explore ways to bring daylight into major gathering spaces and connect interior rooms to outdoor landscapes.

These trauma-informed principles became important design criteria for the next stages of the project.

Research also showed that nature can play an important role in healing. Natural light, vegetation, outdoor views, and access to landscape can help reduce stress, improve mood, and create opportunities for reflection and social connection.

This led to the use of biophilic design as another guiding principle for the project. Biophilic design focuses on strengthening the connection between people and the natural environment.

Several biophilic strategies became important to explore:

Daylight

The project should use natural light wherever possible, especially in spaces where people gather, rest, learn, or receive support. Daylight can make recovery spaces feel more open, comfortable, and hopeful. It can also help reduce the feeling of being inside an emergency facility and instead make the building feel more like a safe and supportive community space.

Vegetation

Planting areas should not be treated only as decoration. Native and drought-tolerant vegetation can support local ecology, reduce maintenance needs, and create a calmer environment for residents. These types of plants are also more appropriate for a wildfire-prone region because they can be selected to work with defensible space strategies while still making the site feel natural and welcoming.

Healing Gardens

Outdoor garden spaces can provide areas for quiet reflection, counseling, informal conversation, and community gathering. These spaces are especially important after a disaster because they give people a place to reconnect with others in a less stressful setting. A healing garden can support both individual recovery and community rebuilding by giving residents a peaceful outdoor space where they can pause, talk, and regain a sense of stability.

After identifying the emotional, environmental, and social needs of wildfire recovery, the next step was to develop a building program. The goal was to determine what spaces would be most useful to the community while keeping the overall footprint realistic.

Because land, funding, and construction resources may be limited after disasters, the facility should avoid unnecessary single-purpose rooms. Instead, the program should rely on flexible spaces that can serve multiple functions over time.

A major requirement that came from this research was the need for a large adaptable space. This became the idea behind the Recovery Hall. Rather than being used for only one activity, the Recovery Hall could support different needs during different phases of recovery.

During an emergency, it could function as a temporary shelter, food distribution space, or volunteer coordination area. During long-term recovery, it could support community meetings, job training, childcare activities, and public events.

The program was developed by matching common post-disaster needs with possible building spaces:

Shelter - Recovery Hall

Emergency Response - Emergency Aid, Recovery Hall

Trauma recovery - Counseling Center

Job Training - Makerspace

Community Meeting - Recovery Hall

This program strategy allows one facility to support many recovery needs without requiring a large number of separate buildings. It also makes the project more adaptable because community needs change over time.

With the project purpose and program needs established, the next step was choosing a location where a recovery facility could have the greatest impact. Since the project was inspired by the Eaton Fire, three wildfire-prone foothill communities in Los Angeles County were compared.

Site A: La Cañada Flintridge

La Cañada Flintridge is located near the San Gabriel Mountains and faces elevated wildfire risk. It also has strong transportation access and a clear relationship to surrounding foothill terrain. However, compared to Altadena, it has a smaller population and was not as severely impacted by the Eaton Fire. Because of this, the potential community impact of a major recovery hub would be more limited.

Site B: Sierra Madre

Sierra Madre also has a long history of wildfire exposure because of its location near the foothills. The community would benefit from additional resilience infrastructure, especially because of its proximity to fire-prone landscapes. However, it serves a smaller regional population and would have a more limited recovery reach.

Site C: Altadena

Altadena was selected as the strongest location for the project because it experienced severe impacts from the Eaton Fire and is directly connected to the wildfire-prone foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. It also serves a larger residential population and has a stronger need for recovery support.

Altadena provides the strongest justification for Resilience Commons because it combines wildfire exposure, recent disaster impact, a large affected population, and a clear need for long-term recovery services.

Choosing Altadena allows the project to respond to a real disaster context rather than an abstract site. This makes the next stage of design more grounded because the building can be shaped by actual environmental and community conditions.

After selecting Altadena as the project location, a site-specific analysis was conducted to identify environmental and operational challenges that would need to influence the design. The analysis focused on conditions connected to the San Gabriel foothills, the Eaton Fire, and the recovery needs of communities in wildfire-prone areas.

Altadena is located within the Wildland-Urban Interface, where residential neighborhoods meet fire-prone vegetation. During major wildfires, buildings are not threatened only by direct flames. Wind-driven embers, radiant heat, and nearby combustible materials can also cause structure ignition.

Design Concern

The future building would need to address:

1. wind-driven ember intrusion
2. radiant heat exposure
3. ignition of exterior materials
4. fire spread between vegetation and structures

Design Requirement

The design should explore non-combustible exterior materials, metal roofing, ember-resistant vents, fire-resistant glazing, and defensible landscape zones around the building.

The Eaton Fire was intensified by strong Santa Ana winds, which can push flames rapidly through foothill communities. These winds can also carry embers long distances.

Design Concern

The future site layout would need to consider:

1. wind-driven ember transport

Design Requirement

The design should study building orientation, protected outdoor zones to reduce the possibility of the spread of fire.

Wildfire smoke can remain a serious hazard even when flames are not directly threatening a site. Fine particles in smoke can affect indoor and outdoor air quality, especially for children, older adults, and people with respiratory conditions.

Design Concern

The future facility would need to address:

1. hazardous air quality
2. reduced usability of outdoor spaces
3. health risks during prolonged smoke events

Design Requirement

The project should include a clean-air refuge strategy, such as an Air Purification Center, high-efficiency filtration, and protected indoor spaces that can remain usable during smoke events. This led to the development of a space dedicated towards air purification, in order to ensure full safety in the case of a fire.

