THESIS PRESENTATION

Sustainable Hedonism

RE-HYDRATING LAS VEGAS Luke Ivers Arch 510 Design Project Manual

1086.30

INSTALLATION

DILEMMAS & CONTRADICTIONS

conservation

public transportation

materialism

agriculture

food

identity

education suburban development urban restoration

jobs

automobile dependency

tourism sprawl technology

consumption

infrastructure

population growth

electricity

hoover dam h

colorado river

water

“The city, for all its importance, can no longer be thought of only as a physical artifact; instead, we must be aware of the dynamic relationships, both visible and invisible, that exist among the various domains of a larger terrain of urban as well as rural ecologies.�

Mohsen Mostafavi

Problem 1: #Water Shortage

WATER SHORTAGE

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/drought/2012/6

Colorado River Water Shortage

1984

2010

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/colorado-river-47021303

Problem 2: #Water Diversion

WATER DISTRIBUTION

7%

2.7%

Lake Mead

l

or

Las Vegas

co

30%

Colorado River Aquaduct

All American Canal

do

a or

l

Co

Los Angeles

San Diego

er ri v o 26% ad r

11%

ve Ri

18% 6%

Phoenix Central Arizona Project

Tucson

As Mark Twain said: “Whiskey is for drinking; water is for fighting over.”

WATER DIVERSION precipitation 80%

ARTIFICIAL CITIES population growth

20% unused land

transmontain diversion 80% -25%

20% +25%

drought

WATER AND PERCEPTION Natural Phenomena Vs Standing Reserve

Http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/photos/freshwater-rivers/

Http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Boulder%20Canyon

WATER & ENERGY

For every foot of elevation lost in Lake Mead (about 100,000 acre feet of water, or enough for 200,000 households)the dam produces 5.7 megawatts less power.

That’s because at lower water pressure, air bubbles flow through with the water, causing the turbines to lose efficiency.

“It was designed as a high-elevation dam,” DiDonato said.

1211 ft - 1086 ft 125 ft = 712 MW

1 MW = 1000 homes x 712= 712,000 homes

ENERGY & REDUNDANCY

Power Outage from due to Nuclear Power Plant failure. Tokyo, Japan 2011

Satellite photo of Las Vegas at night http://fopnews.wordpress.com/2011

Reallocating Water = Population Growth = Water Shortage = Power shortage = Economic Failure

Problem 3: # Agriculture

WATER & AGRICULTURE

Evaportation and Transpiration

1,500,000 gallons per acre

water or alfalfa?

1 lb of beef = 534 gallons of water

Eye level 100 miles

1984

2011

WATER SHORTAGE

Scripps Institution of Oceanography / University of

50 percent chance Lake Mead, a key source of water for millions of people in the southwestern United States, will be dry by 2021 if climate changes as expected and future California, San Diego, There is a

water usage is not curtailed, according to a pair of researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego.

Without Lake Mead and neighboring Lake Powell, the Colorado River system has no buffer to sustain the population of the Southwest through an unusually dry year, or worse, a sustained drought. In such an event, water deliveries would become highly unstable and variable, said research marine physicist Tim Barnett and climate scientist David Pierce.

“We were stunned at the magnitude of the problem and how fast it was coming at us,” said Barnett. “Make no mistake, this water problem is not a scientific abstraction, but rather one that will impact each and every one of us that live in the Southwest.”

The researchers estimated that there is a 10 percent chance that Lake Mead could be dry by 2014. They

50 percent chance that reservoir levels will drop too low to allow hydroelectric power generation by 2017. further predict that there is a

Research marine physicist Tim Barnett (right) and programmer/analyst David Pierce of the Climate, Atmospheric Science and Physical Oceanography (CASPO) division at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego

suburbs downtown strip

hoover dam

LAS VEGAS ARTIFICIAL OASIS

+

=

TOURISM DEPENDENCY

40,000,000 Annual ly

=

?

