Hortus Conclusus

HORTUS CONCLUSUS The Seed of a new architectural typology

Mahmoud Abdelwahab Marko Blazic Master thesis for Building and architectural engineering Politecnico di Milano - Faculty of Engineering Polo Regionale di Lecco

April 2017

HORTUS CONCLUSUS The Seed of a new architectural typology

Mahmoud Abdelwahab Marko Blazic Master thesis for Building and architectural engineering Politecnico di Milano - Faculty of Engineering Polo Regionale di Lecco

HORTUS CONCLUSUS The Seed of a new architectural typology Mahmoud Abdelwahab & Marko Blazic

Hortus Conclusus is a Master thesis based on scientific research and investigations in the field of Architecture and Building engineering. Focusing on the issue of food insecurity and the role of architecture in finding a sustainable solution through redefining the concept of our living spaces and introducing new means of food production that suits the present urban lifestyle. This thesis gathers methods and strategies that we have developed as independent researchers, designers and scholars some of which are not yet tested and are subject to further development. Specific topics are led by the publications of Bruce Bugbee, department of plants soils and climate, Utah state university and Louis D. Albright, department of controlled environment agriculture, Cornell University.

Acknowledgments We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the following people and organizations that have helped us over the course of this project, without their hints and advice it wouldn’t be possible to write this thesis in its current form. First of all, we want to thank our main supervisors Gabrielle Masera, Martinelli Paolo and Angela Colucci for their continues support and guidance throughout the completion of this project.

Additional thanks to our Politecnico di Milano staff of supervisors Massimo Tadi and Filippo Pagliani for their guidance that helped developing this thesis. A special thanks to Pierpaolo Ruttico from the polimi fabrication lab and Antonio Ferrante from UniversitĂ degli Studi di Milano.

Finally, we want to acknowledge our families and friends who gave us the support we need to accomplish this project.

All right reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means now known, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without the express written permission from the publisher, except for the use of brief quotations embodied in critical review and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

CONTENTS

Abstract I HORTUS CONCLUSUS Introduction I Food Security Why? What? How?

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WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? 1_Food security 1.1 Past, present and future (Milan Expo) 1.2 Future problems and issues 1.3 Role of urban planners and architects

2_Urban Agriculture 2.1 Introduction & history 2.2 Types of Urban agriculture 2.3 Case studies 2.4 The problem with present urban agriculture applications

3_Conclusion The need to have an introvert, energy efficient solution

15 15 16 16

19 19 20 21 32

34 34

WHAT IS THE SOLUTION? Re-framing the concept of urban agriculture Agriculture in Lombardy Farming types (relation between consuming and growing) Effect of an introvert bottom-up process

1_STEP ONE I The Residence 1.1 Psychology / way of living 1.2 Proposing a new design methodology for urban residential architecture 1.3 “Agritecture� methods and techniques 1.4 Implementation of the Methodology - THE CELL

2_STEP TWO I The Community 2.1 Local food markets / products 2.2 Existing NGO programs 2.3 Creation of a platforms : Physical and Virtual

37 37 38 41

45 45 46 46 48

57 57 58 58

3_STEP THREE I The City

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3.1 Global food networks 3.2 Food policies 3.3 Ripple effect

61 61 61

HOW CAN WE APPLY THIS? The choice of the project site Milan Expo 2015: Feeding the planet, Energy for life Arexpo spa. : Post expo masterplan AWR Awards: Milan Expo Horizontal Farm

Pre-design studies and analysis Underlining main urban aspects Environmental and climatic analysis Project program: Student housing + Urban farm

63 63 66 67

69 69 72 78

STEP ONE I HORTUS CONCLUSUS Student Residence + Horizontal Farm

1_Design concept and methodology 1.1 Design concept 1.2 Student life 1.3 Agritecture: Open climate, controlled climate (Greenhouse), semicontrolled (Microfarming) 1.4 Skin concept: Building as an organism

2_Concept development 2.1 Space relation and functional aggregation - Dorm community spaces 2.2 Massing development 2.3 Space hierarchy

3_Schematic design 3.1 Passive and active strategies 3.2 Envelope design 3.3 Greenhouse design

81 81 83 86 87

91 91 98 104

113 114 119 132

4_Building technologies

137

4.1 Building systems 4.2 Detail development 4.3 Plans, sections 4.4 Elevations 4.5 Blow ups

137 141 151 160 158

5_Structural design 5.1 Introduction and general configuration 5.2 Structural plans overview 5.3 Material selection 5.4 Load estimations and elements dimensions assumptions 5.5 Structural calculations 5.6 Building skin 5.7 Conclusion

165 165 169 170 171 176 220 223

6_Project management 6.1 “How it works?� Internal management scheme 6.2 Fabrication plan and method 6.3 Design tools and process

225 225 228 234

STEP TWO I The community The new center in the Expo-site

1_Urban synthesis 1.1 Strategic approach 1.2 Synthesis 1.3 Existing NGOs and practicies

2_Developement strategy 2.1 Vision 2.2 Goals and strategies 2.3 Physical and virtual platforms

237 237 238 239

241 241 242 243

STEP THREE I CIVITATIS HORTI The farming commune of Milan

The city of Milan Regional scale strategy Food policy

245 245 246

Conclusion and future outlooks

249

Bibliography

256

Appendix

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ABSTRACT

New technological advances in science and architecture have enabled us to reach new limits in the field of urban agriculture, introducing new concepts as vertical farming, that are showing a great promise in terms of providing a more economic and efficient source of nutrition inside cities, but are yet far from being energy efficient compared to traditional farming.

Historically, the food production was strictly related to cities identity and culture, people lost the initial relationship with the most important industry related to our survival, agriculture. The contemporary consumerism has detached us city dwellers, especially the youth from the possibility to choose and grow their own food. However, the lifestyle adaptability of a young mind is our greatest asset.

Having a long term goal to modify the habits of the city inhabitants towards viable nutrition, the aim of this master thesis is to reconnect the culture dating from historical archetype, “Hortus Conclusus” with our present busy urban life, establishing the future model of “CIVITATIS HORTI” that would set a new understanding of our overall lifestyle modification, towards the future of urban agriculture lifestyle, by aggregating, at the first glance the two incompatible processes of present urban residential use and urban agriculture.

The first part of this thesis will introduce the new model and methodology, followed up by an example of applying this model on the Ex-Expo site in Milan, with an introvert bottom-up strategy, passing through three primary phases; the residence, the community and the city. Focusing primarily on the first phase, A Student residence building located in the Ex-expo site in Milan.

Keywords Food security, Urban agriculture, Student housing, Horizontal farming, Horticulture, Hydroponics 9

Dense architecture, Honkong vertical cities by Maik Lipp. www.usrdck.com 10

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INTRODUCTION Food Security

Architecture feeding the planet

Shelter, Food and Water‌ Throughout human history, we have been adapting our life style to the environment searching for our basic needs to survive, from living in settlements with hunters and farmers, to building megacities with more advanced and complicated systems; but these three basic needs have always been fundamental for our survival. The 21st century raises new challenges, with the dependence on fossil fuels, shortage of land and resources and ever growing demand of food and water, and with more people moving into cities and leaving the countryside, Food security has become a critical subject that requires a great deal of attention, and even with the latest advances in agriculture production, we are yet facing an overwhelming increase in the population of the planet that requires alternate methods in producing food to meet the ever-growing demands.

As architects and urban planners, our focus lies on the role of architecture in providing new means of agriculture in cities, with the building users as the starting catalyst of our design, we will develop an introvert strategy that will enable us to live and grow our own food, without the need of excess space or advanced knowledge of agriculture.

This thesis will introduce three main questions: WHY is this issue important? WHAT is the solution? And HOW can we practically apply this solution?

The first question represents the research and investigation on the topic of Food security, stating the facts and discuss the problems that we are facing in the future when it comes to global food security, underlining the relationship with the urban agriculture, its potentials and issues with showcasing some case studies of existing examples.

The second chapter would then introduce the solution to the problem, starting with the building itself; and developing a new architectural typology that would combine the tradition of growing our own food with the modern city residential buildings. Followed by an introvert strategy that would further promote and cultivate the method deeper into the community roots that would later have a ripple effect on the city scale.

Finally, applying the theory on the ex-expo site in Milan, focusing on a Student residence as the initial reactant, and following up on the implementation of the model as we go on larger scales.

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WHY IS THIS

IMPORTANT?

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1_ FOOD SECURITY

Understanding the issue and identifying the problem

1.1 Past, Present and Future Food security has been dated back to 10,000 years, with evidence of civilizations such as ancient China and ancient Egypt storing food and releasing it in times of famine. It was only in 1943 during the Second World War, that the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was created to address the food security issues and ‘to consider the goal of freedom from want in relation to food and agriculture’. It was recognized that ‘freedom from want means a secure, an adequate, and a suitable supply of food for every man’ (FAO, 1943)1. Since then, the term “Food security” has been defined and redefined differently across the years, a simple definition has been given by the World Bank (1986) that states “Food security is access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life. This implies individual access in all seasons and all years not just for survival but for active participation in society” Over the past years, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has been leading the cause against food insecurity. According to their Hunger Report 2015, The State of Food Insecurity in the World (SOFI), Global hunger has begun to decline, however the rapid increase in the population is still posing a threat for the future.

The latest World Expo took place in Milan 2015 with the core theme “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”, was addressing the world hunger issues, poor nutrition as well as food waste; with the aim of encouraging new innovative and technological solutions that would create a balance between the availability and the consumption of resources for the future.

1. D. John Shaw. World food security, A History since 1945. Palgrave macmillan. November 2007

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1.2 Future problems and issues If the population continues to increase at its current rate we will not be able to maintain or raise the global standard of living without risking the destruction of the environment. Today the population total is almost 7.2 billion, by 2025 It is estimated to reach 8 billion, by 2050 there will be 2.4 billion on earth more than there are today, according to the United Nations. That is an increase equal to the entire world population in 1950.

The demand for fresh water increases as the population size increases, but there is only so much fresh water on earth, by 2025 it is estimated that more than 1 in 3 people will be affect by water shortages, as well as farming and agriculture. The population has been growing faster than the food supplies. To feed the projected population in 2025, we will have to double the food production over current levels, if we are to continue with our present methods, increasing food production creates a chain reaction of ecological disruption, the problem with climate change will only grow worse as the population increases. Thus arises the needs for developing new innovative way of food production that would help balancing the curve between production and demand without harming the environment.

1.3 Role of urban planners and architects Architecture has always played a major role in defining cultures and shaping civilizations, always developing, forever adapting to our modern needs, and with the technological advances of the twenty first century in design tools, structure systems and building construction methods, Building Architecture is open to any innovative ideas that can truly have a direct effect on society.

In 1966, a British planner called Maurice Broady came up with a new theory: Architectural determinism which claims the built environment is the chief or even sole determinant of social behavior, in other words, “people can adapt to any arrangement of space and that behavior in a given environment is caused 1 entirely by the characteristics of the environment� thus come our roles as architects, it is our moral duty to contribute not only to give environment friendly buildings, monumental structures or smart efficient projects, but to reach further into the society roots and develop their social behavior towards a better future through the built environment they live in.

1. Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology and Behavioral Science, article on Environmental Psychology, p. 510

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Fig. 1 The hanging gardens of Babylon

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2_ URBAN AGRICULTURE

Understanding the issue and identifying the problem

2.1 Introduction and history Urban Agriculture is known to be the practice of cultivating, processing food as well as animal farming within or around the city limits. Only recently has it became a hot topic worldwide, nowadays there are so many organizations and governmental policies that support and encourage the concept for its potential advantages over traditional farming in rural areas.

The concept of growing food and farming inside cities is not a recent one however, it has been applied for thousands of years where cities have been inextricably connected with the crops that sustain them. Food production had to take place close to cities because transportation was slow and food was perishable.

Food was grown either within or directly bordering the limits of the town. Many civilizations had complex and efficient forms of growing and transporting food, Ancient Egypt used community wastes to feed urban farming. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon encompassed an array of plants and trees, overhanging the terraces within the city’s walls and up the sides of the mountain. In Machu Picchu, water was conserved and reused as part of the stepped architecture of the city, and vegetable beds were designed to gather sun 2 in order to prolong the growing season. Allotment gardens came up in Germany in the early 19th century as a response to poverty and food insecurity. Victory gardens sprouted during WWI and WWII and were fruit, vegetable, and herb gardens in US, Canada, and UK. 2. Vijoen, Andre, et al. Continuous Productive Urban Landscapes. Architectural Press, Burlington MA. 2005

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It was in times of crisis, like war or recession, growing food in cities has always been essential to urban people. Today we face a new kind of crisis like food security, shortage of land and water, carbon emissions, energy resources and fast growth of the urban population. Thus arises the new profound interest of urban agriculture in the twentieth century again, and with more advanced and developed methods and techniques, and new technologies designed everyday to further improve the quality and quantity of the produce, the potential of urban farming is very promising in the near future.

Most urban farmers view food production as only one of the goals of their operation, with community engagement, environmental justice, public health, education and training, and environmental services being other major motivations that are often cited. The term can encompass many different approaches to food production, including ground-level farming, rooftop farming, hydroponics, and greenhouses, as well as a variety of foodstuff not typically included under rubric of agriculture, such as aquaculture (fish), apiculture (beekeeping), and mycoculture (mushrooms). Additionally, plant cultivation in urban areas can incorporate non-food items with economic or infrastructural value , and there is increasing interest in commercial-scale cultivation of non-food crops in urban areas, such as flowers, raw materials (e.g. bamboo), and biofuels.

2.2 Types of urban agriculture Urban agriculture is defined as growing food within cities. This simple definition, however, belies the complexity of the practice. The distinction between horticulture, agriculture, and gardening are blurry and often is based on scale. As a general rule, urban agriculture can be subdivided in peri-urban and intra-urban agriculture.

Peri-urban agriculture takes place in the urban periphery. Peri-urban areas tend to undergo dramatic changes over a given period of time, there is an influx of people from both rural and urban areas, population density increases, land prices tend to go up and multiple land use emerges.

Intra-urban agriculture takes place within the inner city. Most cities and towns have vacant and underutilized land areas that are or can be used for UA, including areas not suited for building (along streams, close to airports, etc.), public or private lands not being used (lands waiting for construction) that can have an interim use, community lands and household areas.1 Moreover, building surfaces can be used for smallscale farms such as roof tops, balconies and courtyards.

The focus of this thesis will be on the viable applications of intra-urban farming that rely on a built structure, whether it would be in a controlled environment or an open one, such as: Vertical and Horizontal farms, Greenhouses, Roof gardens, and micro farming.

1. RenĂŠ van Veenhuizen. Profitability and sustainability of urban and peri-urban agriculture. FAO. 2007

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Fig. 2 Applications of intra-urban agriculture

2.3 Case studies It is clear that nowadays urban agriculture is a rising hot topic, and with the current advances in agriculture technologies, the ability to grow food in soilless setting, in controlled environments, cost effective with a much faster rate of yield; The business sector has taken a great deal of interest. Although urban agriculture is not only assorted to commercial use, the majority of the urban agriculture projects realized are of commercial use. Most of which claims that they are sustainable and energy efficient.

As the focus on this thesis relies on the relationship between the applications of urban agriculture and the built environment, the following case studies are selected upon this criteria, presenting some of the most well-known projects that use the latest advances and techniques to grow food in a build environment.

Table. 1 Different case studies statistics

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Sky Greens, Singapore Sky Greens is world’s first low carbon, hydraulic driven vertical farm, using green urban solutions to achieve production of safe, fresh and delicious vegetables, using minimal land, water, chemical and energy resources.

The system is composed of a series of vertical A-frames that stand 3, 6 and 9 meters high, about which 22-26 tiers of growing troughs rotate at 1mm/second. Water from an overhead reservoir is used for both watering the plants as well as rotating the pulley, which allows all the plants to get an even distribution of sunlight and water. The water is then pumped back into the reservoir where is can be recycled into the system. 120 towers yield 0.5 tons of fresh vegetables everyday. The system is characterized by low energy and very low water usage, with the harnessing of natural sunlight, there is no need for artificial lighting. The system is powered by a pulley system that uses the force of gravity on the rainwater. This method needs the equivalent one 60-Watt light bulb ($3 a month/unit) and One liter of water per cycle (16 hours/cycle), with 5.6m2 of space for each unit

Fig. 3 Sky Greens green house and vertical towers

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Fig. 4 Hydraulic powered vertical farm towers

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Pasona Headquarters, Japan Located in downtown Tokyo, Pasona HQ is a nine-story building for the Japanese recruitment company.

