Deep Rooted Ellum

FINALIST of Market 2.0: Circular Economy Hub

+ FINALIST

Market 2.0: Circular Economy Hub

Deep Rooted Ellum: Circularity by the people, for the people

Team

Name: Unmesh Shrikant Kelkar

Instagram: urbanismlite

Nationality: Indian

Institution / Company:  Corgan

Name: Shreya Jasrapuria

Instagram: shreyajasrapuria

Nationality: Indian

Institution / Company: HKS

The design proposal at Deep Ellum, Dallas, is to create a circular neighborhood that integrates the principles of circular economy into its design, operation, and community. 

Three distinct zones compose the master plan: Commercial Portals, Recreational Planes, and Residential Pods. Portals are gateways to diverse experiential programmatic elements tied together by a naturally lit arcade. Planes are a series of semi-open recessed spaces between Portals and Pods. Organically arranged fitness and sports equipment with an elevated jogging track flows around building edges, providing an enjoyable amenity for all generations. Pods are prefabricated modular housing units organized in the form of single-loaded corridor courtyard typology, reducing construction waste, energy consumption, and material costs, and enabling flexibility and adaptability for different needs and preferences.

The core of our proposal is a communal level dedicated to urban farming and beehive initiatives in collaboration with non-profit co-ops. This level transforms food yield into restaurant supplies and waste into valuable products, such as compost, biogas, fertilizer, and animal feed. The revenue generated from these products is used to subsidize resident rents and foster shared equity housing. This creates a diverse and supportive community, where individuals contribute to each other’s well-being through unique roles and interactions.