Proposal

URBAN AGRICULTURE Advantages of Vertical Farming Year-round crop production; 1 indoor acre is equivalent to 4-6 outdoor acres or more, depending upon the crop (e.g., strawberries: 1 indoor acre = 30 outdoor acres) No weather-related crop failures due to droughts, floods, pests All VF food is grown organically: no herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers VF virtually eliminates agricultural runoff by recycling black water VF returns farmland to nature, restoring ecosystem functions and services VF greatly reduces the incidence of many infectious diseases that are acquired at the agricultural interface VF converts black and gray water into potable water by collecting the water of evapotranspiration VF dramatically reduces fossil fuel use (no tractors, plows, shipping.)

VF converts abandoned urban properties into food production centers VF creates new employment opportunities

The Problem: Startup Costs and Energy consumption

The main reason for why vertical farming has not become a common practice in cities is due to the high startup costs which lie largely in construction of a highrise building.

During the growing season, the sun shines on a vertical surface at an extreme angle such that much less light is available to crops than when they are planted on flat land. Therefore, supplemental light, would be required in order to obtain economically viable yields. Bruce Bugbee, a crop physiolo-

gist at Utah State University, believes that the power demands of vertical farming will be too expensive and uncompetitive with traditional farms using only free natural light. The scientist and climate change activist George Monbiot calculated that the cost of providing enough supplementary light to grow the grain for a single loaf would be almost $10.

Roach, J. (June 30, 2009). High-Rise Farms: The Future of Food?. National Geographic News.

As ‘The Vertical Farm’ proposes a controlled environment, heating and cooling costs will be at least as costly as any other tower. But there also remains the issue of complicated, if not more expensive, plumbing and elevator systems to distribute food and water throughout. Even throughout the northern continental United States, while heating with relatively cheap fossil fuels, the heating cost can be over $200,000/hectare.

Problem 1: Start up costs

Two Story Penthouses

Penthouses

Typical Units

ARIA RESORT & CASINO VDARA CONDO HOTEL CRYSTALS VEER TOWERS MANDARIN ORIENTAL

Conference Center Lobby

Spa Fitness Center Salon Bellagio Connector Restaurant Pedestrian Walkway To CityCenter Resort Casino

Problem 2: Energy Costs

Energy Usage Based on a 500,000 sq ft building

Energy Demand Summary Grow lamps (96,000 CFLs @ 18hr/d) = Dehumidifiers (20 unites @ 38 kW) = *Ventilation System (five 60 hp motor) = *Geothermal Heat Pump (as spec.) = Elevators (10 standard, 2 “drum waiters) = Water pumps (450 pumps) = Growth Chambers (50 @ 0.875 kW) = TOTAL

94,608,000 kWh 6,657,600 kWh 2,351,640 kWh 266,200 kWh 105,000 kWh 735,000 kWh 383250 kWh 105,106,690 kWh

*Lettuce is an average plant in terms of water and energy consumption and spatial use.

Calculations will be based on lettuce for the sake of clarity and simplicity.

Existing Hotel

Ag Farm w/ Pods

pod detail pod open

Direct Sunlight Solar Analysis [Ag Pod Bays]

pod closed

Artificial light at night

June 21 @ 12:00

Ag Farm w/ Pods

December 21 @ 12:00

Energy Usage Passive Design Based on a 500,000 sq ft building

31,536,000 kWh 6,657,600 kWh 2,351,640 kWh 266,200 kWh 105,000 kWh 735,000 kWh 383250 kWh 42,034,690 kWh

120000000

80000000 60000000 40000000 20000000 0

PASSIVE m~ëëáîÉ DESIGN pçä~ê

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ACTIVE DESIGN

Energy Demand Summary Grow lamps (96,000 CFLs @ 6 hr/d) = Dehumidifiers (20 unites @ 38 kW) = *Ventilation System (five 60 hp motor) = *Geothermal Heat Pump (as spec.) = Elevators (10 standard, 2 “drum waiters) = Water pumps (450 pumps) = Growth Chambers (50 @ 0.875 kW) = TOTAL