Rather than build a brand-new building, the company took over a 50-year-old structure and renovated it into the urban farm and eco office of a double-skin green facade, offices, an auditorium, cafeterias, a rooftop garden and integrated urban farming facilities. The building contains 4000 m2 of green space with 200 species of fruits, vegetables and rice which are harvested, prepared and served at the cafeterias within the building. Maintenance and harvesting is done by the office employees, with the help of agricultural specialists, to stimulate the social interaction within the company.

Vegetables and fruits are integrated as much as possible into the interior, with hydroponic as well as soil based farming techniques. The paddy and the field are equipped with LED lamps and an automatic irrigation system. A climate control system monitors humidity, temperature and breeze to balance human comfort during office hours. The facade has been doubled with a one meter deep cavity in between: seasonal flowers and orange trees, which just partially rely on the exterior climate, grow from planters placed in the facade through the steel facade frame, becoming a living wall towards the street.

Fig. 5 Pasona building green faรงade view

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Fig. 6 & 7 Interior spaces and vegetation

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Science Barge, USA The Science Barge is a self-sustaining floating farm and environmental education center that will provide an urban link to fresh produce, marine conservation and sustainability. The Barge’s goal is to promote ecological sustainability through public demonstration, education and research projects related to the urban waterfront. In particular, its ability to grow crops without soil in a hydroponic greenhouse powered by solar panels, wind turbines, and biofuels, makes learning about sustainability and conservation tangible in an innovative and exciting way.

The energy systems on the barge, in their original configuration, included 2.5 KW of solar capacity mounted on passive trackers, 2 kW of micro wind turbines, a 4 kW biodiesel backup generator, and a large lead-acid battery bank providing 1000 amp-hours at 48 volts, and associated support hardware.

The barge also deployed a semi-custom reverse osmosis system to desalinate water from the Hudson River for backup use.

Fig. 8 Science barge technical specs

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Fig. 9 Children field trips, learning hydroponic farming

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Green Sense Farms, USA Green Sense Farms is Chicago’s largest indoor vertical farm. Providing perfect conditions for growing, the farm is able to harvest year-round regardless of external weather conditions, using a fraction of the land, water, and fertilizer of traditional field farming.

The farm has two climate-control grow rooms, each grow room is equipped with seven 12-meter tall grow towers, containing 60 tubs of growing space in each tower. In all, 7,000 Philips GreenPower LED production modules illuminate each tub.

The LED lights are designed specifically according to the plant’s needs with a dedicated combinations of targeted spectrum that accelerate plant growth and reduce the amount of energy needed to supply light, each Philips GreenPower LED production module consumes 23 (Watt) compared to 22 (µmol/J) of grow light level.

Fig. 10 Philips targeted spectrum LED lights

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Fig. 11 Vertical grow towers

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Green Sense Farms, USA Covering a factory roof top in Montreal, Lufa Farms is a sustainable greenhouse that produces vegetables year-round for more than 3,000 people in the greater Montreal area, with the capacity to deliver more than 2,000 baskets per week, or about 700 pounds of produce per day.

The farms produce forty varieties of vegetables grown without synthetic pesticides, capturing rainwater, and recirculating irrigation water through the use of hydroponic systems. It conserves energy consumption by relaying on natural daylight rather than artificial lighting for plant growth, and natural ventilation when available, also employing energy curtains which are automatically deployed on cold evenings, help insulate the greenhouse and reduce heat loss at night. This results in a significant energy-use reduction.

However their most impressive feature is the ability to house a variety of climatic conditions, having two macro zones and several micro zones with different growing mediums, moisture and lighting conditions.

Fig. 12 Lufa farm greenhouse occupying factory roof

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Fig. 13 & 14 Indoor hydroponic growing plants

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2.4 The problem with present urban agriculture applications There is no doubt that urban agriculture has a great deal of potential to offer for the future, and although there are multiple projects that have proved success financially, there are some issues that arises when it comes to incorporating urban agriculture with the urban setting, either in terms of energy efficiency claims, economical success or social contribution.

Here are some of the key issues raised to question:

> PROJECT MAJORITY ORIENTED TOWARD COMMERCIAL USE The fact that most of the realized urban agriculture project have a lack of governmental funding leads to a more commercial approach than a social one, with the main aim of achieving profit by raising the price of the products in the claim that it is more organic and fresh, thus on one hand it provides more food to the community, but on the other it comes with a higher cost.

> EFFECTIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE CITY FOOD SECURITY ISSUE The main cause of food insecurity is the fact that the urban dwellers have complete dependency on consuming food that is grown in rural areas and sold in the city, and with the ratio between urban cities and villages dramatically change, it throws the curve unbalanced, thus creating a larger ratio of consumers to producers.

If we continue to rely only on commercially targeted projects, the number of producers will increase however this ratio will not decrease to the required values in order to meet our future food needs.

> MEASURING THE SUCCESS ACCORDING TO PROFITABILITY The true aim of urban agriculture is to solve the food security issue in a sustainable energy efficient manner, judging projects and new technologies based on their financial turn-back is not sufficient to have a successful project. Having a vertical farm that produce 10 times more yield than a traditional farm in a specific season, with the more profit and yield at the cost of consuming 10 times more energy is not productive nor it is a solution.

For a project to succeed, it’s social, economic and energy impacts should be taken into account as well; which currently is not governed by any policy or certificates that measures the actual effect or impact of an urban agriculture project.

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> THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHTING TO SUPPLEMENT NATURAL LIGHT According to agriculture experts Bruce Bugbee (Utah State University Department of Plants, Soils and Climate) and Lou Albright (Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University) the use of artificial lighting to substitute natural lighting with the present spectrum-targeted light technologies is not sustainable or efficient in any sense of the matter, since the free solar energy is substituted by electrical energy that more than 80% still comes from fossil fuels, the use of renewable energy sources like photovoltaic panels on site, can only produce a fraction of the solar energy acquired form the sun.

The most logical application of urban agriculture should then be oriented towards making the most use of the free natural solar energy available, according to their conclusions based on scientific facts. Thus, no present urban agriculture form that run on fossil fuel can be considered as an improvement or a replacement to traditional agriculture, and that the most successive method for intra-urban farming up to date is solar greenhouses, harnessing the full potential of the sun.

Fig. 15 Slides from Bruce Bugbee’s presentation, Comparison between the use of natural solar energy vs. artificial lighting.

Source: Vertical farming: turning fossil fuels into food

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Fig. 16 The ACROS Building in Japan

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3_ CONCLUSION

The need to develop an energy efficient solution

For urban agriculture to truly have an effect on a city, this ratio should change, introducing small agricultural businesses within the city will not have a major effect because the consumer ratio will keep increasing by time, therefore the aim of urban agriculture should be directed towards changing the public perception of farming and growing food, having to introduce and develop new social models rather than business models, that would eventually educate the community and provide the necessary means of being truly resilient when it comes to food security.

The fact that it would be a social model makes it crucial to start with the people themselves, then works its way up to the community level, and eventually the city; thus having an introvert urban development process.

This thesis will introduce a social-urban development model ”Civitatis Horti” that offers a solution to the future food crisis through the implementation of urban agriculture in cities, focusing on the intraurban applications that are associated with built structures and their relation with the users, also developing a new architectural typology “Agritecture” that integrated the urban residential use with the urban farming use.

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WHAT IS THE

SOLUTION?

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RE-FRAMING THE CONCEPT OF URBAN AGRICULTURE Introduce a new social farming type

Throughout history agriculture took different forms and techniques that depended on the needs and technologies of that time, according to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the united nations) There are more than 570 million farms in the world. More than 90% of farms are run by an individual or a family and rely primarily on family labor. Family farms which usually takes the form of cultivated lands occupy a large share of the world’s agricultural land and produce about 80% of the world’s food. However with the rapid increase in urban population and decrease in rural population, the decrease in the main source of agriculture production is imminent, thus it is crucial to find alternative methods of mass food production to sustain our needs without relying on rural farm lands.

Agriculture in Lombardy Dating back to The Roman culture, Lombardy became one of the most developed and rich areas of Italy with the construction of a wide array of roads and the development of agriculture and trade. Over the ages Lombardy remained the second strongest pole in Italy with Milan as its capital.

The region can broadly be divided into three areas as regards the productive activity. Milan, where the services sector makes up for 65.3% of the employment; a group of provinces, Varese, Como, Lecco, Monza and Brianza, Bergamo and Brescia, highly industrialized, although in the two latter ones, in the plains, there is also a rich agricultural sector. Finally, in the provinces of Sondrio, Pavia, Cremona, Mantova and Lodi, there is a consistent agricultural activity, and at the same time an above average development of the services sector.

The productivity of agriculture is enhanced by a well-developed use of fertilizers and the traditional abundance of water, boosted since the middle ages by the construction of a wide net of irrigation systems.

Lower plains such as the periphery of Milan are characterized by fodder crops, which are mowed up to eight times a year, cereals (rice, wheat and maize) and sugarbeet, however the city is not independent and counts on the region to supply the remainder of its food necessities.

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Farming types Relationship between consuming and growing Farming typologies have been defined and redefined over time, the most commonly used definitions are either by land use or by farming output. A recent study was made by Eurostat in 2010 defining the agriculture fields into four main categories of landuse. The utilized agricultural area (UAA) is the total area taken up by arable land, permanent grassland and meadow, permanent crops and Kitchen gardens used by the holding, where: › Arable land: (54.5%) Land worked (ploughed or tilled) regularly, generally under a system of crop rotation, accounts for more than half of the UAA › Permanent grassland and meadow: (26.7%) Land used permanently (for several - usually more than five - consecutive years) › Permanent crops: (18.5%) Ligneous crops, meaning trees or shrubs, not grown in rotation, but occupying the soil and yielding harvests for several consecutive years. Permanent crops mainly consist of fruit and berry trees, bushes, vines and olive trees › Kitchen gardens: (0.2%) Areas of an agricultural holding devoted to the cultivation of agricultural products not intended for selling but for consumption by the farm holder and his household

Table 2 Utilized Agricultural Area by land use Italy 2000 and 2010. Source: Eurostat

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This study states that almost the entire agriculture produce in Italy is directed towards traditional farm lands that are yielded, processed and transported to cities to be consumed, and with the rapid increase in urban population and decrease in these utilized farm areas, the ration between food demand in cities and food supply from traditional farms is very unbalanced, which eventually would be the main cause of food insecurity. If we continue with the present farming methods and strategies which focus primarily on the increase of production rate of the existing systems, the solution will be only temporary for with the never ending growth of the population and the limitation and shortage of agriculture lands, the ratio will always be unbalanced in growth and there will always be a need to increase production rates.

A more logical approach is to start focusing on the process from the end point rather the beginning, meaning to provide new means of consumable products that would help decreasing the demand at the first place, and providing more supply.

Fig. 17 Relationship between growth of food demand and supply

Going back to history and studying the ancient types of urban farming; Silva, Ager, Hortus and Region all of which are the basis for the present day farming, and focusing specifically on the Hortus (which in present terms is defined as Kitchen gardens) for its significant characteristics.

Fig. 18 Ancient farming types

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Hortus Conclusus is a Latin term that means “Closed garden�, some scholars propose that Hortus conclusus may have begun as enclosed hunting parks evolving to smaller contained areas with fences for keeping livestock. Another direct influence could be attributed to the inward focused Roman peristyle or cortile.

Either way, it manifested itself as walled gardens for the aristocratic class to delight in. Within, they would have servants tend plants and grow fruits and vegetables or create an idyllic retreat for sitting, dancing and playing instruments. Others would stroll and contemplate their faith.

The enclosed garden can be considered a paradox. To close off the outside world and bring a controlled nature within, creating an outdoor room that functions as a metaphor for nature and strengthen its relationship between the inhabitants of the developed world with the three basic necessities in life; Food, water and shelter.

As history progresses so do us, Life in the city now became dependent on exchange of services, we can no longer sustain providing the three basic necessities as individuals, but we depend on the city’s infrastructure to provide our drinking water and on sold market products to get out food. The city inhabitants have lost their connection with nature and more importantly with the ability of growing their own food.

Hortus conclusus can be significant to transfer this culture of consumerism to a more productive one, to connect us back with our roots and reintroduce the concept of having a little bit of nature as a primary function in our living residences that would also allow us to grow our own food necessities, decreasing the demand for food supply from the utilized agriculture areas and increasing the production; changing the city inhabitants from consumers to producers.

Fig. 19 Restored peristyle from Pomeii/ 1890 photograph

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Effect of an introvert bottom-up process Having the city as the main catalyst for social development strategies tends to be much less effective than having the user as the main catalyst to develop the community. In this sense, Hortus conclusus has been selected as a typology that establishes a very strong connection between inhabitants and the farming process. Having the user as a first reactant with the objective of providing the means and knowhow for growing their own food in an affordable manner and without the need for any extra space, advanced science or complicated systems.

Moreover, having a long term strategy with targeting younger minds on the importance and benefits of growing their own food would eventually cause a ripple effect that would alter the habits and life style of the community. This can be implemented by practical learning in schools and universities, also in the form of community awareness programs, research oriented studies and local community platforms.

Following the concept of Horus conclusus, the authors of this thesis have developed a proposal for a new social development model “Civitatis Horti�. The model can be implemented in any urban settings regardless the climate, terrain or social levels, through three consecutive actions that start with the inhabitants residences as the first reactant.

Fig. 20 Bottom-up strategy to implement Hortus concept

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The Greek often used the word Polis to describe both the democratic organizations and the physical aspects of the city. The Romans however defined the city into two separate terms, Urbs meaning the physical aspects of the city like buildings and roads, and Civitas which defines all the aspects of how the city functions, the social dimension of the city inhabitants. It is only fit to name the social developing model after its primary reactant, thus it is called “Civitatis Horti”, although it doesn’t capture the whole meaning of the term but it can be roughly translated to “The City Social Gardens”.

Fig. 21 Civitatis Horti development model conceptual diagram

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1_ STEP ONE I THE RESIDENCE Defining home as both shelter and food

The aim of the first phase of the development model is to redefine our understanding of what “home” should be, not only a living space but also a space where we farm and grow our own food necessities.

Providing the techniques and strategies of how to implement this new concept of microfarming into new and existing structures as part of the building’s architecture.

1.1 Psychology - way of living The main goal of the model is to ultimately develop and change our way of living in the city, to reconnect with the culture of growing our own food but within the busy urban life style, therefore it is only logical to start with our place of residence, our shelter, as the medium where we can grow our own food.

Through developing the principles and definitions of what “home” as a function should be, only a private space, a shelter, a farm or all together; in other words, we can define the usage of the place through its architecture, and by time this new farming function would become part of the city inhabitants culture, Live and farm in the same place within the city.

A quite recent example of redefining our living space is the concept of Earthships, pioneered by the architect Michael Reynolds. The earthship is a type of passive solar house that is made of both natural and up cycled materials such as earth-packed tires, intended to be “off-the-grid ready” homes, with minimal reliance on public utilities and fossil fuels. They are constructed to use available natural resources, especially energy from the sun and rain water. They are designed with thermal mass construction and natural cross ventilation to regulate indoor temperature. The design is intentionally simple, for example single-storey, so that people with little building knowledge can construct one.

The earthship have been proven successful in various countries all over the world, however the concept of living “off the grid” cannot, for the near future, replace the urban city life, thus the need to develop a new methodology that would allow both living sustainable but within the present city structure.

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1.2 Proposing a new design methodology for urban residential architecture As mentioned in the first section of this thesis, urban agriculture up till now didn’t reach its full potentials, with more focus on commercial oriented structures, the most common structures related to urban farming are indoor climate-controlled farms or greenhouses, but yet there is no architectural typology that would combine both living and farming in the same place with harmonies functionality.

The authors of this thesis are proposing a new design methodology based on the concepts and principles if Hortus conclusus resulting in the development of a new architectural typology for urban architectural use, as a fusion between typical residential use and urban farming. This new methodology will be addressed as “Agritecture”.

This new typology defines the urban residence not only as a shelter but also as a place to grow food. In architecture, there are no rules, but there are design principles govern the relationships of the elements used and organize the composition as a whole. It’s the architect or designer’s purpose and intent that drives the decisions made to achieve the appropriate scale and proportion and even the degree of harmony and balance between elements.

The principles of hortus farming architecture are similar to that of typical residential use but with the addition of having a primary function of growing food, different techniques can be applied to implement this new principle.

1.3. “Agritecture” methods and techniques A study has been made one the applications of intra-urban agriculture that are associated with built structures to be able to define which applications are more viable to use with the new methodology, taking in consideration the shortage of space, ease of access and operation, cost, yielding seasons and energy efficiency.