Altadena experiences strong sun exposure and hot, dry conditions, especially during summer. Southern and western building faces can receive intense afternoon sun, which can increase heat gain and reduce comfort.

Design Concern

The future building would need to address:

1. overheating of interior spaces
2. increased cooling demand
3. uncomfortable outdoor gathering areas

Design Requirement

The design should investigate shading devices, roof overhangs, clerestory windows, shaded walkways, and tree canopy placement to balance daylight with heat protection.

During wildfire evacuations and recovery operations, a community recovery facility must be easy to access for residents, emergency responders, supply vehicles, and vulnerable populations.

Design Concern

The future site plan would need to consider:

1. emergency vehicle access
2. evacuation circulation
3. service and supply delivery
4. accessibility for all users

Design Requirement

The site plan should include clear circulation routes, multiple entry points, ADA-compliant pathways, and a separated service or emergency access zone.

Version 1: Linear Layout

Version 1 placed the Recovery Hall in the center with wings on both sides. While simple, it felt too linear, too boxy, and too much like a basic institutional building. It also lacked a courtyard, which meant there was no strong outdoor healing space.

Version 2: Courtyard Layout

Version 2 fixed the boxy layout by adding a central courtyard and connecting the wings around it. This made the building feel more like a campus. However, the courtyard was too open and exposed for a wildfire-prone site, and the roof forms were too flat, making the design feel less dynamic.

Version 3: Refined Recovery Campus

Version 3 combines the strengths of the first two versions while fixing their weaknesses. It keeps the courtyard but makes it more protected and intentional. The layout is less rigid, the wings connect more clearly, and the varied roof forms make the design more architectural. This version became the strongest option because it better supports healing, circulation, wildfire resilience, and long-term community use.

The most important space in the project is the Adaptive Recovery Hall, so I placed it near the center of the design.

This hall acts as the recovery core of the entire campus. It is the most public, flexible, and active space in the project. Because of that, it needed to be easy to find, easy to enter, and easy to connect to the other program areas.

The Recovery Hall is designed as a large open space with a tall roof, a large glass wall, and a flexible interior. Its purpose changes depending on what stage of recovery the community is in. The image above shows 2 different configurations of the recovery hall. However it can still become:

1. temporary sleeping areas
2. supply distribution
3. food and water access
4. emergency coordination

During short-term recovery, it can become:

1. a community dining area
2. a town hall meeting space
3. a family support area
4. a classroom
5. a volunteer coordination zone
6. a counseling or group support space

During long-term recovery, it can support:

1. workforce training
2. rebuilding workshops
3. indoor markets
4. community events
5. disaster preparedness education
6. public meetings

Because the hall has so many possible uses, it becomes the heart of the project. All of the supporting wings connect back to it. The emergency response wing can use it as overflow space. The kitchen can use it for food distribution. The counseling wing can use it for group sessions. The makerspace can use it for training events or demonstrations. The courtyard can open into it for indoor-outdoor gatherings.

The Recovery Hall also becomes the main visual symbol of the project. In the design, it is taller than the surrounding wings and has the most glass. This makes it feel open, welcoming, and civic. The height also helps people understand that this is the main public space of the campus. When the pods are stored, the hall remains open for large gatherings. This allows the same space to transform without destroying the sense of openness.

After organizing the campus around the Recovery Hall, I created a zoning strategy based on how public or private each space should feel.

Not every part of a recovery center should have the same level of activity. Some spaces need to be open, loud, and flexible. Others need to be quiet, calm, and private. If these spaces are placed randomly, the building can feel confusing and stressful. So I organized the project using a public-to-private transition.

The most public spaces are placed closest to the main entry and the Recovery Hall. The quieter and more private spaces are placed farther away or buffered by walls, courtyards, and smaller rooms.

The zoning order is:

1. Recovery Hall - most public
2. Primary care and living areas - public support spaces
3. Classrooms and makerspace - semi-public learning and rebuilding spaces
4. Counseling and wellness rooms - quiet/private recovery spaces

This organization creates a natural progression through the project.

The Recovery Hall is the most public zone because it is used for shelter, town halls, food distribution, events, and community meetings. It needs to be highly visible and easy to access.

Next are the Primary care and living areas. These spaces are still public, but they support more specific needs such as meals, supplies, information, and family assistance.

After that are the classrooms and makerspace. These spaces are semi-public because they support training, fabrication, and rebuilding work. They are active and collaborative, but they do not need to be as open as the main hall.

The most private spaces are the Counseling and wellness rooms. These rooms need more acoustic control, softer materials, smaller scale, and a calmer atmosphere. They should be protected from the noise of the hall and makerspace. This is why they are placed in a separate wing with smaller rooms, private doors, and quieter interior finishes.

This public-to-private strategy also helps people navigate the building. Someone arriving for emergency help can go directly to the Recovery Hall or resource areas. Someone seeking counseling can move toward the quieter wellness wing. Someone attending a rebuilding workshop can go toward the classroom or makerspace zone.

To make the Recovery Hall truly adaptable, I needed a partition wall system that could be moved easily but also locked securely in place once positioned. I began brainstorming this mechanism in Tinkercad by testing different ways the wall panels could move, connect, and stabilize.

My first idea was a ceiling-mounted rail system, similar to movable walls used in conference rooms. However, this did not work well for my project because the Recovery Hall is open vertically up to the roof structure, with no flat ceiling plane for continuous tracks. A ceiling rail would also interfere with the open, civic feeling of the hall. Because of this, I shifted my focus to a system that could move on the floor instead.