otel}

2013 {Existing Hotel}

2017 {Ag Farm w/ Pods}

Design Process 2017 {Ag Farm w/ Pods}

2022 {Market Plaza}

2022 {Market Plaza}

Capitalizing on Waste

Powering the vertical farm with food waste Inputs

Outputs

Vertical Farming Processes FR LET

500 tons of food waste

345,600 lettuce plants ANAEROBIC DIGESTERS

13.6 tons of waste is generated daily at New York-New York alone

78,760 lb

s water v

27,000 Gallons

117,639,500 kWh

7,600 tons of excess food sent every year from MGM Resorts restaurants

11,000 ther ms of methane

apour

DEHUMIDIFIERS

146,000

lbs deple

ted wate

r

ELECTRIC GENERATORS

90 kg of nutrients

BIOLOGICAL WATER FILTRATION

500 tons of digestate Vertical farm system diagram

Problem 3: Community Connection

Segragation Pedestrian Bike Automobile Tourist Public Workplace Living Entertainment

Integration Work Play Pedestrian Bike Automobile Tourist Public Workplace Living Entertainment

Shop

Live

ampith ampitheate ampitheat ampitheater mpithe mpitheat p tte e M ar ke t

M

g vin Li dL ixe

PROCESS

STRIPPING APART THE STRIP

ITERATION 1

ITERATION 2

ITERATION 3

PHYSICAL STUDY MODEL Materials: Styrofoam, metal mesh, and plexi glass

DIGITAL STUDY MODELS Parametric Design: Rhinoceros and Grasshopper

MARKET CANOPY DESIGN Conceptual Parti Evolution Creating movement, interaction, and diversity

Conceptual Parti Evolution

Pedestrian

Pedestrian Automobile Public Automobile

Tourist

Living

Shop

Public

Workplace Living

Segragation

Segragation

Intentional Obstruction

Intentional Obstruction

M

ar ke t

Play Live

Workplace

Entertainment

Work

Play

Tourist Bike

Entertainment

ampitheater

Work

Creating movement, interaction, and diversity

Bike

Shop

Forced Interaction

Forced Interaction

Live Integration

Integration

M

d ixe

g

vin

Li

ampitheater

M

ar ke t

Mixed Program

Mixed Program

M

d ixe

g

vin

Li

PARAMETRIC DESIGN

GrassHopper Defintion for Diagrid Structre

Grasshopper Definition for a Diagrid Structure

Form Evolution

BUILDING EVOLUTION

BUILDING EVOLUTION

BUILDING PROGRAM

BUILDING PROGRAM

Market Floor Plan

Gallery Floor Plan

Urban Park Plan

STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS 57 Floor Plates Ag Pods 800 Total

Apartment Expansion

Vertical Circulation Systems

Urban Park

Reinforced Concrete Structural Columns Diagrid Super Structure w/ tubular steel members

PTFE Panels

Sub Structure steel space truss Connection to Sub Structure

Vdara Hotel Exterior Primary Hollow-Steel Section

Secondary HSS

Art Gallary Vdara Pool Deck

Welded Steel Flange

Public Market Ampitheater Anaerobic Digester

Fire Proofing Finished Composite Encasement

Hallow Structural Section Transition

Vertical Farm Systems

Connection Plates

Final Renderings

EAST ENTRANCE

FARMERS MARKET

MARKET RETAIL

P

PUBLIC GARDEN

ANAEROBIC DIGESTERS

WEST ENTRANCE

MIXED LIVING

MIXED LIVING

ART GALLARY

PUBLIC GARDEN

URBAN PARK RAMP

URBAN PARK AMPITHEATER

AERIAL VIEW

Physical Model Physical Model

PHYSICAL MODEL Model Building Process

Lasercut 1/16” Chipboard

Used 3D Printer for the Market Design

Stacked Floor Plates for easy assembly

Split into four sections due to limited powder bed size

Inserted 800 pieces of 3/16” Plexi glass

Cleaning off the excess powder

Chip Board Site Model 1/40”

Ready for the final coat of glue

Ag Pods {physical model}