The most efficient application to use that balances the yielding efficiency, cost, and implementation is Microfarming, as it is can be applied in various forms that are not dependent on specific space or climate requirements, giving more room for adaptability according to each project. Microfarming can also be applied either on existing structures without major alterations.

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Fig. 22 Comparisons between the applications of intra-urban agriculture associated with built structures

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For the new methodology to be successful using the Microfarming principles to achieve the hortus conclusus concept, it is crucial to implement soilless farming techniques (hydroculture) that do not consume a lot of space or excessive energy to operate. As a result, a research has been made on the different systems of hydroponic farming.

Hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil, using mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent.

Terrestrial plants may be grown with only their roots exposed to the mineral solution, or the roots may be supported by an inert medium, such as perlite or gravel. The nutrients in hydroponics can be from fish waste, duck manure, or normal nutrients solutions. There are 6 basic types of hydroponic systems; Wick, Water Culture, Ebb and Flow (Flood & Drain), Drip (recovery or non-recovery), N.F.T. (Nutrient Film Technique) and Aeroponic. There are hundreds of variations on these basic types of systems, but all hydroponic methods are a variation (or combination) of these six.

1.4. Implementation if the methodology - The Cell There are countless design possibilities to implement the applications of hydroponic farming systems in existing and new structures, either as a separate installation or as a functioning part of the structure.

The following example was developed as a proposal to Velux international award competition with the theme of maximizing the use of natural daylight in buildings, the proposal demonstrate the ability of integrating the use of microfarming into the structure of the building envelope creating a living building membrane while providing an energy efficient way to grow food. The proposal was named “THE CELL�, implying that the building envelope as a living membrane.

Fig. 24 Solar energy harness potentials

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Fig. 23 Hydroponic and aeroponic systems

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Fig. 25 The Cell design concept

Sunlight radiation is the cleanest source of energy on earth, and without any negative effect on the environment it is undepletable. Using only sunlight radiation as a source, the CELL is a device that grants multi-dimensional assets for future of humanity. It is enclosing the cultivation process within the living space, not only to grow food but to grow our awareness and understanding of the importance of self-sufficiency and adaptability to our nutrition needs, setting the future lifestyle inside cities.

The CELL is rather an approach than a design proposal, it is a complete self-sufficient, sustainable system that harness sun radiation, store, interact and react accordingly.

Composed by having Solar Photovoltaic panels (as Opaque panels) that harness and store electricity from the sun radiation, using storage batteries which are already available in the market today, later to be used to feed excessive thermal and light requirements to growing the plants during cold nights, or absence of sun .

The second design aspect is the Micro farming cells, implementing the technology of hydroponic farming techniques, creating a prefabricated closed-loop network for water collection and nutrition of plant cultures. The system would have a much higher production and yielding rate than traditional farming, as well as fresh consumption of crops.

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Fig. 26 Implementation of the microfarming system in the modular units

Fig. 27 Closed loop solar powered hydroponic farming system

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No human made element can ensure shading as nature can do it, but human made elements can be used to sustain nature as a shading element. Apart from nutrition, plant cultures grown in the (CELL) are providing a natural fraction of light through leaves, maintaining the comfortable and livable space inside through conversion of carbon dioxide into oxygen, and regulation of microclimate. Furthermore, microfarms inside cells can behave as a thermal barrier, when closing the interior glazing.

Fig. 28 Sunlight and shadow studies

Fig. 29 Sun radiation analysis

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The system is designed to be flexible and can be mounted to any sunlit existing faรงade of a building, a simple window, or even designed as the structural bearing element of the building envelope. It is then monitored and controlled through a simple user-friendly application that would make it easier for anyone to understand and use it without the need for excessive knowledge about the technical aspects, highlighting only the main aspects of the system like solar battery charge, Nutrition solution levels, smart shading system, water filtration, mechanical ventilation control and plant harvest schedules.

Fig. 30 mounting the Cell on an existing window structure

Fig. 31 Interactive user-friendly application system

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2_ STEP TWO I THE COMMUNITY Creation of social platforms

Now after introducing the “know-how” and implementing the concept of hortus conclusus into the building’s architecture, the next step would be to spread into the community, creating platforms and social networks, and using the existing organizations to connect all users to share and exchange information, sell and buy products, forming local social networks and introducing a new organic home-grown fresh products market to serve both the local community, reducing its need for imported food products and increasing its production.

2.1 Local food markets / products As a result of the first phase, local food production value will increase significantly, for each microfarm that produce more than the need of the user, the rest of the produce can be sold in local food markets in order to buy other food products that are harder to grow, thus it is crucial to develop a well-connected network of local food markets in order to properly make use of these excess produce.

A strategy should be defined to promote local food markets and encourage public participation. Exhibitions and community campaigns can also be a big contributor to spreading awareness on the issue and a chance to explain the various implementation techniques and strategies to growing food in the city.

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2.2 Existing NGO programs Local food organizations that promote the production of local home-grown fresh food inside the cities already exist in most cities, various organizations with different strategies and programs may operate in the same neighborhood each on their own. The aim of this development model is to connect all of the existing programs and organization in order to have one strong network that would be able to monitor, organize, promote and develop the local food production and marketing in the community.

Another important role of this global network is to provide the necessary information on how to build, operate, farm, produce and sell home-grown produce in the community, info points and instructions should be accessible through these organizations.

2.3 Creation of a platforms : physical and virtual It is crucial to start with educating the younger minds with the threats of food insecurity and the important and benefits of growing their own food, starting from school curriculum and practices about the subject, to higher education in research and application. Eventually connecting them with the wider network of local food production.

In order for all of the involved parties to communicate, social platforms should be created in both physical presence and digital media. A building dedicated to organizing and communicating with the public and private organizations, users and city council, as well as a place that holds social gatherings, meetings and workshops about the topic.

Digital social media can be a very efficient mean of communication, digital applications on smartphones can be used to reach younger minds, instructions and information can be provided on different methods of growing food in urban residences, connecting and sharing ideas, participating in local events and exhibitions‌etc.

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Fig. 32 Local network framework diagram

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3_ STEP THREE I THE CITY

Defining an interconnected network of social platforms

The final phase of Civitatis Horti model is to spread to a wider scale, strategies to add more and more communities inside the city to the local food production through individual produce, having a ripple effect until eventually reaching city scale.

3.1 Global food networks Changing the community from consumers to producers, the local food network can be integrated into a larger setting of global food networks by exporting food to other markets outside of the community and introducing the new methods of farming architecture and home grown food culture.

3.2 Food policies Food policies have a very important role in implementing the strategy of home grown products. In coordination with the city council, public buildings would be compelled to apply the farming architecture methodology, with specific food production requirements and specifications set by food policies as role models and inspiration to the community.

3.3 Ripple effect This model is a long-term strategy, starting with the people, to defining residential building’s architecture, to having local social platforms in the community, and finally reaching a city-wide scale, redefining the culture of food consumption using what is scientifically defined as “the ripple effect�. The strategy is based on the transfer of knowledge, exhibitions, showrooms and events can be held in new destinations to show and promote the new culture of growing your own food, similar to planting a seed that grows into a tree and produce more and more seeds.

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HOW

CAN WE

APPLY THIS?

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THE PROJECT SITE Choosing a suitable project site

MILAN EXPO 2015: Feeding the planet, Energy for life Expo Milano 2015 is the Universal Exhibition that Milan, Italy. Over this period, Milan becomes a global showcase where more than 140 participating countries.

Fig. 33 Expo location in Milan

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Fig. 34 Official Milan expo Logo

The theme chosen for the 2015 Milan Universal Exposition was feeding the Planet, Energy for Life. It embraced technology, innovation, culture, traditions and creativity and how they relate to food and diet.

Expo 2015 further developed themes introduced in earlier Expos in the light of new global scenarios and emerging issues, with a principal focus on the right to healthy, secure and sufficient food for all the world’s inhabitants.

The site is located northwest of Milan, 9 km away from the city center. It has 1.1 million square meters of exhibition area.

The project was considered the cornerstone of the urban redevelopment of the entire area. After the expo period, the expo area is to be developed and used as a new mega project with the aim of maintaining the same spirit of the expo in terms of future food preservation and security.

Fig. 35 Expo site surrounding neighborhoods

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Fig. 36 Site history and transformation

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AREXPO SPA. : Post expo masterplan Arexpo is the Company owning the area involved in the EXPO 2015 Universal Exhibition jointly organized by the Lombardy Region, Municipality of Milan, Municipality of Rho, “Fondazione Fiera Milano� and Milan Province.

Post expo masterplan The infrastructure system built for EXPO2015 will provide a suitable context for the development of the future urban project, giving priority to realize a wide variety of spaces in terms of morphology, structure and size to host value-added services and public sports facilities, edutainment, entertainment and business.

Arexpo has just issued a tender on the international market for the sale of the Expo 2015 area, in order to identify a high quality project for developing a post Expo program of urban renewal.

The aim of the Masterplan is to enhance the material and intangible heritage of the Universal Exhibition through the re-use of the huge public investments already made here, in order to build the infrastructure system of the whole site, as a suitable context for the development of the future urban project.

The project seeks a high differentiation of uses and activities, giving priority to the establishment of high value-added services in spaces that vary in morphology, structure and size. This will allow the area to host a wide variety of solutions, which may make use of appropriate spaces and equipment for high quality living spaces and a provision of facilities and services in a recognizable and unique urban landscape.

Multi-theme Park will combine and integrate different vocations within this wide area: - Sports, entertainment and Family Park - Agribusiness, biodiversity, sustainability, environment - Excellence and research - Social, cultural and NGOs

Fig. 37 Proposed post expo Masterplan

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AWR AWARDS: Milan Expo Horizontal Farm AWR Competitions organizes international contests in architecture, interior design, industrial design and urban planning, continuously introduces new competitions regarding various issues, themes, topics and settings.

In December 2015 AWR announced a competition about confronting the issues of food security and Vertical urban farms, based on the concepts and principles of urban agriculture. The new project is to become a student residence combined with a horizontal farm, entitled Milan Expo Horizontal Farm.

The site area is located inside the ex EXPO 2015 site. Currently project area is occupied by the Future Food District Coop building, along the Cardo, located in front of the Open Air Theatre.

The competition involves the design of a horizontal farm with a residential use and the related reorganization of the environment. The site area covers 6.568 sqm.

The building will include several functions and their connections: Farm 40% Students residential 40% Commercial 15% Services 5% Services mean areas designed for sports and culture, administrative spaces, etc.

This brief was the basis for the design requirements of the project in the following chapter. The authors of this thesis participated in the competition, applying the hortus conclusus methodology and Agritecture typology.

The project was awarded an honorable mention out of 40 entries.

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Fig. 38 Bird shot of autostrada dei Laghi, pre-expo

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PRE DESIGN STUDIES AND ANALYSIS Understanding the site

Understanding the site is crucial and often the starting point of any design, the following studies and analysis were prepared to provide the basis of the design in order to reach an energy efficient building that makes the most use of its surroundings and climate.

Underlining main urban aspects Due to its proximity to the city center, the site has high retail value and a great deal of potential for development and thus it is important to study the landuse and key features of the surrounding neighborhoods to be able to determine the role of the building as the starting point in applying the methodology.

Local urban analysis about the landuse, accessibility and key features of the area were made, as well as the available open and green spaces. The area is categorized mostly by residential use with multiple access points to and from the city, however there is a huge lack of internal connectivity between the neighborhoods and the presence of strong barriers shielding the ex-expo site from its surroundings.

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Fig. 39 Landuse map

Fig. 40 Accessibility and transportation map

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Fig. 41 Key facilities in the area

Fig. 42 Open spaces map

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Environmental and climatic analysis The area occupied by the Expo 2015 site is located about 9 km northwest of Milan in the municipalities of Rho and Pero, and covers an area of 1.1 km2. It is adjacent to the new Fiera Milano fairgrounds, designed

by Massimiliano Fuksas, whose project may be considered the cornerstone of the urban redevelopment of the entire area. The zone had long been an industrial area before being converted to logistical and municipal services and agriculture.

It is crucial to study the climate of the area in order to apply the hortus conclusus methodology properly as well as having an energy efficient design. The analysis concluded in this study cover then solar radiation, wind and humidity ratios and also rain fall and precipitation values.

SOLAR RADIATION

Solar gains from the southern exposure require designs that employ thermal storage during the cold season and ventilation during the hot one. South facing facades have the most irradiation, through there are little losses for more east and westward exposures

Graph 1 Solar radiation vs. sunlight hours

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Graph 2 Cloud cover vs. clear skies

WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION

Solar gains from the southern exposure require designs that employ thermal storage during the cold season and ventilation during the hot one. South facing facades have the most irradiation, through there are little losses for more east and westward exposures

Graph 3 Wind speed vs. temperature

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Fig. 43 Total radiation from the sky vault

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Fig. 44 Total radiation on a vertical surface

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Fig. 45 Wind speed and direction

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PRECIPITATION AND HUMIDITY

High relative humidity with low temperature enhances condensation; high temperature with high relative humidity causes discomfort. Rain is often coupled with strong winds, while the area is subject to storm water management problems.

Graph 4 Temperature vs. humidity

Graph 5 Precipitation vs. wind speed

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Project program: student housing + urban farm The project program is associated to the AWR Milano Horizontal Farm brief, split in two main sectors of a student residence and an urban horizontal farm

STUDENT RESIDENCE: 50% 2. PUBLIC/SHARED SPACES: • Reception area • Administrative spaces • Food market and cafeteria • Multipurpose hall • Common space / study area

3. SERVICE AND UTILITY SPACES: • Laundry • Bathrooms • Storage spaces • Mechanical rooms

1. LIVING SPACE: • Student rooms • Student bathrooms • Resident director’s apartment

Fig. 46 G27 CIEE Global Institute / Macro Sea. Photo credit: Chris Mosier

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HORIZONTAL FARM: 50% 4. RESEARCH FACILITIES AND LABS • Exhibition space • Research Labs 5. FARMING SPACE: • Nursery area • Growing beds / spaces • Farming system management 6. FOOD PROCESSING SPACE: • Cleaning and packaging • Kitchen • Storage 7. SERVICE AND UTILITY SPACES: • Mechanical rooms • Biological storage • Control rooms

Fig. 47 Greenhouse team at Lufa farms, Ahuntsic. Photo credit: Lufa farms

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STEP ONE

HORTUS CONCLUSUS

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1_ DESIGN CONCEPT AND METHODOLOGY

Applying the principles of “CIVITATS HORTI� into practice

1.1 Design concept Having the previous clarifications and research as a starting point, the design concept is evolving from the idea of having an architecture that will be a fully functional lifestyle catalyzer, but at the same time the monument that will leave the morphological trace in the context of Milan on the local scale.

Everything that is occurring around us is a process, our life, our commitments, our architecture. And in the end, our food came from a process, as growing and maintaining the plants. If we imagine a time stop in these processes, where on one side we have a young brain, absorbing knowledge as a sponge, and on the other we have a moment of seeding the plant. What is common for both of them, is a moment of delivering the input in order for something to be created in near future, as the educated person in the first case, and the tree that will give fruits. In order to develop the goals mentioned before, these two processes needs to be merged together within the same environment, at these crucial points mentioned before. In the other words, seeding into the youths bright minds, in a form of the inception.

The moment of seeding presents the very beginning of this process and it all starts with a single seed, placed in the right position at the right time, and after it’s being maintained properly, the plant will grow and provide food. In the same way, we are observing this architecture as a inception, as a seed that will set the way how we will grow our food in the future, spreading as the tree drops it seeds through fruits around it and so on, as a ripple effect.

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Establishing the analogy between the seed, as the main element of this process, and our design, the form of the seed has been used as a main design input. We dismantled it into two main components, the shell and the seed core. Analogically, the shell became the building skin and envelope protecting what’s inside, while the internal part of the seed is what is the most valuable for us, the actual core of life process and a home for students and plants.

On the other hand, the typology hortus conclusus plays a very important role, setting up a base for social and philosophical approach to architecture, studying the interaction between the students and the farming process. The typology is defining the specific functional relationship between the living space and the private gardens, which will be interpreted into contemporary typology of student residences, which are proposing their direct interaction through different levels. Those levels shall be defined based on the farm type and their distribution in accordance with rooms layout, making them interact socially over the process of farming and producing food. Typology and building layout have the possibility to affect the way we work, think and behave in those spaces, when carefully controlled, architecture is a very powerful tool for influencing the future. Combining it with technology and education, we can change the way people are thinking.