The final concept uses hinged partition panels with wheels at the base for transportation and spring-loaded locking pins for stabilization. The wheels allow the wall units to be rolled into position, while the locking pins drop into a floor-mounted rail or anchor track to secure the panels once they are in place.

In the image above, two partition wall panels are connected with hinges so they can fold or angle relative to each other. At the bottom of the panels, the wheels allow movement, while the locking pins act as the stabilizing system. Instead of locking only into a fixed grid, the pins connect to a slotted rail system on the wall. This allows the walls to be secured at multiple angles. This system is seen for the image on the bottom.

For example, if the space needs to be divided at a 30-degree angle, the wall can be rolled into position and the spring-loaded pins can lock into two nearby points along the floor using the rail. This makes the system more flexible than a basic straight partition wall because it allows angled layouts, temporary rooms, privacy zones, shelter bays, or training areas to be created depending on the recovery need.

This mechanism supports the main goal of the Adaptive Recovery Hall: one large space that can quickly transform for emergency shelter, medical triage, town hall meetings, training, or normal community use.

Before I could begin designing the project, I first needed to install Autodesk Revit and set up my workspace. Revit is a professional Building Information Modeling (BIM) software used by architects, engineers, and construction professionals to create detailed building models.

I started by creating an Autodesk Education account and downloading the educational version of Revit. After installation, I launched the software and created a new architectural project using the default architectural template. This template provided the basic levels, views, and settings needed to begin modeling.

Once the software was installed, I spent time becoming familiar with the interface, including the ribbon tools, Project Browser, Properties panel, and 3D navigation controls. I also adjusted display settings and organized my project files so that future models, renderings, and drawings could be stored in one location.

The setup process included:

1. Creating an Autodesk Education account
2. Downloading and installing Autodesk Revit
3. Creating a new architectural project
4. Learning the basic interface
5. Setting up project folders and file organization
6. Exploring floor plans, elevations, sections, and 3D views

Completing this setup provided the foundation for the rest of the project and allowed me to begin transforming research and design ideas into a fully modeled architectural proposal.

The first step was creating the main building levels in an elevation view. These levels controlled the height of the floors, walls, and roofs, so setting them up early helped keep the model organized.

I adjusted the level heights to match the project: L1 at 0', L2 at 14', L3 at 18', and L4 at 28'. These different heights helped create taller spaces like the Recovery Hall while keeping the rest of the building lower. L1 - Main Floor, L2 - Low Roof, L3 - Middle Roof, L4 - Atrium Roof Eave.

After setting the levels, I created gridlines to guide the building layout. The grid helped me line up the walls, courtyard, and major building wings more accurately.

Once the grid was complete, I used it as the base for the floor plan. This made it easier to keep the project organized while drawing the different wings around the central courtyard.

Start by selecting the floor boundary tool in the architecture tab. First, start at point H-1 and follow the dimensions shown in the image above. From that point, draw 39' - 0" down, then draw 21' - 3" to the left. Return to the top starting area and draw 82' - 0" to the left, then create the two angled lines using the measurements shown in the image.

Next, continue the shape by drawing 29' - 0" down, then draw 19' - 0" to the right. Finally, select the Start-End-Radius Arc tool, which is the first tool on the second row of drawing tools. Select the two endpoints of the curve and set the radius to 85' - 6". Once the boundary is fully connected, click the green checkmark to finish the shape.

Begin at the top-left corner of the shape shown in the image. From there, draw a line 48' - 0" to the right.

Next, draw a short vertical line 11' - 6" down. From that point, use the curved edge shown in the image to create the rounded side. Use the Start-End-Radius Arc tool and connect the two arc endpoints. Set the arc so it bows outward to the right, matching the curve shown, with the middle dimension reading about 17' - 7".

After the arc is placed, continue drawing the right vertical edge 20' - 0" down. Then draw the bottom line 36' - 2" to the left.

On the lower-left side, create the small notch by drawing 12' - 3" up, then 8' - 0" to the left. After that, continue the left exterior wall 47' - 8" up until it reaches the original top-left starting point.

Once all the boundary lines connect into one closed shape, click the green checkmark to finish the floor boundary.

Begin at the top-left corner of the rectangular shape shown in the image. From there, draw a line 60' - 0" to the right.

Next, draw a short vertical line 2' - 0" down. Then draw a short horizontal line 2' - 6" to the left to create the small step-in notch on the right side.

From that point, draw a vertical line 20' - 0" down. After that, use the Start-End-Radius Arc tool to create the small curved notch shown on the right side. Select the two arc endpoints and set the radius to 2' - 6".

Once the curve is made, continue drawing the right side vertical line 17' - 6" down. Then draw the bottom line 60' - 0" to the left.

Finally, draw the left side vertical line 60' - 0" up until it connects back to the starting point.

First, start at the top-left corner of the shape and follow the dimensions shown in the image above. Draw 125' - 11" to the right, then draw 30' - 8" down on the right side.

Next, draw 41' - 6" to the left along the bottom edge until you reach the start of the stepped center area. From there, create the right side of the center notch by going 5' - 0" down, then follow the short horizontal step shown in the image. After that, go 6' - 0" down to reach the lower part of the center entrance bump.

Then draw 19' - 0" to the left across the bottom of the center bump. From there, go back up to form the left side of the notch, then draw the 9' - 6" horizontal segment shown in the image. Continue left with the remaining bottom edge dimension of 51' - 8".

