Filling a bowl of soup, drawing a bath, sharing stories over coffee - community forms through acts of pouring out to sustain one another. In Ulster County, this exchange is shaped by water: abundant in the Ashokan Reservoir, yet unevenly accessible to those living beside it. Without public water mains, residents rely on private wells, bearing individual costs and vulnerabilities. Storms, floods, and outages can leave households without water, forcing reliance on distant towns or dwindling fire stations.
A proposed local artist live-work commons reframes this imbalance through shared infrastructure. Organized across plinth, studio, and living levels, it integrates layered rainwater collection, storage, and reuse systems that serve both creative and domestic needs. This multi-level approach literalizes collective care - capturing water at the ground, channeling it through artistic production, and sustaining daily life above. In doing so, it creates a resilient, communal model where resources - and support - circulate, ensuring no one’s cup remains empty.