Fig. 48 G27 CIEE Global Institute / Macro Sea. Photo credit: Chris Mosier

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1.2 Student life In the process of integrating student life with the farming process, it is crucial to understand both elements individually and evaluate the interaction levels when designing an architecture that will host this processes together. Precisely, it is very important to understand the student lifestyle in dormitories, their habits, behavior and in between social relationships, because in those aspects there is enough space to conduct this seeding of idea for urban agriculture.

Nowadays, the lifestyle in dormitories has changed dramatically over time. More and more youth is going for higher education, and a solid percentage of them is living in dorms during this period, since they are away from home. There, they are facing a new, simple and fast going lifestyle, mainly oriented towards academic commitments, and moreover, they are forced to socialize. While the free time has been spent in common spaces, sport activities or simply extracurricular activities. Dormitories have always been a sensitive typology for designers, since the students are spending most of their time there, so in way, architecture of these building is highly influencing their life, providing all the necessary services.

It is very complicated to influence the youth to be bounded to a certain lifestyle, especially today, when there are so many options, activities and choices available to students, and in the end, their freedom must not be obstructed in any case. It has to be a choice made upon their perception, but the problem lies in clarifying and making the proper context, since most of the people, not only youth are simply chasing their own interests. Another opportunity to act lies here, in interests, because simply it is in our interest to survive and provide a food security, in the way that it we will feel secured. The farming process therefore will not only affect the time spent during this process, but instead it will bound the student community in dormitories in a more complete way, including financial and social aspects. Interlacing of farming process with the modern youth society is a process itself.

Fig. 49 Interlacing the student life with agriculture processes

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The strength of community inside dormitories In the first place, it is widely believed that youth living in campus is more productive and more success oriented than students living at home. This phenomena is the result of living in a student community, where the principles of the more the better and indirect motivation influence between individuals is present, in the other words, generally speaking, the individual living in the community with the other individuals having the similar or the same goals is more focused and productive than an individual living with individuals that have different goals and aims.

There are also other factors influencing the productivity of an individual, like if it is self-maintaining financially or it is dependent on someone else and so on, and the complexity of understanding the student life can arise even from a very simple lifestyle.

In general, the community, as a group of individuals targeting the same goal would be more productive and time efficient in reaching them than a group of individuals sharing different aims, and therefore, the seeding can never be done individually, but instead, the target is a student community. In this sense, the trigger for initiating the process of raising awareness of food security and the process of urban farming has to be launched within a community in order to provoke a desired reaction and performance of the community. However, to avoid confusions, the aim is not a productivity in the sense of food produced, but instead the education and rising awareness of the current situation in order to establish a viable nutrition in the future times.

The sense of community inside dormitories Coming back to architecture and the typology, a convenient design methodology should be defined in order to establish the sense of community within students in order to establish the feeling of belonging and serving the purpose. We are social beings, we like to be part of something, to have a feeling of belonging and to make social relations.

In the same sense, many factors are influencing the overall life in communities. In the same way, the architecture hosting this sort of community should be bounding, enclosing, and it should provide a feeling of home. Based on this inputs, the simplest solution lies in circle, as an element that is bounding a certain area, making it in some way different from the rest of the world.

The next step would be to exclude all the other elements since only on circle, every point on the curve is having an equal distance from the center, if the center is defined as a point of interest. Interpretation it into morphology, it is becoming an atrium, or an inner courtyard, the enclosed heaven for its inhabitants that are sharing the same ideology.

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This form is analogical to the goals of having a student community of individuals that are aiming for the same goal. In the following figure, the conceptual studies of an enclosed space is presented by Dror Benshetrit for the Havada island project.

Another very important aspect related to the sense of community is coming up from the interaction of the individuals through different activities and socialization levels, it is happening in common spaces or any type of shared space. In this case, the building layout will be developed in a way that it will contain numerous common spaces like study rooms, lounge, kitchens etc. But in this case the accent will be placed on farming spaces, introducing them as a common space typology, furthermore, different levels of interactions between students within a community is influenced by a building layout.

Also, defining the title hortus conclusus as an enclosed garden is significant to understand this courtyard as an architectural element, where the enclosure is the main and dominant common space, a space of interest to inhabitants of this dorm connected with all the functions and facilities of the building of both farming and student housing.

As the following point will mention,there are three main types of farming that will be introduced for the student community to deal with: an open climate farming, controlled climate farming and a semi-controlled farming, which are going influence their perceiving of agriculture techniques through different levels of social interaction and common activities related to farming processes.

Fig. 50 Enclosed spaces concepts, Havvada Island by Dror Benshetrit, source: www.archiscene.net

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1.3 Agritecture: Open climate, controlled climate (Greenhouse), semi-controlled (Microfarming)

As mentioned earlier, the concept of Agritecture is the proper integration of both agriculture and residential uses in buildings, which may take different forms depending on the site assets, weather condition, space availability and financial budget. Oriented towards a more educational and experimental approach than a commercial one, the design of three different applications of urban farming demonstrates the ability to live and grow plants in different conditions of climate, space, technology and budget, thus giving the occupants the opportunity to later apply it in their own residences according to their needs.

The implementation of the urban farming application was divided according to the climate conditions into open climate (dependent on the weather conditions, located in the inner courtyard and in front of the building), controlled climate (in the form of a greenhouse located on the roof of the building) and a semicontrolled climate (an environment that is partially controlled to optimize seasonal yielding, located in the building hallways).

Each of the farming types is characterized by different operation methods and farming system that best match the climatic condition of the farm, moreover each farm would be dedicated to a different goal regarding the education on the students, where for example the controlled environment located in the greenhouse has the main aim of developing the farming techniques and systems in a specialized space under the supervision of more experienced managers , while the microfarming taking place in the semicontrolled environment has a direct relation and connection with the students where each student is responsible for a set of plants to farm. The open climate farm however is more oriented towards educating the general public, whether visitors or spectators about the hourtus conclusus methodology.

Fig. 51 Application of urban farming applications according to climate conditions.

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1.4 Skin concept:

Building as an organism Developing further the analogy of the seed concept, stating that the building will be made of the inner core and outer skin, and having the general concept of building envelopes, we are conceiving this typology as a living organism, having the outer skin or a membrane as a faรงade element, which makes the seed analogy complete as a main design concept. The skin will be designed to enclose the building in a complete and simple form, but on the other side, it will represent a medium in between the core and the outer world and it will contain farms that will define this medium. In order to create and develop this sort of design with the existing technologies, the skin surface will be fragmented into smaller surfaces and panels, of higher and lower priority maintaining the hierarchy of this architecture element. Furthermore, different seed shapes and envelopes are studied in order to develop the desired architecture that will in the same time, satisfy the other building aspects, such as environmental, structural, morphological etc. The seed as an inspiration has more than just a morphological and monumental, actually, these are the least important aspects, but instead, the seed shape and micromorphology can be used in order to develop an approach, that will interlace bio mimicry with architecture and its features.

Furthermore, some studies on the analogy and interpretation of the seed crust into a building faรงade took place in order to optimize this architectural element, with particular attention to some of the environmental and sustainability aspects. What is definite as a solution that it has to be fragmented into smaller elements, panels that will, with its porosity create the element with desired properties as selective membrane for solar radiation, optimized shape for best insolation for plants, and spaces for placing the plants with the following technology. Apart from that, as any other skin of the building, it should selectively allow the natural light to penetrate into a certain areas of the building, which will be programmed further on.

Another very important aspect is the pattern of the panels, which, a side that it has to fulfil all the previous aspects, it has to be structurally competent to carry the self-weight and the weight of the plants with corresponding systems. For this reason several natural patterns that are coming from the seed micromorphology have been studied as a starting point, that will be further developed into a fully functional building envelope, these examples are shown in the following Figure 52 It would be naive to clarify that this micromorphology is overtaken just for sake of a complete analogy and the wish of the authors to design a seed alike building, but in fact, the formal part of it is the least important aspect of this analogy, moreover, this patterns can be also find in many other natural elements, as the honeycomb hexagon pattern, voronoi pattern, different types of mosaic patterns etc. But what matters is, apart from structural aspect, in the sense that this element will enclose the whole building and it has to be able to carry the load in all the angles from vertical to arc type loads, it has to have a certain aspect of in between relations, in the other words, it has to work as a living system, an organism that will be able to function in a holistic way, on multiple scales, and self-dependent.

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In this phase, the overall conceptual reframing takes place for the skin, with the goal to set the properties that this envelope will fulfill, later on, the detailed design and patterns will be developed, taking into consideration all the necessary aspects of it, and also when the form would be defined according to the concept of the seed

Fig. 52 Morphology and micromorphology of the seed coats, Ligia Queiroz Matias and Geraldo Soares; Source: scielo.iec.pa.gov.br/scielo

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Fig. 53 Concept development sketches

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2_ CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT Applying the principles of “CIVITATS HORTI� into practice

2.1 Space relations and functional aggregation – Dorm community spaces

Some aspects of the design mentioned and discussed above, should equally be reflected in the program arrangement and the functional aggregation of this building, in order to maintain the methodology applied. In a certain way, the communities, as mentioned above, to be durable and to maintain their values are requiring spaces that will be made in accordance with this design method. In particular the atrium was the most dominant interaction space, while after it the whole network of common spaces and functions is developed. It is important to have in mind the level of interactions between the student living units, students, farming spaces and farming processes, in order to understand their in between relations and design the proper space to host them. In order to do this, before the brief interpretation and program conceiving, it is important to point out couple of design methods that will be used as a tools while defining the program, massing and conceiving the building as a fully functional unity. They can be outlined as the following.

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A. Functional aggregation - Integrated living communities In today’s practice, most of the dormitory design trends are having a clear spatial relations outlined by a rigid volumetrical and functional segregations, in this way, the activities are rigidly separated as well, providing different spaces for different uses in a predefined areas. In this way, the living experience is focused on one activity at the time, and it doesn’t involve the aspect of multitasking.

On the other hand, the integrated living communities’ method has been studied in order to estimate the capability of this method to carry out the programming of hortus typology since it requires the functions to be closely integrated and mixed, instead of having a rigid segmentation.

Designing a rigidly segmented layout would be as a city that has rigidly separated residential, cultural and commercial areas, which implies that a certain number of trips has to be made, but also immersion and full experience is not possible while more space is occupied. The solution is illustrated below in Figure 53 and Figure 54.

Managed in this way, the program becomes smoother, accessible, and the most important, it outlines the sense of community in between the users of the building, making them feel like at home while farming, studying, or doing other common actives. Precisely, the living communities will have all the necessary functions together, in all the parts of the building, such as kitchen, common lounge, laundry service and of course, entirely surrounded by micro farms.

Fig. 54 ‘’Rather than cram all sorts of programming into student housing facilities, universities should allow housing facilities to remain separate spaces where students can both study and relax’’; www.gensleron.com

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Fig. 55 ’Integrated learning networks keep students immersed in the full college experience while saving space and fostering connections’’; www.gensleron.com

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B. Levels of social interaction In order to establish the desired activities within the layout, it is important to design the proximity of the different farming types with the student private and common spaces. This should be carefully intended to attract and hold the young minds, keeping their awareness and attention on the whole project goal, the food security, so the first one would be microfarms, than the greenhouse is more specific, distant, while the land farms located in the main courtyard should represent the gathering and the biggest common space.

In the other words, the hierarchy would be as explained in the following scheme in figure 55.

In this way, the first levels of interaction are defined, without taking into consideration the aspects of security and secondary connections that will be further discussed in the later stage of the design process.

Fig. 56 Hierarchy configuration digram

Based on these principles, the first step to reach the most suitable space relation and functional aggregation was to list all of the functions and facilities in the building.

According to the project brief, the functions of the building can be split into three main categories which are, commercial and public use, student residence and farming spaces. Each sector requires sub-related functions that are specifically dedicated to the sector use and shares some functions with other sectors such as the microfarming and restaurant place, thus it is necessary to identify the common space function usage to be able to design the most functional space relation.

Realizing the three main functions of the building, the public and commercial functions would take place on the ground floor allowing the interaction with the outdoor spaces and also the ease of access for the public to the exhibition hall and multipurpose rooms for participation of public events.

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Fig. 57 Space program according to function

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Fig. 58 Functional relationship diagram

The solar greenhouse is placed on the roof of the building to make the most use of natural sunlight and solar energy possible, while the student residences is located in between both functions as the main derivative the manages the building.

The student residence would have separate individual entrances other than the main reception and entrance for the public, however all three sectors are interconnected and share the same functional use in the inner courtyard, the hortus conclusus where student and public can meet, participate and enjoy the farming experiences, or take part in events and exhibitions happening there.

Fig. 59 Vertical relationship diagram

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The final step of the function aggregation was to integrate all of the functions in a way that would allow the smooth flow in the daily activities for the users while applying the hortus conclusus concept and the Agritecture methodology. As a result, a series of small networks of “living colonies� are designed, each of which works as a complete system with their functional needs, in a sense, a small neighborhood within a community. This is illustrated in the diagram below.

Fig. 60 final space arrangement and functional aggregation diagram

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2.2 Massing development The evolution of the building form was conducted as an iterative process in order to satisfy all the aspects considered and to establish a desired morphology that has been discussed in the conceptual reframing part. The aspects such as environmental strategies, shading, orientation, and the general design concept were inter-weaved in order to optimize the volume and reach the final appearance, and host the predefined program. Some of those iterations were based on the architectural decisions, while some of them are implying the application of different modifications in order to reach an energy efficient form that will use in the most convenient way, the available resources from the environment.

Volume programmatic evolution

Fig. 61 Volume evolution steps

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A. The first impression of the building appeared in the form of seed (Fig. 61, step 1), based on the previous clarifications and analogy, and this method had the potential to be kept until the end of the design phase, in order to maintain consistency in the design process. However, since the overall image should highlight the seed morphology in horizontal and the vertical axis, and some modifications had to be done, so the final appearance of it came between the seed alike footprint and the building section that can efficiently use the available resources, which makes it unique in a way.

B. The offset of the building footprint happened in order to maintain the idea of an internal open courtyard (Fig. 61, step 2), and a hortus conclusus typology, while then the previously defined stories and the corresponding program was placed between the horizontal divisions of the extruded footprint according to the previously structured programmatic relations and functions position (Fig. 60).

C. The front part of the volume has been lowered in order to allow the sun to penetrate the courtyard, which is crucial for thermal comfort and the requirements of the plants inside it (Fig. 61, step 4 and 5). Firstly, the simple extrusion has been used for shadow analysis and compared with the model where the front part was gradually lowered, where the floors were stepped into a form where on second and third floor the residential area is directly connected to the greenhouse, which is further contributing to the idea of having farms as main common spaces for social interaction. It is obvious from the image below (Figure 62), that the option on the right is more contributing to a proper sun insolation, both for agriculture and for spaces around the building. The building orientation is adjusted according to the similar parameters, but also considering the exposure of the building to sun in order to maintain the planting conditions on the faรงade, and the already placed program inside the building (Figure 61, step 6).

D. After the solid is partially defined, the skin of the building, having regard to the desired morphology, was recreated in the way that it will respect the necessary floor heights on the greenhouse level, and to provide a farming medium, as spoken before (Fig. 61, step 7). The surfaces for microfarming were made on suitable area where the sun is reaching the faรงade and where the corridors were located internally, as shown (Fig. 61, step 8).

The skin itself is the compound object, previously explained and analyzed in the part related to the Cell concept, which, with its properties, is contributing to the building performance having regard to the use of environmental resources, such as sun and rain, in order to provide an efficient farming slots.

Fig. 62 Shadow analysis for extrusion on the left, and for optimized volume on the right

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E. The main entrance in the building was created on the position facing the square and access to EXPO site from south, in order to maintain the biggest flow of people for commercial and exhibition functions, while the three entrances for students and residents are formed on three opposite sides, one common with commercial, one on north and one on west. In order to highlight the main combined entrances, the skin is folded on the front side, giving accent to them (Fig. 61, step 9).

F. After this first phase of reframing the main concepts and implementing the initial design decisions, this architecture already got its primary appearance regarding the build-able area, and volumetric relations, as shown on the figure X. Where the two main architectural elements are present, the skin, and the solids inside it. Even the curves of the form itself are corresponding to the demand for placing farms on the faรงade, by their geometry, according to the sun radiation.

Circulation and public domain The first thing that is following the curves of the building is the movement of the people inside it, it is crucial to control the circulation paths, both horizontal and vertical, in this mixture of uses, climatic zones and functions. Since it is decided that microfarming will take place in the common corridors, they need to be placed in the corresponding position according to the farming and functional demands.

