The Laboratory in Napa

Urban Strategy MSAUD 2023 2022-2023 Studio

Instructors: Jeffrey Inaba and

Valeria Ospital

The Laboratory in Napa

Bo Su, Chenshuo Zhang, Hao Wang

Napa County grapples with climate changeinduced challenges like wildfires and flooding. However, it offers opportunities to pilot novel hazard management solutions. Scientific canal construction diverts floods and stores water for irrigation, while forest management curbs fire fuel. Vineyards are reorganized as firebreaks to mitigate wildfires and trial innovative approaches.

Flood & Wildfire

Insights

This illustration depicts areas of fire risk and the fire hazard area signifies regions with elevated risk of wildfires.

State-owned land under wildfire risk refers to land owned by the government at the state level that is susceptible to wildfires.

Wildfire Map

State owned land with wildfire

Insights

The flood hazard zones illustrate the potential extent of flooding within specific timeframes. Hazard zones can be dynamic and subject to change over time due to factors such as climate change and land development.

Flood hazard zone

Flood hazard zone in 2035

Strategy

Our primary objective is to utilize Napa County as an experimental site for investigating various aspects of environmental management, including soil mitigation, forest management, flood control, and wildfire prevention.

Existing vineyard Vineyard in 2035

Design Proposal

Wildfire+Flood Experimental Farms

Experiments

The slope design considers local climate and hydrological factors such as rainfall, runoff, sunlight, and wind. It aims to create ideal conditions for grape growth by choosing the right angle to allow water absorption, minimize erosion, maximize sunlight exposure, and reduce wind damage.

Using retention ponds to collect rainfall and connecting them with underground pipelines is an effective design strategy to reduce stormwater runoff and collect water for grape irrigation. This strategy also improves water resource utilization efficiency and protects underground water resources. Additionally, it can reduce downstream flooding and erosion and provide aesthetic benefits by attracting wildlife.

Initial Plan Lab tool kits

Winemaking

Wine Processing & Storage

Micro-climate

Green House

Solar-control

Experimental Farms

Climate adaptation

Landscape configuration A

Landscape configuration C

Landscape configuration B

Landscape configuration D

Conclusion

In urban and architectural design, there is an expectation of coming up with a clear conclusion. Still, due to the unpredictability of climate change, different approaches are needed where trial-and-error experimentation can inform and guide more effective actions to address the global climate crisis.