Abstract
The fall 2017 Masters Comprehensive Studio had the design challenge of integrating an elevated solar powered automated transit network, designed by the engineering students at San Jose State University (SJSU), into downtown San Jose CA connecting the North and South Campuses of SJSU. The studio was sponsored by Mr. Ron Swenson of INIST. In 2010, Ron co-founded INIST, The International Institute of Sustainable Transportation along with Professor Buff Furman of SJSU. The students integrated this new movement technology into their passively designed buildings and resilient urban planning strategies. Due to the climate of San Jose, active HVAC systems would not be necessary if attention was given to creating 11 passively ventilated, cooled and heated buildings. The students successfully combined these passive ideas in designing hotels, housing and a transit center. Resiliency is important in San Jose due to the drought/flooding cycles and major earthquake zone. The urban design strategies incorporated how to create ways to manage water and provide safety along with the ability for people to manage after an earthquake. Their work with passive strategies will be presented along with the resilient urban planning designs and was submitted to Innovation 2030.