This has been done as on the following diagrams (Figure 64), keeping the corridors always on the south side, and swapping it in the building cross section where the sun ray is touching tangentially the building perimeter.

Fig. 63 volume first phase evolution output

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Fig. 64 Circulation assessment and criteria

After the main horizontal circulation is assigned according to the above mentioned criteria, the vertical cores are placed following the main entrances and the structural vertical bracing rule. The final touch were the bridges that will establish the interconnectivity between the corridors and common spaces on multiple levels, those will be further developed in the later phase of the process.

In order to establish the desired relation with local communities and stakeholders, it is necessary to enclose the process of farming with the public space as much as possible, and maintain visual connections between them, to create a user friendly space and share the spirit of homegrown food. And therefore, the relations between public domain and private spaces were carefully designed, in order provoke their intermediate conflict, in the sense that desired audience would be interested to see and experience this form of life through an organic food restaurant, mensa and the exhibition space. The established public and private relations in the ground floor are shown on figure 65. In this way, the local communities can have a unique experience while visiting the complex, but however, only the ground common space in the courtyard is exposed, so in this way, the inhabitants are keeping their privacy, since it overlaps with their ‘’public’’ common space.

Fig. 65 Ground floor public domain

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Primary energy consumption estimations After the solids have been defined, the first analysis on energy consumption can be made in order to understand the performance of the building and the basic cooling and heating loads, so the optioneering can be performed in some design aspects in order to optimize the building performance. The first analysis has been carried out with Sefaira application that will give this sort of data based on the input information about basic wall U-values, ventilation and infiltration rate, and basic data about HVAC units.

Upon the current trends and technological possibilities, the first baseline concept is defined as the following for the solid part of the building:

Table 3 Sefaira application input U-values

All the other parameters like infiltration and ventilation rate, solar heat gain and such, were taken from average recommended values for this typology of the building from ASHRAE code 90.1 – 2013.

The building program input, in terms of heating and cooling load, used area and similar is reported in the following table:

Table 4 Sefaira application program input

Due to the complex geometry of the building, the analytical model had to be simplified in order for Sefaira application to understand and conduct the analysis on the complex geometry. These simplifications were made by reducing the number of faces in the model, since Sefaira application can only analyze up to 30.000 planar faces, and no mesh geometry, the curves of the building were broken into planar faces geometry, and the fact that only the solids contained more than 20.000, the skin had to be simplified.

It was conducted in a way that only the panels that are actually casting shadows were considered, maintaining the original porosity of the skin according to the initial design. The simplified model and the first phase analysis output are as follows.

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Table 5 Sefaira application program output

Fig. 66 Sefaira application program output

It is important to mention, that from the energy consumption point of view, that due to the many design aspects considered, the final goal of optimization will not be an entirely low energy building, but instead, since we are speaking about the typology that will be a trigger for nutrition future, the compromise will be more on the other aspects, such as architecture, functionality, community and building purpose itself. And therefore the energy estimations will not play an important role in this project, but however, they will be considered as a parameter for optimization.

The value of 62 kWh/m2 can be considered as a primary value, the consumption itself coming only from the current envelope, volume and openings. Furthermore, the optioneering will be made on the following aspects in order to reach a more efficient solution: • Passive strategies (envelope, heating zones, shading and opening positions) • Active strategies (PV panels and geothermal heat pump) These reported values will be used further on to estimate the fields where the intervention or a change in the design may occur in order to satisfy some energy efficiency standards, however, we can’t deny the fact that this analysis would be very in precise due to the complicated factors combination such as presence of the greenery on the facades, roof and around the facility, and the fact that the real energy demand for farming may be changed or even reduced with the technological improvement, in any case, the worst case scenario can be estimated and maintained properly.

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2.3 Space hierarchy As the project has been developed through an introvert process, it is important to highlight the steps of development, in the sense that some aspects were developed after some other ones, and therefore, while the main focus of the thesis has accent on the building itself, together with the hortus conclusus typology, and Agritecture as a method, this process caused the area around to be functionally integrated into one systematical unity.

More precisely, the hierarchy of the project as a whole, is engaging the building with the corresponding neighboring exterior spaces, as a protagonist, while the environment, and other spaces in EXPO areas that will be developed in step 2, as a caused consequence of step 1, and so on.

So far, the spaces of step 1, can be summarized as on the following diagram (Figure 67):

Fig. 67 Step 1 spaces hierarchy

Biodiversity area will be developed as a thematic relaxation zone, with park alike structure, mainly with a goal to offer a natural environment for the visitors and the residents to relax and experience the nature in gradient from grass surface to artificial water feature surrounding the EXPO site. On transition to the building, the outside sitting area of the restaurant will be located. During the summer, it will offer a comfort zone, situated between spaces emanating with greenery.

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The space in a transition zone, between the square and the building will be organized as an open exhibition space, where the residents would be able to organize fairs, workshops and such events on the open space, with a goal to demonstrate their research and lifestyle. These two spaces will be fatherly developed as a transition zones between step 1 and step 2 areas.

The final program recapitulation for the building layout is shown in the following tables:

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Table 6 Developed floor areas

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After the program and the volume are fully developed in this phase, the building plans were produced accordingly, keeping in mind the methodology of the hourtus conclusus with all the functions are circulated around the inner courtyard and are scattered in groups forming a network of interconnected clusters.

Moreover the strong relation between the student housing units and the farming process is clear and can be seen in the microfarming units surrounding the corridors. The final functional building layout is as on figure 68:

Fig. 68 Building functional layout

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Fig. 69 Vision of the living green membrane

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3_ SCHEMATIC DESIGN Working towards an energy efficient design

This chapter will cover the passive and active strategies according to the climatic analysis and sun study in order to conserve energy use and maximizing the renewable energy gain as much as possible through developing the design, however the aim of this building is oriented towards an experimental and educational approach which in some cases might require minor sacrifices in the energy conservation on the account of having a crucial design requirement.

As mentioned before in the pre-design studies, the site location is characterized by hot summer days, which would require cooling and cold winter nights that demand heat, also the need for natural ventilation to circulate the building in the microfarming areas to avoid excessive humidity and precipitation. As a result, the strategies would be oriented towards providing the necessary shading for the students without affecting the plants, preserving heat during cold weather and ventilating unwanted hot air, recirculation of warm air inside from the student housing units to the greenhouse providing both heat and carbon dioxide for the plants and finally making use of natural daylighting as much as possible.

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3.1 Passive and active strategies A combination between active and passive design strategies was made to maximize the use of natural resources and renewable energy and to reduce the energy consumption rates. The strategies are based on the climate analysis done in the previous phase.

Utilizing the natural winds from the southeast for cross ventilation during summer, as well as high radiation values for producing electricity through photovoltaic panels and for growing vegetation on the facades. In winter, we make use of the high ground temperatures by using a ground heat pump to reduce the heating loads, furthermore, we make use of the heated air in the residences by pumping it into the greenhouses on the roof to supply heat and excess carbon dioxide the helps the growth of the plants.

The strategies are designed to maximize the building performance all year round, where in summer and spring maximizes the use of natural winds, internal courtyard and recessed facades.

On the other hand, in winter and autumn, the hallways are closed to create a greenhouse gas effect to warm up the residences using the low sun rays, and recycle the air through the ground heat pump to minimize the heating loads.

Fig. 70 Passive and active strategies

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The behavior of the building during summer and winter time is illustrated below in the following figures.

Fig. 71 Summer behavior according to passive and active strategies

Fig. 72 Winter behavior according to passive and active strategies

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Passive strategies Cross ventilation The southeast – northwest orientation of the building allows the usage of the cool winds during the spring and summer times.

Openings on the ground floor are made on both sides, allowing the passage of air inside the inner courtyard to create a spiral effect inside the seed ventilating all of the rooms. The hallways facing the south and southeast are ventilated as well to release the excess heat.

Green facades According to the total radiation from the sky vault, the building have enough solar radiation to sustain growing vegetation on the facades during summer and spring, without any excess radiation required.

The design of the green façades would be further developed to house the microfarming units as a result from the Agritecture methodology used for the design.

Fig. 73 Radiation analysis, JAN 1 – DEC 31

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Roof greenhouse Having a greenhouse to occupy the entire roof with the highest sky-view percentage, not only act as a barrier to the residences below from the cold winter nights and hot summer days, but also to gain the maximum use from the free natural solar energy from the sun and produce fresh products through the use of hydroponics later explained in the following chapter.

Internal courtyard A main catalyst for the hortus conclusus concept, the internal courtyard has a very strong effect on conserving passive energy where it helps circulating the fresh air in summer, while maintains a warmer shielded air in winter. Having the courtyard also increased the amount of sunlight that reaches into the building, as well as the sunlight hours per farming space. I.e. expanding the space area of the faรงade with enough sunlight hours to be able to farm.

Shading The recessed facades with cantilever hallways going all the way through the south and southeast sides of the building acts as shading agents that prevent direct solar radiation on the residence rooms in high summer sun, while allows them for low winter sun to warm up. Addition building skin is added to reduce glare and help control the climate inside the hallways. Also acting as the housing unit for the microfarming units for the green faรงade.

Fig. 74 Sunlight hours analysis

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Active strategies Photovoltaic Panels To achieve maximum efficiency of the PV panels within the boundaries and requirements of the design, an in-depth study of the solar path, the orientation of the site and its exposure to solar radiation is required.

The use of the PV panels is intended to supply enough energy to maintain the microfarming system used in the building only.

According to the solar radiation analysis, the PV panels are best placed on the slightly inclined (15 degrees) faces of the faรงades facing south and southeast.

Geothermal heat pump Geothermal systems can help heat pumps to produce energy using thermal conductors from superficial aquifiers. These help pumps to increase their efficiency (at least to 5 COP) both in winter and in summer, thanks to the thermal exchanges between probes and aquifier water. Near the project area, the aquifiers reach from 5 to 10 meters, which makes the system convenient to use.

Fig. 75 Ground temperature to depth graph

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3.2 Envelope design Faced with the issue of protecting the building core as well as housing the main microfarming units integrated into the building structure itself, applying the Agritecture methodology, the building envelope is a proposal to create a living building membrane which would harness the full potential of the sunlight, and transform it into tangible resources. Intensifying the light relation with architecture and the environment while presenting us with the opportunity to grow food using the building its self as the growing medium.

Another important aspect of the envelope is to protect the building core and reduce energy consumption through the use of shading and studying daylight autonomy of the building.

Pattern evolution Inspired by the seed micro morphology, the concept of the envelope design is having a living skin membrane consisted of modular cells that house different functions according to the need of the building, either serving as a farming cell for growing food, photovoltaic cells to produce energy, a still or movable window or a simple opaque cell, all of which are stacked and work together as a complete self-sufficient system that breath air, photosynthesize and produce food for the building inhabitants. As discussed before in the skin concept (see page 87), a study on the different patterns for the skin was concluded to state which form would have the maximum space efficiency, ease in production and has a high structural performance.

As a result, the hexagonal shaped cell was chosen as the base modular unit of the skin, the cell.

Fig. 76 Application of different skin patterns for the envelope

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Fig. 77 East façade view with final skin design

Energy performance One crucial aspect of designing the envelope is its contribution to the building’s energy performance, whether through direct contribution of active or passive strategies, or even through indirect contribution like producing food to the building inhabitants. A study has been made on the building to analyze the effect of having the skin designed a cellular structure made up of the hexagonal cells with the ratio between solid and glazing varies according to the corresponding floor plan as explained earlier. Focusing on three main attributes which are Daylight factor, Radiation and Illuminance, having in mind that the greenhouse requirements are different than the residence, to be later discussed in detail.

Fig. 78 Daylight factor distribution by floor

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Fig. 79 Illuminance values distribution by floor (lux)

Fig. 80 Radiation distribution by floor (kWh/m2)

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Shading and glare A day light simulation was made in the northeast corridor to test the effect of the new skin on the shading and illuminance values inside the hallways, as well as the glare effect. The simulation was set to the date 15th of July marking the highest sun and warmest weather. According to the baseline result, the corridors will have some disturbing glare mostly in the summer, during the morning hours, however this study was concluded without taking into account the shade caused by the plants grown in the microfarming cells that during that time, should be in their full grown form and is expected to decrease the disturbing glare.

Fig. 81 Glare effect after placement of skin

The building illuminance analysis indicates the building is very well lit in the hallways and common spaces of the residences, as well as in the ground floor commercial and exhibition spaces. The figure on the right shows the illuminance values recorded on the surfaces of the cells, with an average value of 4000 lux which is more than sufficient for the plants in the microfarms to photosynthesize.

The mean illuminance value inside the corridors however is 400 lux in the shade, which corresponds to a good visual comfort without having over exposed surfaces or excessive intolerable glare inside. This result is thanks to the cellular skin envelope that has the width of each cell and the glazing ratio based on the needs of the spaces in a scattered manor that avoids huge concentrations of sun radiation, unlike the traditional window glazing option.

The envelope is to be further developed to house mechanized or annually controlled openings that would help control the climate inside the corridors, where in summer would be opened to allow the natural winds to ventilate the space, while in winter would be closed, generating a greenhouse effect inside that would warm up both the plants and the residence rooms’ walls.

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Fig. 82 Daylight simulation inside the northeast facing corridor

Fig. 83 Illuminance values recorded inside the corridors

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Microfarming system design The microfarming system is a clear interpretation of the design methodology Agritecture, where farming food and urban living are no longer considered two different functions but one, having the skin of the building itself acting as the farming ground not only saves space and energy, but much more than that, It incepts the idea that we should be responsible for growing our own food in the city.

Traditional farming takes a great deal of knowledge, care and maintenance that not everybody can acquire, thus this new system should be easy to use, with least maintenance and human intervention required.

After a very extensive research about the applications of hydroponics and aquaponics, the site climatic analysis, the targeted consumer ages and the skin structural properties, the most optimum solution is to have a self-sufficient, self-sustaining NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) system with a closed loop that uses and reuses the same nutrient rich water solution, with monitoring points that allow us to check and adjust the PH values of the solution. This operation can be controlled manually or mechanically automated.

The system is to be applied in the designated faรงade cells according to the previous energy analysis, where it will have enough radiation, illuminance and sunlight hours to maintain and grow the plants. The loops are to be determined according to the corresponding height of the building, with a pump at the bottom that recycles the nutrient rich water solution back up the cycle, these pumps will be powered by the solar energy harvested from the photovoltaic panels on the skin.

Fig. 84 Microfarming cell breakdown

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The microfarming system is based on a closed loop, thus a network of water flow and electrical circuit must be able to go through all of the connected cells.

In order for the system to work each cell is designed to house a closed compartment consisted of two small compartments, one for housing the electrical cables connecting the solar PV panels to storage batteries, and the other to house the flow of water and the planting beds.

When the cells are connected together, they interlock forming the downstream flow of water powered by gravity until reaching a predetermined point where they are collected in a reservoir to be checked for their PH levels and adjusted accordingly, the final step is to move on from the reservoir to the pump allowing the water to return back and start a new cycle.

The system will function both in summer and in winter, however in hot summer weather, constant water flow must be applied in order to avoid root drought.

Fig. 85 Microfarming closed-loop system diagram

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The placement of the microfarming systems is according to a series of steps based on the building functions and energy analysis. The skin was dismantled and flattened to be able to clearly understand and identify the most suitable location for the farms.

The following step was to cross-reference the corresponding building functions with the total sky radiation analysis in order to identify the most suitable cells to house the microfarming unit system.

Fig. 86 Defining the microfarming systems location on the building envelope

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The microfarming system is composed of a series of smaller connected systems that acts together as one closed loop membrane, where nutrient-rich water solution is introduced to the system starting point, it flows down through a series of outlets and streams with natural gravity until collected at the end through a vertical pipe and stored in a reservoir for checking the acidity of the solution and modified if needed, the reservoir is then opened to allow the water into the pumping chamber which pushes it through a vertical pipe and into the outlets of the next patch.

Fig. 87 Configuration of the microfarming closed loop system

This process goes on until the last patch where the water is either disposed of or return back into the first input point of the system, closing the loop.

The system has multiple sensors that measure the temperature and humidity, amount of solar energy stored in batteries, the PH values in the nutrient solution, all of which are managed by a smart system that the user can interact with through various control points scattered in the corridors, or through a smart phone application that is design specifically to allow users to monitor and adjust the system, furthermore this smart system keeps track and manages the yielding periods of plants grown, according to individual user preferences.

