Faculty of Design
Environmental Design
Ghrysianne Cahuya
URBAN OASIS: Utilizing Abandoned Urban Space for Sustainable Flood Mitigation
Environmental Design
Project Urban Oasis investigates the urgent issue of urban flooding in the City of Toronto through the lens of climate-responsive design. Set within the vulnerable site of the Keating Channe - a key juncture between the Don River and Toronto Harbour - the project responds to the environmental, infrastructural, and social consequences of changing climate patterns. As storm intensities increase and impermeable surfaces dominate the urban fabric, the need for adaptive and resilient design becomes critical. This design-led research explores how the built environment can actively participate in water management while offering educational, social, and ecological value. The proposal reimagines the site as a hybrid landscape infrastructure, a flood-resilient terrain where natural processes, such as filtration, absorption, and environmental restoration, are made visible and experimental. Key strategies include bioswales, reed bed filtration systems, rain gardens, and permeable paving - all designed to slow, filter, and repurpose stormwater on site. These elements are supported by passive irrigation systems, phytoremediation zones, and soft edges that replace traditional hardscaping. Public seating, pathways, and learning zones, such as the repurposed abandoned silos, are integrated into these systems, allowing users to engage with and learn from the environment. Formally, the design draws inspiration from the ephemeral geometry of water bubbles/foam. This became a guiding metaphor and spatial logic, influencing circulation paths, planting clusters, and the soft, porous topography of the site. Foam becomes form, and edges become thresholds, reflecting the dynamic relationship between water and land. This thesis argues that water should not be seen as a threat to urban life but as an active collaborator in shaping future-ready cities. By embedding ecological intelligence into public infrastructure, this project invites communities to inhabit, understand, and care for the systems that sustain them.
“A vision for future cities that embrace climate uncertainty through adaptive, multifunctional design”
Work by
Ghrysianne Cahuya
Environmental Design
“Design is not just about form or function - it is about creating meaningful relationships between people, place, and the planet. My philosophy is rooted in the belief that good design listens before...” [More]
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