Finally, draw 30' - 8" up on the left side to connect back to the starting point.

First, start at the inside corner near Grid 5 and follow the dimensions shown in the image above. Draw 2' - 11" diagonally up and to the right to begin the curved/angled transition.

Next, continue upward along the left vertical edge for 19' - 6" until you reach the top horizontal line. From there, draw 13' - 4" to the right along the top edge.

Then create the curved outside corner by using the Start-End-Radius Arc tool. Select the two endpoints of the curve and set the radius to 13' - 4", matching the curved green boundary shown in the image.

After the curve is made, draw the right vertical edge 26' - 4" down. Then draw 16' - 0" to the left along the bottom edge until you reach Grid 6.

Finally, draw 18' - 0" up to connect back toward the original inside corner.

First go to Massing and Site tab and select Toposolid. next using the spline and divide tool as well as the circle tool, create the image shown in the top. This will act as the courtyard, having a very organic design.

Start by going to the Architecture tab and clicking on the wall tool, then after that click on the type of wall in the properties tab. go to edit type and duplicate it and rename it Fire Resistant Concrete Wall. After that edit the structure and copy the layout shown in the image above. This will serve as the wall we use for the exterior of the community center.

Next using the wall tool and the Fire resistant concrete wall, use the highlight wall tool to project the floor in order to make the walls of the first floor. When creating the walls, ensure the base constraint is Main floor and the top constraint is Low roof for all the walls other than the adaptive recovery center whose top constraint is Atrium Roof Eave.

On top of the Concrete wall we will be using the curtain wall : Storefront. You can choose this by going to the properties of a wall and changing the type to curtain wall Storefront. Put curtain walls on the places as guided by the image above

First, go to the Architecture tab and select Component. From the drop-down menu, choose Model In-Place, then select Generic Models as the category. This will allow you to create a custom element directly within the project.

Once the modeling environment opens, use the Line tool to trace the shape shown in the sketch above. Carefully follow the outline, making sure each segment connects properly to create a closed boundary. Use the dimensions and reference lines shown in the image to match the shape as accurately as possible.

After the sketch is complete, click Finish Edit Mode (green checkmark) to create the solid form. After clicking it ensure the depth is 2' - 0".

Using the same tools and techniques as before, create the Level 2 floor plan for the left wing and north wing of the building. Begin by tracing the outline shown in the floor plan, using the dimensions and reference geometry provided in the image. As you draw, make sure the walls align with the Level 1 layout where appropriate so the upper floor remains connected to the structure below.

First, use the Wall tool to create the perimeter walls shown in the floor plan. Before placing the walls, set the Top Constraint to Middle Roof in the Properties panel. Trace the outline of the space until the entire wall boundary is complete.

Next, locate the walls highlighted with a different color in the image. Select these walls and change their Top Constraint from Middle Roof to Atrium Roof Eave. This adjustment allows those walls to extend higher and connect properly to the atrium roof structure.

After the walls are finished, go to the Structure tab and select the Column tool. Choose the 24" x 24" column family and place two columns in the corners shown in the image. Once placed, set their Top Constraint to Atrium Roof Eave so they extend to the same height as the surrounding structural elements.

Finally, use the Wall tool again and change the wall type to Storefront Curtain Wall. Create parallel curtain walls in the locations shown, making sure they extend until they touch the adjacent walls. Set their Top Constraint to Middle Roof so they align correctly with the surrounding structure and help define the space.

First using the wall tool make sure the top constraint in atrium roof eave, then using the highlight walls tool, put concrete walls upon the same walls as the 1st floor except for the front where they are in front of the walls of L1. Next using the storefront curtain walls and a top constraint of atrium roof eave, make walls that are exactly 1' - 0" from the concrete walls. Follow the boundaries as shown in the image above.

dit the face of the Storefront Curtain Wall and use the Divide Surface tool along with the Line tool to recreate the pattern shown in the image above. Carefully sketch the divisions so the curtain wall matches the intended design and proportions. Once the pattern is complete, finish the edit and verify that the geometry appears correctly in both plan and 3D views.

Next, return to the Main Floor Floor Plan and locate the open area shown in the image. Use the Wall tool to create a new concrete wall that fills this gap and completes the building envelope. After placing the wall, insert a Door-Passage-Double-Flush 72" x 84" family into the center of the new wall to create the main entrance.

Repeat this same process for the rear entrance of the Recovery Center, the left wing entrance, and the north wing entrance. For each location, create the required wall surface, modify the curtain wall pattern where applicable, and place a Door-Passage-Double-Flush 72" x 84" door in the position shown.

Finally, move to the right wing and place an additional double-flush door in the open wall space indicated in the plan. Once all doors and wall modifications have been added, review the model in both plan and 3D views to ensure that the entrances are aligned correctly and provide consistent access throughout the building.

Switch to the 3D View so the wall geometry can be edited directly. Select the rear wall of the Left Wing and choose Edit Profile. Using the Line tool, create a sloped top edge that extends from the left side of the wall to the right side. Adjust the slope so it forms an angle of approximately 80 degrees, matching the profile shown in the image.

Once the first wall is complete, repeat the process for the next wall immediately to the right. Edit its profile and create a similar sloped top edge, this time using an angle of 75 degrees. Make sure the slope transitions smoothly from the previous wall so the roofline begins to step down gradually.