Fig. 88 Interactive user-friendly application to monitor and control the microfarming system

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3.3 Greenhouse design The design of the greenhouse can be categorized into four main rooms according to the farming types used in each one, every sector is specialized to growing specific types of fruits and vegetables that share the same requirements of climate condition. However the entire greenhouse manages to have the same design principles that governs the farming process.

Starting with the nursery, where plant seedlings are nourished for one to two weeks then they are placed in their perspective farming type to grow. Finally the mature plants are yielded, processed and stored for consumption.

Fig. 89 Farming process diagram

The climate inside the greenhouse is controlled to provide the optimum weathering condition for the plants, first through passive and active strategies like automated cooling in summer through natural ventilation and recycling the used warm air from the residences in winter to provide warmth and supply carbon dioxide for the plants.

Additional Air conditioning units and Carbon dioxide generators are placed to compensate in case of need, as well as dehumidifiers and mechanized ventilation for recirculating the air inside the greenhouse.

Each room is sealed shut and is set to a specific closed climate condition in terms of temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide levels that best fits the plants and farming systems, monitored and controlled by an automated smart system that control the vents, generators, humidifier and air-conditioning units.

Accessibility for each room is separate to its respective floor but all of them are connected through vertical lifts internally. Yielded products intended for long term storage or for selling are then transported to the basement storage facility, where they are processed and stored.

The greenhouse is designed to have four different hydroponic farming systems intentionally to explore and develop the science of urban farming, these systems further developed and advance frequently thus the greenhouse has an open floor plan with movable furniture to provide the flexibility needed for any future changes or development in the systems.

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Fig. 90 Greenhouse farming systems

Table 7 Proposed plants to grow for each farming system

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Fig. 91 View of the living skin membrane

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4_ BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES Applying the principles of “CIVITATS HORTI� into practice

4.1 Building systems The initial concept related to HVAC system and general passive strategies is to keep the building separated into three main thermal zones according to their uses, and the corresponding heating and cooling loads, as displayed on the following figure 92.

In this way, roughly, the commercial, residential and farming zone are pointed out, with their main characteristics. Basically, as the main strategy, the farming zone in the level with the residential units will be a buffer zone, partially controlled, but mainly without an emphasized treatment, similar to the greenhouse, that will be just an air recirculation with heat recovery from the previous floors, which will make it a very efficient zone.

Fig. 92 Thermal zones

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The residential and common spaces will have the usual requirements for living, with the temperatures set points as mentioned before in the first Sefaira application analysis, while the commercial space would be the adaptive zone, with multi zone system that can be triggered by as needed by the number of occupants. In this way, due to the indoor thermal comfort requirements two solutions will be used, both capable to recirculate around 800 m3 of air, one for residential space, and one for commercial and farming, when taken into account with the similar capacity, both with the efficient heat recovery mode.

And also both will be paired with the geothermal heat pump that will improve the general efficiency of the whole system. Ground-air heat exchangers (also known as earth tubes) offer an innovative method of heating and cooling a building and are often used on zero carbon / Passivhaus buildings. Linked up with a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery (MVHR), they can offer significant energy savings for the whole building. Ventilation air is simply drawn through underground pipes at around 5 meter deep which pre-heats the air in the winter and pre-cools the air in the summer. The temperatures on this level are analyzed in the previous part in order to have the basis for designing such a system.

The ductwork is designed accordingly, with the cross section from 600 to 350 cm2, generated in the folded ceiling in the rooms and commercial spaces, while in the farming area is open and visible in the corridors to express the spirit of these spaces. The general duct network and the diameters are shown on figure X, with three vertical directions located in for that presumed spaces beside the elevators, in three concrete cores of the building.

Fig. 93 Duct network distribution in BIM model

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Fig. 94 Duct network axonometries – system network and elements

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Within the network, three main types of diffusers were used, the rectangular and circular ceiling ones for commercial and residential, and the rectangular floor diffuser in the greenhouse spaces, according to the estimated air flow rates and air distributions inside each space. In this phase, there won’t be any detailed calculations performed on the topics of flow rates and the precise elements dimensioning, but the base is set, so the whole system can be developed fully without clashes with other building elements.

In order to meet the desired energy standards, after some part of the skin design and optimization is complete, as well as the layout of the building with corresponding details, we are conducting a final recap for how the different passive and active strategies will impact the final building performance, applying the more detailed parameters for Sefaira application.

The optimized U-Values are as the following:

Table 8 Sefaira application input U-values

All the other input values like cooling and heating set points, areas distribution and analytical model are as used before in the initial analysis, but the current envelope U-Values shall be clarified in the later stage. And therefore, the summarization of the active and passive strategies and their impact on overall building performance is shown in table 9.

From the secondary analysis it is visible that the final consumption varies around 37 kWh/m2, which would be the performance of the building at this stage of the design, and it is reached by implementation of the following strategies: • Natural ventilation - stack ventilation with 5% openable glazing surface • Shading - the shading of the skin has been taken into account by interpreting its geometry into data that Sefaira is capable to compute, and therefore the depth is 35-40 cm and height is 90 cm, as the geometry of the hexagons • Heating and cooling COP’s are set respectively to 0.8 and 4.5, however this numbers depend on the performance of the selected system • Renewable energy from PV panels - 6% of the total skin surface with the proper orientation has been used as PVs with 12% efficiency • Ground heat pump system implemented with seasonal COP of 6 and 50 kW capacity 140

All this design data is just setting the initial technological framework, and is relevant to the current project scale and level of details in scope of the thesis work, however it can vary and undergo some modifications in the further project development

Table 9 Sefaira application output values

4.2 Detail development After the design phase and design development is concluded, the envelope details are evolving in the form of nodes and vertical and horizontal closures. Initially, the envelope has been schematically designed following up with the particular criteria like: • Defining the hierarchical relationships between the wall types from skin to internal divisions, in order to maintain and respect previous design decisions such as buffer zones, vertical and horizontal thermal envelope and the functional layout • Establishing the sufficient space in the ceiling area in order to avoid clashes and presume enough room for ductwork and installations • Resolve in the conceptual phase some structural elements and their connections, define the skin structure and materials 141

Because of the idea to make the building as a monumental element in the present context, different materials were taken into consideration for skin and for internal construction. Between steel and concrete framing, the concrete has been chosen for internal traditional construction, because of the particular geometry of the building, and since the concrete can be shaped easier. Another aspect considered is the durability and carbon footprint, which is another reason for selecting concrete and defining the internal construction with RC beams, slabs and columns.

The material selection for skin was a bit more complicated since it had to satisfy the structural and functional aspect of the design, so the first studies went to wood, steel framing and different concrete solutions, such as glass and fiber reinforced concrete. Some of the studies solutions are shown in the following figures, wood was excluded in the beginning since it demands a bit bigger cross section than steel and fiber concrete, and it does not match with the general monolithic shape idea, which doesn’t depend only on shape actually, but also on the architectural relation to its material selection.

Fig. 95 Steel framing solution with insulation inside

Fig. 96 Fiber concrete monolithic solution

The advantages of steel framing is the dry construction, but the complexity due to the many different elements and connections is a drawback. On the other side, fiber concrete offers a more elegant solution, where the clusters of cellular skin can be precasted and assembled on site. The first schematic section is presented below with some design peculiarities.

The focus was to design a detailed solution for the partial section of the typical residential floor, made of student room and corridor as a base for solving the whole section, since the elements and detail typology is replicated all over the plan and section. Then, as the main elements, external wall, internal wall and skin on the right were the main closures to optimize, and reach the desired envelope performance.

The construction is simply organized on two main axes defining the student rooms’ boundary and thermal envelope, between there are tile-linted slabs, while the part below the corridor is cantilever.

The first obvious peculiarity is the break in the tile-linted slab, in order to establish the continuity of the thermal envelope. Afterwards, the closures were optimized as in the following variations shown on the Figures 98, 99 and 100.

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Fig. 97 Schematic section solution with steel framing as skin construction

Fig. 98 Partial section – variation 1

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Fig. 99 Partial section – variation 2

Fig. 100 Partial section – variation 3

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There were two options for skin fixations, they were examined from structural and constructional point of view, in order to enhance this node and create a convenient solution. The results of such optioneering together with the other variations are summarized below.

Axis A: • Wall

• Installations

- Variation 1 – GFRC panels laying in the level of the slab,

- Integrated folded metal cable box on the top left inside

anchored inside with the total load on the steel anchoring

surface

- Variation 2 – GFRC panels intersected with the slab extension, anchored inside with the linear load distribution over the slab edge

Axis B: • Wall

• Installations

- Variation 1 – Double stud in Knauf system with extension

- Variation 1 - Rectangular air duct in the total height of the

between the tile-linted slabs in order to establish the continuity of the thermal envelope

folded ceiling - Variation 3 – Properly dimensioned slim air duct

- Variation 3 – Double stud in Knauf system with rigid insulation block in between the tile-linted slabs is the solution that can be mounted easier

Axis C: • Wall -Variation 1 – Double stud in Knauf system with skin GFRC panel laying in the level of the slab, anchored inside with the total load on the steel anchoring -Variation 2 – Single stud in Knauf system with insulated skin GFRC panel laying in the level of the slab, anchored inside with the total load on the steel anchoring -Variation 3 – Single stud in Knauf system with insulated skin GFRC panel intersected with the slab plane, anchored inside with the linear load distribution over the slab edge

Additionally, the belt of greenery has been added in the section over the corridor in order to improve the overall thermal comfort and contribute to the indoor climate. With the following the optioneering the final partial cross section is defined as on figure 101.

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Fig. 101 Partial section – Final solution

Fig. 102 Partial plan – Final solution

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Fig. 103 Partial elevation – Final solution

Fig. 104 Partial elevation – Final solution

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Mainly, the vertical closure on Axis C and the internal partitioning on Axis B were optimized to reach the U-Values below 0.15, and the final solution is presented on Figure 105.

Fig. 105 Other vertical closures

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The rest of the envelope and closures has been developed within the same manner and the building performance target. Regarding the partial plan on the figure 106, the modularity has been emphasized in order to maintain the correspondence between different layers from skin on the left to the internal partition in the middle. The presented situation is covering the ordinary situation in the straight part of the plan, while the modularity would be broken or modified in the curved parts of the plan.

There were different requirements for floor finishing according to the functional layout, so in the residential part, the regular parquet is distributed, while in the commercial and greenhouse the raised floor for installations is dominating. The folded ceiling is adapted for the installations and duct network, while in the corridor and microfarming spaces the improvised green ceiling is placed to regulate indoor thermal comfort.

The final solution for the Node 1 on Figure 107 is the linear load distribution with the partial overlapping of the slab with the external insulated GFRC panels, and in order to reach the desired performance, one more single stud has been added, as shown before. The thermal envelope continuity over the foundation is established by the usage of concrete with additives in the cubic form between the foundation footing and foundation wall, as shown in the Node 3. The solution in the Node 2 related to the continuity of the thermal barrier was solved by using the rigid insulation block in the full height of the tile-linted slab, in order to make the construction process easier, and therefore the Knauf system wall is starting after the rigid part.

Fig. 106 Horizontal closures

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Fig. 107 Node 01 - Slab and external wall

Fig. 108 Node 02 - Slab and internal wall connection

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Fig. 109 Node 03 - External wall strip foundation

4.3 Plans and sections After the main framework for detailing is defined, together with the connections and closures according to the previously highlighted U-Values and performance, the output in the form of architectural and technological plans in fitted scale are following.

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Fig. 110 Underground floor plan

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Fig. 111 Ground floor plan

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Fig. 112 First floor plan

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Fig. 113 Second floor plan – Greenhouse first level

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Fig. 114 Third floor plan – Greenhouse medium level

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Fig. 115 Fourth floor plan – Greenhouse final level

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Fig. 116 Vertical Section A-A

Fig. 117 Vertical Section B-B

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Fig. 118 Close-up on Section A-A

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4.4 Elevations

Fig. 119 Elevation from northeast 1-1

Fig. 120 Elevation from southeast 2-2

4.5 Blow Ups The two blow ups were developed in order to visualize the most typical used construction methods with the corresponding details, closures and nodes. Blow up 1 is showcasing the characteristic internal thermal barrier wall, that is splitting the corridor and microfarms from student units that are under full climate control, and from this reason the wall has a particular design, together with the connection with the slab. In blow up number 2 the classic solution for skin GFRC panels is shown, coupled with a single stud in order to improve overall performance, and in this way, with those two drawings on figures X and X, the most of the building envelope is shown and covered.

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Fig. 121 Close-up on skin

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Fig. 122 Blow up 1

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Fig. 123 Blow up 2

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Fig. 124 The skin overlaying the Concrete structure

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5_ STRUCTURAL DESIGN Design and development of the structure system

5.1 Introduction and general configuration Together with blow ups, the technological solutions and systems used are now outlined, they are including the proper dimensioning for structural elements that will be verified in this, as well with the part that is clarifying the selection of the skin GFRC bearing system.

The present work concerns with the calculation of the structures of a multi-storey building shown in the following figures: the cross-section and the typical floor plan are respectively illustrated in Fig. 125 and Fig. 126.

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The building will be constructed in the area of ex EXPO 2015 in metropolitan area of Milan and will be used as a student dorm that is hosting farming facilities. It is composed of one level underground with 4.10 meters height and four levels above ground, where ground floor takes 4.50 meters and three floors with 3.60 gross height.

The bearing structure will be made of concrete cast in place and it represents one of the most common layouts for this type of buildings. The building has a curved plan geometry, with three staircases that are serving as a bracing elements.

The typical slab is a tile-lintel floor made of concrete joists with a superior concrete slab and it maintains the full cross sections on perimeters in order to provide support for anchored skin faรงade, with main joists in the perpendicular to direction of the curved edge of the slab.

The slab is supported by cantilever beams, which are carried by two rectangular columns each. Which is a design principle repeated around the floor plan, creating a typical frame structure that is distributed along the perimeter curvature, throughout the whole floor plan.

Side beams will be made referring to the second layout, as well as curved riddles on the edges of the slab, which will just support the localized weight of the building skin, that is a prefabricated hexagonal structure and other stresses deriving from the transversal bending of the slab, which will not be explicitly computed in the following.

Fig. 125 Vertical cross section.

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Fig. 126 Typical structural plan.

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The hexagonal skin structure is carried by slabs and side beams through steel anchoring, where the load carried by the slabs is equal to the weight of the skin within one floor height (3.5 meters), while after the level of the slab on fourth floor, the skin is acting as a continuous arch system with the radius of 4 meters, distributed along the perimeter of the slabs.

The hexagonal building skin is made in sandwich panels, where two main categories were defined, the panels with farm units, and the insulated panels. Both of them are having the same design regarding the structural scheme, and therefore, only one general calculation will be performed. The panels are made in GFRC entirely, with the finalization of units in glass or as a ventilation duct/PV panel. Panels are anchored into concrete, and they are mounted in the way that one panel is closing the horizontal degree of freedom for the one on the right and the one upwards.

Single skin GFRC composite panel is made with white Portland cement, silica sand, aggregate, and alkaline resistant glass fiber with a high Zirconia content – min. 16%. The composite consists of a 1/8” face mix without glass fiber, and ½” backing mix with the glass fiber interspersed.

The staircase is made of reinforced concrete walls, which creates a stiff box structure that acts as a brace that supports all the horizontal forces. The stairs are made of reinforced concrete as well, carried by RC wall and a stair landing joists.

Foundations are composed of a foundational wall on the perimeter of the building, also supporting earth pressure, a slab under the staircase and isolated plinths under each inside column.

In the following pages the analysis of some typical elements of the three-dimensional structure will be performed, extracting appropriate partial static schemes that can be studied as flexural models.

In the design stage the following normative will be referred to: EN 1990: Eurocode. Basis of structural design.

EN 1991.1-1: Eurocode 1. Actions on structures. Part 1-1: General actions: densities, self- weight and imposed loads for buildings.

EN 1991.1-3: Eurocode 1. Actions on structures. Part 1-3: General actions: snow loads.

EN 1991.1-4: Eurocode 1. Actions on structures. Part 1-4: General actions: wind actions.

EN 1992-1.1: Eurocode 2. Design of concrete structures. Part 1-1. General rules and rules for buildings.

EN 1997-1: Eurocode 7. Geotechnical design. Part 1. General rules.

For Nationally Determined Parameters (NDP), the recommended values will be in general adopted. However, different assumptions according to National Annexes will be outlined if necessary (for National Annexes see www.coordinatore.it) According to EN 1990 specifications, the design working life of the building is assumed to be 50 years (Table 2.1 – EN 1990).

