ISABELLE LEE
Multidisciplinary Designer &  Strategist


→ Currently
At the Harvard University Graduate School of Design  
A Design Researcher at the MIT AgeLab
Member of the 2025-26 Climate Leaders at Harvard University

→ Previously
Architectural Designer turned Creative Strategist.

Shaped by radical speculation at Cook Haffner (Peter Cook, Archigram), ecological rigor at Henning Larsen, social impact at TEN-Arquitectos, and experiential storytelling at Rockwell Group. I bring a multi-lens strategic lens to complex, human-centered design challenges.

Imaginative spirit cultivated at the Rhode Island School of Design


About
CV
Work
Case Studies
The Field

THE BETA COMMUNITYA Scalable Urban Prototype for Net-Zero Living
Project Details

Location
Undisclosed

Timeline
15 Weeks

Team
Senior Partner
Senior Associate
Lead Design Architect
Junior Designer

Role
Project Lead / Management

Responsibilities
Stakeholder Engagement
Technical Coordination
Urban Strategy
Sustainability Strategy






Overview


The Challenge

Most cities are built for cars, silos, and static infrastructure, not for people, nature, or change. High density often comes at the cost of livability, resilience, and ecological balance. The challenge was to reimagine urbanization as a human-centered, future-ready system, capable of operating at scale in extreme environments. The Approach

The Beta Community is designed as a prototype urban operating system, a walkable, vertical neighborhood where living, working, nature, and infrastructure are seamlessly integrated.

The Impact

The Beta Community demonstrates a scalable model for future cities one that is carbon-positive, socially vibrant, and emotionally compelling. As a prototype for the Client’s next generation of urban development, it reframes density as an opportunity for livability, sustainability, and human connection.


Urban Performance at a Glance

66%
Building Use Efficiency
60m²
Residential Area per Person
11.4 m²
Public Open Space per Person
20–30%
Reduction in  CO₂e *
> 50%
Reduction in energy consumption*
40%
Energy produced on-site
4-11% above global benchmarks for large mixed use developments

~20–50% larger than typical European urban housing.

~0–30% larger than typical Middle Eastern urban housing and aligns with high-quality employer-led developments.
~15–40% more public open space per person than typical European urban benchmarks

~30–130% more public open space per person than common Middle Eastern urban developments. * Embodied carbon emissions compared to benchmarked standards

120–170 kgCO₂e/m² in embodied carbon emissions * Annual energy consumption compared to baseline EUI (ASHRAE 90.1) standards * Produced with on-site renewables.

Design


Concept Sketch
Exterior Visualization


Exterior Visualization
Strategic Brief Validation

From Vision to Delivery
A 12-week, multi-disciplinary pre-concept phase translating the Client’s ambitions into a coherent, buildable urban prototype; aligning architecture, engineering, mobility, sustainability, and phasing from day one.
Live–Work at Urban ProximityDesigned to support ~800 residents, partners, and visitors, Beta compresses housing, workspaces, culture, and daily amenities into a five-minute urban ecosystem.
Programmed for Everyday Life
A balanced mix of residential, office, cultural, retail, hospitality, and civic programs is distributed to enhance daily experience, social interaction, and long-term quality of life

Vertical Communities, Layered Living
Residential and hotel neighborhoods are organized as vertical communities with shared green corridors, graduated privacy, and panoramic views—connected by sky bridges to shared social and cultural infrastructure.


Adaptive Hospitality Model
Hotel and serviced apartment units are modular by design, enabling seamless conversion between short-stay and long-term living—allowing the community to evolve with changing demand over time.

The Cloud: Social & Cultural Core
The Central Cloud operates as the project’s civic heart—stacking culture, arts, events, and leisure into a vertically connected public realm that drives social exchange, vibrancy, and identity.

Design Principles
Connective Infrastructure
Positioned as an urban hinge, the Beta Community plugs into existing city networks while reframing infrastructure as a spatial and social connector that aligns movement, views, and public life across sea, desert, and mountain.

Vertical Urbanism
Re-Defining Density

Beta advances vertical living as an active, walkable experience; extending mobility, public space, and social exchange upward to unlock livability at height.
Climate Responsive Design
Designed with, and not against the environment

Local climate intelligence informs massing, ventilation, and energy systems to reduce carbon demand while maximizing comfort, resilience, and performance.
Modular Construction
Architecture as a scalable system

Modular construction enables speed, adaptability, and long-term flexibility, ultimately allowing the city to evolve over time rather than remain fixed at completion. It also allows for design for assembly and disassembly, ultimately reducing waste.




Programmatic Strategy











Interior Experience



Interior Experience



Modular Living Kit Each unit operates as a kit-of-parts system: a primary living module augmented by bolt-on elements such as balconies, front porches, and trellis screens. These components enhance privacy, daylight, and outdoor connection while allowing customization without redesign.



A Ground-Level Engine for Urban Life

The Cultural Activity Hub activates the ground plane as a shared civic living room. We designed a flexible, multi-use environment that supports cultural programming, informal work, social gathering, and everyday rituals beyond home and office. Designed as a network of third spaces, it fosters spontaneous interaction, creativity, and community cohesion, turning the base of the city into a social engine.



5 Minute Vertical Neighbourhoods







Integrated Design Environment
Reducing Energy Demand While Creating Comfortable Indoor Microclimates

The architecture integrates passive climate strategies. We designed a double-skin envelope, reduced surface-to-volume ratio, and shaded atrium spaces paired with low-energy systems such as solar-assisted cooling, decentralized air handling, and clay-based chilled ceilings. Together, these strategies deliver indoor comfort and outdoor livability while lowering energy demand.



Future Horizons



Near Term


The project operates as a fully functional live–work community, supporting daily life through walkable neighborhoods, cultural ground floors, and integrated energy and mobility systems. Early occupation enables real-world testing of urban density, vertical living, and microclimate strategies—turning the community into a living prototype.
Medium Term

 the modular housing system and flexible program mix allow the community to recalibrate as occupancy patterns shift. Residential units can convert, cultural spaces can be reprogrammed, and infrastructure systems can be upgraded without structural disruption . Long Term

BETA functions as a replicable urban model. Its approach to energy reduction, public space generosity, and adaptable density offers a transferable framework for future developments in extreme climates. It demonsthow cities can remain livable, low-carbon, and socially cohesive as urban pressures intensify
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