Finally, edit the profile of the third wall to the right and create another sloped top edge with an angle of 70 degrees. This creates a progressive change in height across the three wall sections and gives the building a more dynamic appearance.

After all three walls have been modified, finish the profile edits and review the model in 3D.

Go to the Architecture tab and select the Roof tool. In the Properties panel, set the Base Level to Atrium Roof Eave before beginning the roof sketch. Using the Pick Walls or Line tool, trace the roof footprint shown in the image above until the entire roof boundary is enclosed.

Once the footprint is complete, select all of the boundary lines and uncheck "Defines Slope". This will prevent Revit from automatically applying a roof pitch to every edge. Next, locate the roof edges marked with the small triangular slope indicators in the image. These are the only edges that should control the roof pitch.

For each of these designated edges, select the boundary line and enable "Defines Slope." Enter the exact slope values shown in the image above so the roof matches the intended design. Leave all remaining edges with Defines Slope disabled. This will allow the roof to slope only in the specified directions and create the same roof form shown in the reference image.

Do the same thing as the previous roof, but this time create the roof for the Left Wing. Select the Roof tool from the Architecture tab and set the appropriate base level before beginning the sketch. Follow the footprint shown in the image above, tracing the entire roof boundary until the shape is fully enclosed. Finally copy the same angles in the photo and ensure the right lines define the angle.

Do the same thing as the previous roof, but this time create the roof for the Right Wing. Select the Roof tool from the Architecture tab and set the base level as low roof before beginning the sketch. Follow the footprint shown in the image above, tracing the entire roof boundary until the shape is fully enclosed. the footprint is not just 1 roof, for the right wing there are a total of 3 roof geometries, dividing the right wing into 3 different places.

Do the same thing as the previous roof, but this time create the roof for the North Wing. Select the Roof tool from the Architecture tab and set the appropriate base level before beginning the sketch. Follow the footprint shown in the image above, tracing the entire roof boundary until the shape is fully enclosed. Finally copy the same angles in the photo and ensure the right lines define the angle. For the roof on the left side of the north wing, ensure the base level is at Atrium roof eave and follow the footprint and angles.

Go to the Architecture tab and select the Wall tool. From the wall type selector, choose an interior wall that is approximately 5 inches thick. In the Type Properties menu, duplicate the wall type and rename it Interior Acoustic Walls. This new wall type will be used for spaces that require additional privacy and sound separation, such as counseling rooms, wellness areas, and support spaces.

Once the new wall type has been created, return to the Main Floor Floor Plan and use the room layout shown in the image above as a guide. Begin placing the Interior Acoustic Walls to divide the larger floor plan into the individual spaces shown in the diagram. Follow the room arrangement carefully, making sure corridors, entrances, and circulation paths remain clear.

After the wall layout is complete, go to the Architecture tab and select the Room tool. Place room tags within each enclosed space and assign them to their corresponding functions. Separate the building into the major program areas shown in the plan, including the Adaptive Recovery Hall, Makerspace, Wellness Spaces, Care and Living Areas, Storage Rooms, and any additional support spaces. Once all rooms have been placed, review the floor plan to ensure every enclosed area is properly defined and labeled.

One problem I noticed was that the courtyard could accidentally become a wind tunnel. I was so focused on making the campus impervious to flames that I failed to take into account the various affects that would have to the campus. Because the buildings are arranged around an open central space, strong winds could move quickly between the building wings and through the courtyard. During normal use, this would make the outdoor space uncomfortable. During a wildfire, it could also push smoke, ash, and embers through the center of the project.

To fix this, I refined the courtyard design by adding wind-breaking landscape and circulation elements. Instead of leaving the courtyard completely open, I added angled planting zones, low seat walls, shaded pathways, and tree clusters that interrupt direct wind movement.

These elements are placed so that wind is slowed down and redirected instead of rushing straight through the space. This is shown with the images above, the red lines indicate the wind tunnel that is formed and the green indicates what happens with this new change.

Another issue I studied was stormwater runoff after a wildfire. When a fire burns through an area, vegetation is removed and the soil can become less absorbent. This means that after rain, water can move much faster across the site, carrying ash, mud, debris, and pollutants toward the building. If this is not controlled, it could cause flooding, erosion, and dirty runoff entering the recovery center.

To solve this, I refined the site with a stormwater management system. I added bioswales, sloped walkways, permeable paving, and planted these areas around the courtyard and edges of the building. These features collect and slow down rainwater before it reaches the main circulation areas. The bioswales also help filter ash and sediment from the water, while the permeable surfaces allow some water to soak into the ground instead of flowing across the site.

The result is a site that can respond better after a fire. Instead of stormwater becoming another disaster problem, the landscape helps control it. The design protects the buildings, keeps major pathways safer, reduces erosion, and supports the recovery center’s role as a resilient community hub.

I integrated a carbon-based filtration system into the rainwater harvesting setup combined with a UV filtering system in the main tank. This system filters out bacteria, sediment, and chemical contaminants, making the collected water significantly safer for all uses. Additionally, because I placed the storage barrels underground, mosquito breeding band algae growth will not happen. This solution ensures that the rainwater remains clean, safe, and usable.

Every year, homes waste a huge amount of water, often thousands of gallons, on things that don’t actually need clean, drinkable water. This leads to unnecessary costs and puts extra stress on the environment. For example, why do we flush toilets with clean water when we could reuse water from washing our hands or doing laundry?