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5.2 Structural plans overview

Fig. 127 structural scheme diagram

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5.3 Material selection Concrete strength class: C30/35 Characteristic cylinder compressive strength:

Design compressive strength1: [EC2 – 3.1.6(1) and Table 2.1N for γC ]

Allowable compressive stress under characteristic combination of actions [EC2 – 7.2(2)]

Medium tensile strength [EC2 – Table 3.1]

Characteristic tensile strength [EC2 – Table 3.1]

Design tensile strength [EC2 – 3.1.6(2) and Table 2.1N for γC]

Secant modulus of elasticity [EC2 – Table 3.1]

High ductility steel type B450C Characteristic yield strength

Design yield strength [EC2 – 3.2.7 and Table 2.1N for γS]

Admissible stress under characteristic combination of actions [EC2 – 7.2(5)]

Modulus of elasticity [EC2 – 3.2.7(4)]

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5.4 Load estimations and elements dimensions assumptions 5.4.1 Self-weight of structural and non-structural elements Vertical closures Vertical closure is an assembly, made of GFRC panels that are made in hexagonal grid, with two main elements, the hexagonal framing in GFRC and the panels that are placed inside that can vary by material.

The skin is distributed along the perimeter of the building is shown in Fig. 128.

Fig. 128 Skin sample

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Since the façade is not a traditional multilayer wall, the simple calculation cannot be applied, but instead, the advanced calculation will be performed in 3D modelling software, providing directly the volume of the GFRC panels and other materials included in the sample of 3,60 x 1,00 meters.

After, the façade GFRC elements can be sorted in two categories, in which the self-weight can vary according to the use. The closure on south is serving as a host for farms, while the north one is behaving as a thermal envelope, and it contains insulation materials.

1) The weight of GFRC panel that is hosting the farms (Fig. 128) is reported in the following:

Therefore, the linear load of vertical closures that are hosting the farms shall be calculated as the following: 0,8(9,92 + 0,5) kN • 1 m’ = 8,34 kN/m 2) The weight of GFRC panel that is behaving as insulation element (Figure 3.1.3.) is reported in the following:

Therefore, the linear load of vertical closures that are insulated shall be calculated as the following: 0,8(9,92 + 0,2) kN • 1 m’ = 8,10 kN/m The load of the external walls is directly applied on the beams along the perimeter and it is not shared out with slabs, except on the cantilever part of the slabs, where additional extension of the slab will be provided with the full thickness of the slab. For sake of simplifying the calculation, the value of 8,20 kn/m’ will be taken in consideration for vertical closures.

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Internal partitions The solution of a single or double stud is applied as shown in Fig. 129 & Fig. 130.

Fig. 129 Single stud

Fig. 130 Double stud

Single stud layers:

Assuming a slab to slab floor height of 3,30 m the linear weight of the single stud wall is: 0,68 . 3,30 = 2,24 kN/m

Double stud layers:

Assuming a slab to slab floor height of 3,30 m the linear weight of the double stud wall is: 1,39 . 3,30 = 4,59 kN/m 173

EN 1991-1-1 [§ 6.3.1.2(8)] permits to consider an equivalent uniformly distributed load all over the floor, instead of the free action of movable partitions, if the slab can well redistribute the load transversally. The nominal value of this uniform load is given in function of the linear self-weight of the wall considered: - for movable partitions with a self-weight ≤ 1.0 kN/m wall length: qk = 0.5 kN/m2 - for movable partitions with a self-weight ≤ 2.0 kN/m wall length: qk = 0.8 kN/m2 - for movable partitions with a self-weight ≤ 3.0 kN/m wall length: qk = 1.2 kN/m2 Therefore, the equivalent load per square meter inside the student rooms will be considered as 1.2 kN/m2, since the single stud is being used for partitioning.

The single stud wall partition is distributed along the perimeter of the slab on the north side, together with the skin in GFRC panels, while the double stud is used to make partitioning between the corridor and living units. The partitioning with the single stud is used to differentiate service spaces inside student rooms.

Typical floor The slab cross section will be calculated as 1000 mm sample for tile-linted floor, while on the perimeters, the slab is maintaining the full cross section, in the length of 750 mm.

Tile-linteled floor: The slab is a tile-lintel floor made of concrete joists, 100 mm wide and 200 mm high every 500 mm, and a superior reinforced concrete slab 100 mm thick. The finishes shown in Fig. 131 will also be provided

Fig. 131 Typical floor layers

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The properties of the layers of tile-linted floor and their self-weight is reported in the following table:

The properties of the layers of full cross section floor and their self-weight is reported in the following table:

Roof The roof is made of an arc alike hexagonal structure, that is hosting the greenhouse elements and technology. Therefore, the classic estimation cannot be performed, instead, the slab that is hosting the arc and the last floor elements will be considered as a roof slab, and the belonging loads will be applied consequently.

Therefore the weight of the roof slab will be the same as the other ones, plus the estimated variable load that is corresponding to the relevant function (Greenhouse, Q=3,5 kN/m’) Regarding the load of the arc, it will be distributed in two linear loads, supported by the cantilever part of the slab on one side, while on the other side will be distributed regularly from slab to the beam and then the columns will distribute it to the foundations. Due to the complex geometry and multi-material elements, the weight of the arc will be estimated with 3D modeling software, as performed for vertical closures.

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Therefore, the linear load of the arc hexagonal construction will be: 0,8(10,76 + 0,1) • 1 m’ = 8,69 kN/m’ which is distributed on both sides of the slab outline.

5.4.2 Imposed loads The imposed load for floors in residential buildings is [EN 1991-1-1 §6.3.1.2, Tables 6.1 e 6.2, in accordance with National Annex]

2.00 kN/m2

5.4.3 Snow loads EN 1991-1-3 with specifications according to the National Annex dated 24-11-2004 apply. For the persistent design situation the snow load on the roof is expressed by the formula [Expression 5.1-EC1-1-3]:

5.5 Structural calculations 5.5.1 SLAB CALCULATION (SLAB S1) Tile-linted slab Slab doesn’t have a constant span, but it is ranging from 6,5 to around 4 meters, in that cases, the cross section designed for 6,5 meters span shall be used for execution. Since the plan is circular and continuous, the calculation will be simplified by taking into consideration the geometrical properties of the slab, and only a portion of it will be analyzed, where the considered elements would be a half span (3,25 m), full span (6,50 m) and another half span (3,25 m), in order to estimate the effects of the neighboring slabs, as shown on the figure below (Fig. 132).

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Fig. 132 Tile-linted slab interpretation into structure

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Structural analysis: Ultimate Limit State (ULS) verification The structural analysis will be carried out using linear analysis based on the theory of elasticity, considering the combination of actions for Ultimate Limit States [EC2 – 5.1.3(1)P] that is [EC0 – Expression 6.10]

The most unfavorable condition results in considering the live load Q1 as the leading variable action and the load due to inside partitions with its combination value Ψ02 Q2 = Q2 (􏰄02 = 1,0 according to National Annex).

Serviceability Limit State (SLS) verification Bending moments due to characteristic combination of actions are evaluated [EC0 – Expression 6.14b]

COMBINATION 1 (max. M in the middle span)

Fig. 133 Continuous beam: load combination 1 (cm)

The structure is solved using the Displacement Method (Fig. 134).

Fig. 134 Continuous beam

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Equations:

Case 1 (R1=1):

Case 2 (R2=1):

Case 0 (q≠0):

Solving the following system:

Taking in consideration the following variables:

The stiffness of the one-way slab is calculated without taking into account the greater rigidity of the end portions due to the presence of riddles. The barycentre of the cross section of the slab, shown in Fig. 4.6, starting from the upper side is:

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The barycentre moment of inertia of the cross section of the slab is:

Which is equal to:

0,00085952 m4

E = 32836, 56 N/mm2 = 32,84 GPA = 32836560 kN/m2 Therefore, the variable EI would be equal to: 28233,68 kNm2 And then the solution of the matrix is:

And the reactions are:

Maximum moment in the midspan, looking on the left side of the structure is equal to:

And the corresponding external reactions are reported in the table below:

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COMBINATION 2 (min. M on the continuity support)

Fig. 135 Continuous beam: load combination 2 (cm)

The structure is solved using the Displacement Method (Fig. 136).

Fig. 136 Continuous beam

Equations:

The rest of the load cases shall be solved with structural analysis software.

The corresponding external reactions are reported in the table below:

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COMBINATION 3 (max. M on the sliding support on the extremes)

Fig. 137 Continuous beam: load combination 3 (cm)

The structure is solved using the Displacement Method (Fig. 138).

Fig. 138 Continuous beam

Equations:

The rest of the load cases shall be solved with structural analysis software.

The corresponding external reactions are reported in the table below:

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5.5.1.1 Envelope of the bending moment diagram In Fig. 139 the diagrams of the bending moment previously calculated are shown. The envelope diagram needs to be shifted in the most unfavorable direction a distance equal to the effective depth of the crosssection considered [EC2-6.2.2(5) and 9.2.1.3(2)]. For members without shear reinforcement.

Fig. 139 ULS Moment envelope

In order to determine the cover the prescriptions in EN 1992-1-1 §4.4.1 apply.

The nominal cover is defined as a minimum cover, cmin, plus an allowance in design for deviation, ΔCdev [Expression 4.1-EC2]

Where [Expression 4.2-EC2]

In the end the minimum concrete cover is:

Assuming ΔCdev= 10 mm, as recommended by EC2 [§4.4.1.3], the nominal concrete cover is:

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And the effective depth of the slab is:

In Fig. 140 the shifted envelope of the diagram of the bending moment is shown. The following section to be verified are identified:

Since there is a symmetry around the central Y axis of the structure ( x=6,5 m ), but also around the support Y axis ( x=3,25 ), it will be sufficient to verify only the sections S, A and A’’ in order to make a proper predimensioning of the slab.

Fig. 140 ULS shifted moment envelope

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5.5.1.2 Reinforcement pre-dimensioning The longitudinal reinforcing bars will be pre-dimensioned using the same formulas that will be used for further verifications.

The following assumptions are then made: - Only tension reinforcement is considered - Plane sections remain plane - The strain in bonded reinforcement is the same as the surrounding concrete - The tensile strength of the concrete is ignored - A rectangular stress distribution is assumed for the concrete in compression [EC2 –3.1.7(3)] where the factor is equal to 0,8 [EC2 – Expression 3.19] and the factor is equal to 1,0 [EC2 – Expression 3.21] for a concrete strength class C30/35.

- An elastic-perfectly plastic stress/strain relationship is assumed for reinforcing bars without the need to check the strain limit [EC2 – 3.2.7(2)b]

The rotational equilibrium about the barycenter of the tension reinforcement is:

The geometry of the section is known, as well as the materials and the design moment. The only unknown of the previous equation then is the position of the neutral axis, x. The translational equilibrium, under the hypothesis of yielded tension reinforcement, is:

And the required reinforcement area is:

The hypothesis of yielded steel is verified if

So determined reinforcement needs to be not less than the minimum recommended [EC2 – 9.2.1.1, Expression 9.1N]

The results of such calculations are shown in following table:

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5.5.1.3 Bending ultimate limit state verification The same assumptions as the previous paragraph apply. In the following pages some of the typical calculation for the verification of the slab cross- sections are outlined.

Section A The section is rectangular with width b = 1000 mm and effective depth d = 269 mm (Fig. 141). The working hypothesis is that the concrete in compression reaches its maximum strain, Îľcu, and the steel is yielded.

Fig. 141 Section A

Translational equilibrium:

Rotational equilibrium (about the barycenter of the compressions):

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Section A” The section is rectangular with width b = 200 mm and effective depth d = 269 mm (Fig. 142). The working hypothesis is that the concrete in compression reaches its maximum strain, εcu, and the steel is yielded.

Fig. 142 Section A”

Translational equilibrium:

Rotational equilibrium (about the barycenter of the compressions):

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Section S The section is rectangular with width b = 1000 mm and effective depth d = 269 mm (Fig. 143). The working hypothesis is that the concrete in compression reaches its maximum strain, Îľcu, and the steel is yielded.

Assuming that the neutral axis depth is less than the thickness of the topping the width of the reference section is b = 200 mm and it can be assimilated to a rectangular section.

Fig. 143 Section S

Translational equilibrium:

Rotational equilibrium (about the barycenter of the compressions):

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Verification summary A summary of the previous verifications for all the identified critical sections is reported below:

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5.5.1.4 Shear ultimate limit state verification

Fig. 144 ULS shear envelope

Solid sections at the ends of the slab due to the presence of riddles and beams are not considered in the verification since the notable width of the web (bw = 1000 mm) provides sufficient resistance to shear.

First of all the resistance of the slab without shear reinforcement is calculated [EC2 – Expression 6.2a]

According to EC2 – Figure 6.3 the area of the tensile reinforcement to be considered in the previous formula extends at least lbd + d beyond the section considered. For cross-sections in the zones of positive moment and those of negative moment near the continuity support the shear resistance is assumed to be

For cross-sections in the zones of negative moment near the end supports, the shear resistance is assumed to be

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Fig. 145 ULS shear resistance

Overlapping the design shear diagram with the resistant shear diagram (Fig. 145) it can be noticed that there are two portions at the end of the slab span where VEd>VRd,c, respectively 100 mm.

Inclined shear reinforcement (angle= 45°) will be provided where needed in order to bear the applied shear. Assuming an inclined compression chord so that cotθ= 2 the portion of slab interested by the reinforcement is

The shear resistance needs to be calculated with appropriate formulas for members requiring shear reinforcement [EC2 – 6.2.3 and EC2 – Expression 6.13] where the entire applied shear is supported by a truss system only.

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Near the continuity supports, for x =0,30+0,72/2=1,02 m from the support the applied shear is VEd = 31,48 kN Assuming 1+1o12 as inclined reinforcement the shear resistance is

The resistance of the compression struts needs also to be verified [EC2 – Expression 6.14].

Where is a strength reduction factor for concrete cracked in shear [EC2 – Expression 6.6N and National Annex]. In the end the resistance of the compression chord is

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5.5.1.5 Reinforcement arrangement In order to determine the total length of the reinforcing bars it is necessary to evaluate the anchorage length. The basic required anchorage length in a straight bar is [EC2 – Expression 8.3]

Assuming η1 = 1,0 (good bond conditions according to EC2 – 8.4.2 and Figure 8.2) and η_2 = 1,0 (Φ< 32 mm) and being fctd= 1,2 N/mm2 the design ultimate bond strength is

a = max (20 mm, Φ, dg + 5 mm) [EC2 – 8.2(2)] a = 25 mm (Clear bar spacing)

And the basic anchorage length is

The following values of the design anchorage length are assumed: lbd = 550 mm for Φ14 bars and lbd = 450 mm for Φ12 bars. Where standard bent bars are adopted [EC2 – Figure 8.1a,b] the bend contributes to the tension anchorage.

The anchorage length of bent-up bars which contribute to the resistance to shear needs to be not less than 1,3 lbd [EC2 – 9.2.1.3(4)]. In particular the anchorage length is 660 mm for Φ14 bars and 565 mm for Φ12 bars. 700 mm and 600 mm will be respectively assumed.

The anchorage length of the superior bars (Φ12) at the end of the two-span slab results to be less than the length previously calculated due to the fact that there is not enough space in the side beams.

An anchorage length of 280 mm is then assumed; it means that the design stress of the tension bars sd, according to EC2 – Expression 8.3, is equal to 250 N/mm2. The corresponding moment resistance at the end support of the slab then is MRd = 34,4 kNm > MSd with no changes in ULS verifications.

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5.5.1.6 Serviceability limit states verifications: stress limitation and crack control The working hypothesis are - Plane sections remain plane - The strain in bonded reinforcement is the same as the surrounding concrete - Materials, both concrete and steel, are elastic with

Section A Rectangular solid section, b=1000 mm ; d=269 mm M=35,24 kNm (negative) As=2+2ÎŚ14=616 mm2 Translational equilibrium

Substituting appropriate values and assuming

Whose useful solution is x = 61 mm.

By means of the rotational equilibrium expression stresses in the concrete and the steel can be calculated and then compared to the admissible values. The rotational equilibrium about the tension barycenter is

And then the maximum stress in the concrete is

According to EC2 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7.2(2) for critical value of the compression in the concrete under the characteristic combination of actions. The stress in the reinforcement can be easily calculated as follows

According to EC2 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7.2(5) for the upper limit of tension in the steel under the characteristic combination of loads.

