A vital lesson from 2020 is that civilization is strongest when it can adapt to adversity. The pandemic reshaped how we work, live, and socialize, exposing cities as major obstacles to flexibility. In dense urban environments, limited space made social distancing difficult and everyday activities risky. Cities like New York must evolve into systems that remain functional during crises such as a pandemic.

Urban Wilderness proposes a self-sufficient community modeled after a forest ecosystem. Forests are dense yet resilient systems organized into five layers—roots, ground, understory, canopy, and emergent—each supporting life as a whole and independently. This vertical organization is applied to the skyscraper, rethinking public life beyond the ground level. By distributing public space vertically, the system reduces crowding while supporting living, working, movement, and resources.

Although the layers function best together, they can operate independently when necessary. Upper layers include public amenities such as grocery stores, educational spaces, and vertical farming, allowing each layer to be isolated without disrupting the others.

The concept can be implemented at multiple scales. At the street level, select vehicular roads become pedestrian corridors with elevated public spaces, green paths, farming, and water elements. These additions activate both street-level and vertical space, creating greener, more adaptable, and self-supporting neighborhoods.

This project addresses both pandemic resilience and the growing need for public space in New York City. By increasing density without crowding and integrating nature into the urban fabric, Urban Wilderness challenges the divide between public and private space. As cities continue to grow, this shift is not optional but necessary. Urban Wilderness is a catalyst for the future of urban life.