That’s why I designed my own custom greywater system to help reduce waste and make homes more efficient. Before explaining how it works, it’s important to know what greywater is. Greywater is used water from sinks, showers, and washing machines, basically, water that’s not too dirty. Water from toilets or kitchen sinks is not greywater and can’t be reused because it might carry harmful bacteria or grease. My system includes two filters and one main storage tank. The first filter removes larger particles using a carbon based filter, and the second filter uses a natural, biological process to clean the water further. At the very beginning of the system, a sensor checks whether the water is safe to reuse. If it’s not greywater, it automatically gets sent to the sewer. But if it is, it’s cleaned and saved for later use, like flushing toilets or watering plants. I used Tinkercad to model this part because it was the easiest way to understand and modify the things I did not like.

This simple system can help save water, lower bills, and make a big difference in how we use resources at home.

A wildfire recovery center cannot depend only on the normal electrical grid because disasters can damage power lines, cause outages, and interrupt emergency services. Because of this, I added an energy resilience system to help Resilience Commons continue operating during wildfire recovery and power-loss conditions.

The energy system includes solar panels, battery storage, backup power, microgrid capability, and critical emergency circuits. Together, these systems allow the building to support the most important recovery functions even if the surrounding power grid becomes unreliable.

The solar panels are placed on the roof to collect energy during the day. This renewable energy can help reduce the building’s normal electricity use while also supporting emergency operations. During a wildfire recovery event, the solar panels can continue producing power as long as sunlight is available.

The battery storage system stores extra energy from the solar panels and provides backup electricity when the grid goes down. Instead of powering every part of the building equally, the battery system prioritizes the most important spaces. This makes the backup power more realistic and useful during an emergency.

The most important protected circuits are connected to:

1. Clean-air refuge and pure-air generator
2. Emergency lighting
3. Medical support areas
4. Communications and charging stations
5. Refrigeration for food, water, and medical supplies
6. Basic ventilation and control systems

The clean-air refuge is the highest-priority circuit because smoke can remain dangerous even after the fire has moved away. The pure-air generator and filtration system need reliable power so the building can continue providing a safe indoor space during smoke events.

Emergency lighting is also critical because the building may be used at night or during low-visibility conditions caused by smoke. Backup lighting helps people move safely through the Recovery Hall, courtyard entrances, restrooms, medical rooms, and exit routes.

The system also supports communications, including phones, radios, Wi-Fi equipment, and charging stations. During a disaster, communication is essential for coordinating volunteers, contacting families, receiving emergency updates, and organizing recovery services.

A small microgrid strategy allows the recovery center to operate partially independently from the main power grid. In normal conditions, the building can use solar power and grid power together. During an outage, the system can isolate the critical circuits and keep only the most essential recovery functions running.

Because Resilience Commons is designed for a wildfire-prone area, the material strategy focuses on reducing ignition risk, blocking embers, protecting indoor air quality, and making the building durable enough for long-term recovery use. In a wildfire, buildings are often threatened by wind-driven embers, radiant heat, smoke, and nearby combustible materials. Because of this, I designed the project with fire-resistant exterior materials, protected openings, filtered air systems, and a non-combustible buffer around the building.

The outside of the building would use fire-resistant cladding instead of combustible siding. Materials such as fiber cement panels, metal panels, stucco, concrete, or masonry would help reduce the chance of the exterior catching fire from heat or embers.

These materials also make the building more durable and easier to maintain. Since Resilience Commons may be used heavily during and after a disaster, the exterior should be strong, simple, and able to withstand harsh conditions.

Even if the walls and roof are fire-resistant, embers can still enter through small openings such as vents. To reduce this risk, the building would use ember-resistant vents with fine metal mesh or baffle systems. These allow airflow while helping block burning embers from entering the building. I created this vent inside a revit family where it was placed on the ventilation system.

The project uses large glass areas to bring daylight into the building and make the Recovery Hall feel open and welcoming. However, glass can be vulnerable to heat during a wildfire. For that reason, important glass areas should use fire-rated or tempered glazing where possible.

This allows the building to keep its open appearance while improving safety during wildfire conditions.

To further reduce the chance of fire spreading directly to the building, I would add a 5-foot gravel zone around the entire building. This creates a non-combustible space between the walls and nearby vegetation.

Instead of mulch, grass, or plants touching the building, the gravel buffer keeps combustible material away from the exterior. This helps reduce the risk of embers igniting something near the wall and spreading fire to the structure.

Wildfire smoke can make the air dangerous even when flames are not directly next to the site. Because of this, the building includes an air filtration system that helps create a clean-air refuge during smoke events.

The system would pull in smoky or polluted air, filter it through high-efficiency filtration, and then supply cleaner air to the most important indoor spaces.

The filtered air would move through clear air pathways into the main recovery spaces. These pathways show how clean air travels from the purification system into areas like the Recovery Hall, medical support spaces, and other protected indoor zones.

After modeling the main building and site, I created a circulation diagram to study how people would move through the project during normal use and emergency recovery conditions. The goal was to make sure the building did not only look organized, but also functioned clearly for visitors, staff, volunteers, and evacuees.

In this diagram, I separated circulation into three levels:

Red arrows show high circulation areas. These are the busiest paths, including the main entry, the Adaptive Recovery Hall, and the central courtyard. These areas are expected to have the most movement because they connect people to emergency shelter, food distribution, town hall meetings, and recovery services.

Orange arrows show moderate circulation areas. These paths connect the main building zones, including the makerspace, wellness wing, care/living spaces, and outdoor walkways. These routes are important but not as crowded as the main public circulation.

Green arrows show low circulation areas. These are quieter landscape paths around the site. They provide slower movement, outdoor walking routes, and calmer access to planted areas without interfering with the main emergency functions of the building.

This circulation study helped me understand how the project works as a recovery campus. The central courtyard acts as the main connector between the different wings, while the Recovery Hall remains the most public and active space. The quieter wellness and landscape paths are placed away from the busiest movement areas so that people seeking counseling, reflection, or rest can have a calmer experience.

The main idea behind the Recovery Hall is that one large space should be able to change depending on what the community needs at the time. After a wildfire, the same building may need to serve many different purposes. During the first days of an emergency, it may need to function as a shelter or supply distribution space. Later, it may need to become a dining hall, classroom, town hall, or rebuilding workshop.

Because of this, I designed the Recovery Hall as an open, flexible space instead of dividing it into permanent rooms. The transformation is made possible through movable partition walls, flexible furniture, and open floor space. The walls can be rolled into position and locked into the floor, allowing the hall to be divided in different ways without changing the main structure of the building.

Normal Mode

In normal mode, the Recovery Hall works as a public community space. The room stays mostly open so people can gather for events, meetings, workshops, and daily community use. Furniture can be arranged for seating, presentations, group activities, or informal gathering.

This mode allows the building to serve the community even when there is no active disaster. It can support public meetings, education programs, job training, local markets, volunteer events, and preparedness workshops.

Shelter Mode

In shelter mode, the Recovery Hall transforms into a temporary sleeping and support area. Movable partitions can divide the hall into smaller zones for families, individuals, supplies, and staff coordination. Folding beds, cots, and storage units can be arranged quickly because the space is already open and easy to reconfigure.

This mode is important because wildfire evacuations can force families to leave their homes with very little warning. The Recovery Hall gives people a safe indoor place to rest, receive information, and stay connected to support services.

Medical and Support Mode

In medical and support mode, the Recovery Hall can be divided into areas for first aid, resource distribution, counseling check-ins, and volunteer coordination. The movable walls create temporary privacy zones while still keeping the hall organized and easy to navigate.

This mode allows the building to support both physical and emotional recovery. People can receive basic medical help, clean air, food, water, supplies, and guidance without needing to travel to several different locations.

Training and Rebuilding Mode

After the immediate emergency phase is over, the Recovery Hall can become a rebuilding and education space. The partitions can be moved again to create classrooms, workshop zones, demonstration areas, or group meeting spaces.

This supports the long-term recovery process. Residents can attend rebuilding workshops, job training sessions, disaster preparedness classes, insurance assistance meetings, or community planning events. Instead of becoming useless after the emergency ends, the hall continues to support the community for months or years.

Why Transformation Matters

The transformation system makes the building more useful and realistic. A normal community center may only support one or two functions, but Resilience Commons needs to respond to changing disaster conditions. By keeping the Recovery Hall open and adaptable, the same space can serve as a shelter, clean-air refuge, food distribution center, town hall, classroom, and rebuilding workshop.

This flexibility is what makes the Recovery Hall the core of the project. It allows the building to shift from emergency response to long-term recovery without needing a completely different facility.

After finishing the main building model, I created a site model around Resilience Commons to understand how the project would work in its surrounding environment. Instead of showing the building by itself, I wanted the model to explain how people, vehicles, landscape, wind, and emergency access would interact with the recovery center.

The site was modeled as a sloped landscape because wildfire-prone foothill communities are often shaped by changing terrain. This helped me think about how the building would sit on the land and how stormwater could move across the site after a fire. I added contour-like grading, trees, roads, walkways, parking, and landscape buffers so the project felt connected to a real place instead of floating on a blank surface.

The main building is placed near the center of the site, with the courtyard protected between the wings. This creates a safer outdoor space that is shielded from direct wind and separated from the more exposed edges of the site. The surrounding landscape also helps form a transition between the building and the wildfire-prone environment around it.

The front of the site includes a clear entry drive and pedestrian path leading toward the Adaptive Recovery Hall. This makes the main public entrance easy to find during both normal use and emergency conditions. Parking and drop-off areas are placed near the front so evacuees, volunteers, and families can access the building quickly.

Around the building, I added planted edges and open landscape zones to create a defensible buffer. These areas help separate the building from surrounding vegetation and reduce the chance of fire spreading directly to the structure. The site also includes walking paths that connect around the building, allowing people to move between the Recovery Hall, courtyard, wellness spaces, care areas, and outdoor gathering zones.

Because Resilience Commons is meant to support people during wildfire recovery, I designed the building to be easy to enter, navigate, and use during stressful emergency conditions.

The main entrance connects directly to the Adaptive Recovery Hall, which is the most public and active space. This makes it easy for evacuees, volunteers, and families to quickly find shelter, supplies, food distribution, or emergency coordination.

I also designed the main circulation paths to be wide and clear so they can support wheelchairs, supply carts, medical movement, and large groups of people. The Recovery Hall, courtyard, wellness wing, care/living spaces, makerspace, and clean-air refuge are all connected through simple routes.

Emergency access was also considered. The site includes a clear drop-off area near the main entrance, while service access is separated so supplies and equipment can be delivered without blocking public circulation.

Overall, this step helped make the project more realistic because the building is designed not only to look good, but also to function safely for evacuees, staff, emergency responders, and people with different accessibility needs.

I originally started printing with an old Prusa MK3S+. Since it was an older printer, I knew there was a chance that problems could happen, so I carefully went through all of the calibration steps to make sure everything was set up correctly. After the first print came out well, I was hopeful that the printer would be able to handle the project.

However, as I continued making more prints, the quality started to get worse. The parts became more warped, and the prints did not come out as clean as before. Eventually, one print experienced a major shift in the X-axis, causing the entire print to move out of place. The same issue happened on another print as well. With the increasing warping, layer shifts, and overall poor print quality, it became clear that the printer was no longer reliable for this project. I knew I needed to find a different solution.

It was this Saturday that I realized the printer I had been using would not work for the project. After doing some research, I decided to purchase a Bambu Lab P1S from Micro Center. This ended up saving my entire prototype because of its speed, reliability, and print quality. Unlike the older printer, the P1S was able to consistently produce accurate parts without warping or layer shifts.

The settings I used were:

• Layer Height: 0.20 mm

This provided a good balance between print quality and print speed. Since the project involved many parts, reducing print time was important while still maintaining enough detail for the final prototype.

• Infill: 25% Grid

A 25% infill gave the parts enough strength for testing and assembly while keeping material usage and print times low.

• Wall Loops: 3

Using three walls made the parts stronger and more durable, especially around edges and connection points that would experience stress during assembly.

• PLA Material

PLA was chosen because it is easy to print, produces clean results, and is strong enough for architectural prototype models.

• Supports: Enabled Where Needed

Supports were only used for overhangs and complex features. This reduced material waste and made post-processing easier.

• Bambu Studio Default Speeds

One of the main advantages of the P1S is its ability to print at high speeds while maintaining accuracy. The default speed settings allowed parts to be completed much faster than on the previous printer without sacrificing quality.

• Automatic Bed Leveling and Calibration

Before each print, the printer automatically checked and adjusted itself. This helped ensure reliable first layers and reduced the chances of failed prints.

These settings allowed me to quickly produce accurate and repeatable parts, making it possible to finish the prototype within the project timeline.

Before assembling the parts, use a sander to lightly sand all of the contact surfaces where the roof and hall will be joined together. Sanding these areas removes any small imperfections left from the printing process and creates a smoother, more even surface. This helps improve the bond between the two parts and ensures that the glue can adhere properly.

Once both contact surfaces have been sanded and cleaned of any dust, carefully align the roof with the top of the hall. Take your time to make sure the pieces are positioned correctly before applying adhesive. After confirming the fit, apply a small amount of super glue along the contact points and firmly press the two pieces together. Hold them in place for several seconds to allow the glue to begin setting.

The completed assembly should form the main structure of the building. All of the required parts, their orientation, and the connection locations can be seen in the image above, which can be used as a reference throughout the assembly process.

Repeat the same process for the right wing. First, lightly sand the contact surfaces on both the wing and the main structure to create a smooth surface for better adhesion. Remove any dust, then test-fit the pieces to ensure proper alignment.

Apply a thin layer of super glue to the contact points and firmly press the right wing into place. Hold it for several seconds while the glue begins to set. Allow the adhesive to fully cure before handling the model to ensure a strong and secure connection.

For this wing, begin by attaching Floor 1 and Floor 2 together. Lightly sand the contact surfaces between the two pieces to create a smoother bonding area and improve adhesion. Remove any dust, then apply a thin layer of super glue and firmly press the parts together until the glue begins to set.

Once the floors have been assembled, repeat the same process for the roof. Sand the contact points, clean away any dust, and attach the roof using super glue. Hold the pieces in place for several seconds and allow the adhesive to fully cure before handling the assembly.

The assembly process for the left wing is the same as the previous wings. However, because the point of contact is located along a curtain wall, take extra care when sanding the connection surfaces. Use light pressure and only remove enough material to smooth the surface, as excessive sanding could damage the thin details of the curtain wall.

After sanding, remove any dust, apply a thin layer of super glue to the contact points, and carefully align the pieces before pressing them together. Hold the parts in place until the glue begins to set, then allow the adhesive to fully cure before handling the assembly.

Begin by attaching the courtyard piece to the center of the site and ensure it is properly aligned before securing it in place. Once the courtyard has been installed, add the artificial grass and trees to create a more natural and welcoming outdoor environment.

Finally, install the seat walls around the courtyard. These walls serve two purposes: they help reduce wind passing through the space while also providing informal seating areas for visitors. Complete the courtyard by adding any remaining seating elements, creating a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing gathering space.

Finally, use the decorative rocks to create a barrier around the perimeter of the building. This represents the noncombustible zone surrounding the structure, which helps reduce the risk of fire spreading directly to the building. Make sure the rocks form a continuous layer around the site to clearly show this fire-resilient design strategy.

Next, create small openings in the landscape where the trees will be placed. Carefully insert the trees into these locations to add realism and improve the overall appearance of the model. These finishing details help the prototype better represent the final design and make it easier to understand the building's relationship with the surrounding landscape.

I also wanted to take a moment to thank the people who helped make this project possible.

To my parents, thank you for putting up with the late nights, the random model pieces spread across the house, and my endless conversations about greywater systems, rainwater harvesting, wildfire resilience, and air purification. Your support and encouragement kept me going, even when the project felt overwhelming. I am also grateful for the reminders to take breaks, go outside, and not get completely lost in the work.

Finally, I want to thank Autodesk and the Instructables team for making tools like Fusion 360 and revit available to students and for creating a platform where young designers and makers can share their ideas. This competition gave me the motivation to turn an idea in my head into something real. Through the process, I learned far more than I expected about design, engineering, architecture, and resilience.