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Section S TT section ; b=1000 mm ; b’=200 mm ; d=269 mm M=22,94 kNm (positive) As=2+2Φ12=452 mm2 Translational equilibrium

Where t is the thickness of the flange, σc is the stress in the concrete at the extrados of the slab and σ’c the stress in the concrete where the ribs meet the topping.

Assuming, due to the linearity of the stress/strain diagram,

The previous equations turns into the following, after some useful simplifications,

The previous equations turns into the following, after some useful simplifications,

The moment of inertia about the neutral axis of the cracked section is

Therefore, the stresses in the materials are

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The Serviceability Limit States verifications are summed up for the significant sections previously determined

Fig. 146 Slab reinforcement arrangement

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5.5.2 BEAM CALCULATION (BEAM B1) In the following pages the design of the beam that runs from the inner to outer edge of the slab is outlined.

The design will be performed considering the single T section beam. The portion of the building will be considered and interpreted into structural schemes as shown on Fig. 147, where two schemes will be defined in order to simulate the worst possible load combinations, continuous beam and a frame scheme.

The beam is consisted of rectangular horizontal cross-section integrated in the slab structure, plus the inferior R/C rib below that is respectively 350 x 450 mm.

The value of the permanent and variable loads to be considered in the design directly derives from the structural analysis of the slab and in particular the value of the continuity support reaction will be taken into account, considering the combination 2.

Fig. 147 Beam structural schemes

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5.5.2.1 Load definition Structural self-weight G1

The self-weight of the inferior rib is

Other permanent loads

Variable loads

Ultimate Limit State (ULS) verification The structural analysis will be carried out using linear analysis based on the theory of elasticity, considering the combination of actions for Ultimate Limit States [EC2 – 5.1.3(1)P] that is [EC0 – Expression 6.10]

The most unfavorable condition results in considering the live load Q1 as the leading variable action and the load due to inside partitions with its combination value Ψ02 Q2 = Q2 (02 = 1,0 according to National Annex).

Serviceability Limit State (SLS) verification Bending moments due to characteristic combination of actions are evaluated [EC0 – Expression 6.14b]

The stress analysis will be carried out referring to the appropriate ULS load combination [EC0 – Expression 6.10]. Loads applied on the beam are summarized below:

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5.5.2.2 Beam structural analysis In order to solve the frame scheme (Fig. 148) it is necessary to evaluate the flexional stiffness of the beam and the external column on the same axis.

Assuming a rectangular cross-section for the column with sides respectively of 350 mm (equal to the beam rib width) and 350 mm, the barycentric moment of inertia of the concrete gross section is

Fig. 148 Beam cross-section

And total flexural stiffness can be calculated as the following

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COMBINATION 1 (Min M on the continuity support)

A

B

Fig. 149 Beam scheme, Min. M in B

Structure is statically determined, and solved with three equilibrium equations: And the results are shown below:

X(Mmax) = 1,15 m (Rightwards from support A)

COMBINATION 2 (Max M on the left span)

A

B Fig. 150 Beam scheme, Max M in A-B span

Structure is statically determined, and solved with three equilibrium equations: And the results are shown below:

X(Mmax) = 1,61 m (Rightwards from support A) 200

COMBINATION 3 (Max M on the right span)

A

B

Fig. 151 Beam scheme, Max. M in right span

Structure is statically determined, and solved with three equilibrium equations: And the results are shown below:

X(Mmax) = 0,53 m (Rightwards from support A)

COMBINATION 4 (Min M on the support A)

A

B

Fig. 152 Beam scheme, Min M on A

The structure is solved using the Displacement Method (Fig.153).

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A

B

Fig. 153 Frame Scheme solution

Equations:

Case 1 ; φ1=1

Case 2 ; φ2=1

Case 0 ; q ≠ 0

And the rotations are:

And the reactions can be calculated as the following:

And the corresponding external reactions are reported in the table below:

X(Mmax) = 1,74 m (Rightwards from support A) 202

5.5.2.3 Envelope of the bending moment diagram and pre-dimensioning of reinforcement

Fig. 154 Beam moments envelope

The pre-dimensioning of longitudinal reinforcement is carried out through the same expressions used for verifications as well as was previously done for slabs and the same assumptions on the behavior of the materials are made.

The rotational equilibrium gives the position of the neutral axis, x.

The rotational equilibrium about the barycenter of the tension reinforcement is The geometry of the section is known, as well as the materials and the design moment. The only unknown of the previous equation then is the position of the neutral axis, x. The translational equilibrium, under the hypothesis of yielded tension reinforcement, is And the required reinforcement area is

The hypothesis of yielded steel is verified if

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The so determined reinforcement needs to be not less than the minimum recommended [EC2 – 9.2.1.1, Expression 9.1N]

The effective depth of the section, d, to be used in the previous formulas can be calculated after the evaluation of the concrete cover, similarly to what previously done for slabs. According to EC2 – 4.4.1 the nominal concrete cover follows from [EC2 Expression 4.1 and 4.2] The nominal cover is defined as a minimum cover, cmin, plus an allowance in design for deviation, Δcdev [Expression 4.1-EC2] Where [Expression 4.2-EC2]

For transversal reinforcement:

For longitudinal reinforcement:

In the end the minimum concrete cover is:

Assuming Δcdev= 10 mm, as recommended by EC2 [§4.4.1.3], the nominal concrete cover is:

The effective depth of the section in the end is

The results of such calculations are reported in the following table where the final provided reinforcement is shown too:

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5.5.2.4 Bending ultimate limit state verification The same assumptions on the behavior of the structural member as the previous chapter apply. Assuming yielded steel and a rectangular stress block for concrete the translational equilibrium is

The neutral axis then is

Through the rotational equilibrium about the barycenter either of the compressions or tensions, the resisting moment can be easily determined.

Results of such calculations are shown in the following table:

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5.5.2.5 Shear ultimate limit state verification In Fig. 155 the design shear diagram obtained through the previous structural analysis are shown.

Fig. 155 Shear forces diagram

The transversal reinforcement ratio needs to comply with the following limit [EC2 – 9.2.2(5) and Expression 9.5N]

Where appropriate numeric value for concrete and steel strengths have been adopted (C 30/35, B450C).

The maximum longitudinal spacing between stirrups is [EC2 – 9.2.2(6) and Expression 9.6N]

Whereas the transverse spacing of the legs of stirrups needs not to exceed the value [EC2 –9.2.2(8) and Expression 9.8N]

Assuming stirrups Φ8/250 mm with two legs it is

The corresponding value of the shear resistance then is [EC2 – Expression 6.8]

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Overlapping the design shear with the resistant shear diagram (Fig. 156) it can be easily noted that the provided shear reinforcement is not sufficient in a 2,05 m long portion of beam near the mid column as well as the part at the continuity support, respectively 1,80.

Fig. 156 Shear forces diagram envelope and resistant force

The required transversal reinforcement can be then evaluated with the following expression

Where the design shear VEd can be computed at a distance x’ from the ideal support equal to the semiwidth of the column/beam wall. The results of such calculations and verifications in accordance with EC2 – Expression 6.8 are reported in the following table:

According to EC2 – Expression 6.9

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5.5.2.6 Serviceability limit states verifications: stress limitation and crack control The translational equilibrium equation is

Assuming an elastic behavior for both concrete and steel (σ=E ε) and plane diagram of strains

Where the coefficient

is assumed equal to 15.

The position of the neutral axis, x, can be obtained from the previous equation (null static moment of the homogenized cross-section).

Through the rotational equilibrium about the barycenter of the tensions, the maximum compression in concrete can be calculated and compared to the allowable value σ(c,adm)=0,6 fck=18 MPa [EC2 – 7.2(3)].

The stress in the reinforcement can be easily obtained from the previous formula

And then compared to the admissible value σ(s,adm)=0,8 fyk=360 MPa [EC2 –7.2(5)].

In the following table the results of such calculations are shown.

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5.5.2.7 Reinforcement arrangement According to EC2 – 9.2.1.3(1) the reinforcement arrangement needs to be determined in order to resist the envelope of the acting tensile force including the effect of inclined cracks in webs or flanges. This additional tensile force is estimated by shifting in the most unfavorable direction the moment curve a distance

Fig. 157 Shifted envelope of bending moment diagrams

In order to determine the total length of the reinforcing bars it is necessary to evaluate the anchorage length. The basic required anchorage length in a straight bar is [EC2 – Expression 8.3]

Assuming η1 = 1,0 (good bond conditions according to EC2 – 8.4.2 and Figure 8.2) and η2 = 1,0 (O< 32 mm) and being fctd= 1,2 N/mm2 the design ultimate bond strength is a = max (20 mm, O, dg + 5 mm) [EC2 – 8.2(2)] a = 25 mm (Clear bar spacing) And the basic anchorage length is

The so-determined values satisfy the minimum anchorage length in accordance with EC2 – Expression 8.6.

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The following values of the design anchorage length are then adopted.

The final reinforcement arrangement is shown in Fig. 158 and 159.

Fig. 158 Reinforcement arrangement â&#x20AC;&#x201C; longitudinal scheme

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Fig. 159 Reinforcement arrangement â&#x20AC;&#x201C; cross section

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5.5.3 COLUMN CALCULATION (COLUMN C_B20) An inside column will be analyzed in this part, the one supporting the middle area of the beam, mainly subjected to axial load, while the bending moment is not significant. The ‘’influence areas’’ method will be used to determine the axial load. Cross section is equal to 350 x 350 mm, as shown on fig. 160.

Fig. 160 Inside column with influence area

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5.5.3.1 Column pre-dimensioning for centered axial load Influence area: Modified influence area (Redundancy coefficient = 1,4)

Roof loads

5,925 • 6,50 m2 = 38,51 m2 38,51 m2 • 1,4 = 53,91 m2

In this case, where no real traditional roof construction is applied, but a hexagonal structure in the form of arch instead, the weight of the roof load is previously described and calculated in the materials section.

Therefore the loads will be calculated as the following: Roof (Last slab with the hexagonal arc structure) loads - Weight of the hexagonal arc is

8,69 kN/m’ • 6,5 m = 56,472 kN - Weight of the slab is 4,81 kN/m2 • 53,91 m2 = 259,31 kN - Weight of the beam inferior rib (with redundancy coefficient = 1,2) is

1,2 • 0,35 m • 0,45 m • 5,925 m • 25 kN/m3 = 27, 95 kN - Snow loads 1,20 kN/m2 • 53,91 m2 = 64,69 kN Typical floor loads: - Weight of the slab is 4,81 kN/m2 • 53,91 m2 = 259,31 kN - Weight of the beam inferior rib (with redundancy coefficient = 1,2) is

1,2 • 0,35 m • 0,45 m • 5,925 m • 25 kN/m3 = 27, 95 kN For the calculation of columns only, a reduction factor can be applied to variable loads [EC1-1 – 6.3.1.2(10) – National Annex]

A is the influence area of the column considered And then the centered axial loads on every floor are shown in the following table:

For the ULS combination of actions, a single multiplicative factor will be referred to, as a simplification: γF is obtained as weighted mean of the coefficients γG = 1.35 and γG= 1.5, respectively concerning permanent actions and variable actions.

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In the following table, the pre-dimensioning of the geometry is shown:

Fk represents the characteristic value of the axial load for every story, whereas N is the nominal value of

the axial load to be considered in the pre-dimensioning of the column.

The design value, NEd, can easily be obtained multiplying N for the coefficient previously determined, γF. Dividing the design axial load for the design compressive strength of the concrete, fcd, the needed area of concrete only can be obtained. The dimensions (b x h) of the cross-section can then easily be determined and the column self-weight can be computed and added to the design axial load at the bottom of the column.

350 x 350 column self-weight is equal to: 0,35 m • 0,35 m • 2,85 m • 25 kN/m3 = 8,73 kN 350 x 400 column self-weight is equal to: 0,35 m • 0,40 m • 2,85 m • 25 kN/m3 = 9,98 kN In the following table, design axial load is modified in order to take into account the self-weight of the column at each floor.

It is then necessary to dimension the longitudinal reinforcement.

According to EC2 the following limits apply: - Technological limit: at least one bar needs to be placed at each corner of a polygonal column, whose diameter needs to be not less than 12 mm [EC2 – 9.5.2(4) and 9.5.2(1) – National Annex] - Geometrical limit: As ≥ 0.003 Ac [EC2 – 9.5.2(2) – National Annex] - Static limit: As ≥ 0.10 NEd/fyd [EC2 – 9.5.2(2)]

Both Ultimate Limit States and Serviceability Limit States verifications can then be performed.

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5.5.3.2 Serviceability limit state verification The translational equilibrium of the cross-section for SLS is

Under the hypothesis of plane sections (Eulero-Bernoulli), same strain in steel and surrounding concrete ( Îľc=Îľs) and elastic materials, it is where the ratio between the modulus of elasticity e is assumed

equal to 15 in order to take into account the time- dependent behavior of concrete.

Obviously it needs to be

5.5.3.3 Ultimate limit state verification The translational equilibrium for ULS is

In Eurocode 2 some prescriptions on transversal reinforcement are outlined. The minimum diameter of transversal bars needs to be not less than 1â &#x201E;4 of the longitudinal diameter and however not less than 6 mm.

The spacing of the transverse reinforcement along the column needs not to exceed the following limits: - 20 times the longitudinal bar size (20 12 = 240 mm; 20 14 = 280 mm) - The smaller dimension of the column (at most, 300 mm) - 400 mm In those sections within a distance equal to the larger dimension of the column cross- section above and below beams and slabs the previous limits are reduced by a factor 0,6 (0,6 240 = 144 mm).

Stirrups 8/200 will be provided along all the columns, whereas at the bottom and the top of the columns for a distance equal to 500 mm stirrups 8/125 will be provided.

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5.5.3.4 Reinforcement arrangement

Fig. 161 Reinforcement arrangement â&#x20AC;&#x201C; cross sections and vertical section

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5.5.4 FOUNDATION CALCULATION (BELOW COLUMN C_B20) The foundations on the perimeter of the building are linear, while the foundation below the considered column is estimated with a simple calculation of the plinth.

5.5.4.1 Bearing capacity The maximum axial load at the bottom of the column considered is N = 1790,25 kN Assuming a rectangular plinth, whose dimensions are (a x b x h) = 3,2 x 3,0 x 1 m the self- weight of the foundation is

Assuming a gravel soil with internal friction angle equal to = 35° and density γ = 18 kN/m3, the bearing capacity of the soil is given by the Terzaghi formula, where the pressure due to the lateral soil is not considered.

The verification implies that σ(Rd,soil ) > σEd, where σEd is the design pressure on the soil due to loads and foundation self-weight According to Eurocode 7 [EC7 – 2.4.7.3.4] and Eurocode 0 [EC0 – A1.3(5)] the following values for combination coefficients apply, where γF refers to actions, γM refers to geotechnical parameters and γR refers to the soil resistance after the previous calculations. = 1,0 for permanent loads [EC7 – Table A.3] = 1,3 for variable loads [EC7 – Table A.3] A single value can be used averaging the previous coefficients: = 1,25 for the internal friction angle [EC7 – Table A4] and to be applied to the tangent of the angle = 1,0 for the soil density [EC7 – Table A4] = 1,4 [EC7 – Table A5]

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5.5.4.2 Plinth verification The reinforcement of the plinth is dimensioned in accordance with the schemes in Fig. 162. Coefficient to be applied to the combination of actions are taken in accordance with EC7 – 2.4.7.3.4 and EC0 – A1.3(5). a = 3200 mm ; b = 3000 mm a’ = 400 mm ; b’ = 350 mm (Column) a direction da = 750 mm

ca = a’/4 = 100 mm la = (a-a’)/4+ca = 800 mm λa = la / da = 1,07

Assuming 13 20 (250 mm) the reinforcement area is Asa = 4082 mm2 and the resistance is

b direction db = 730 mm

cb = b’/4 = 87,5 mm lb = (b-b’)/4+cb = 750 mm λb = lb / db = 1,03

Assuming 12 20 (250 mm) the reinforcement area is Asa = 3768 mm2 and the resistance is

The compression struts verification can be performed as follows.

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5.5.4.3 Reinforcement arrangement The final arrangement of the reinforcement and the forces acting is shown on the following figures.

Fig. 162 Acting forces and calculation scheme

Fig. 163 Reinforcement arrangement â&#x20AC;&#x201C; cross sections and top view

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5.6 Building skin As concluded before, the building envelope will be materialized in the form of monolithic panels that are composing the building multi-functional skin on the macro scale, while on the micro scale the clusters of hexagons will be connected and distributed accordingly.

As the skin panels are composed and attached in the way presented before, the load on the hexagonal panels will be the self-weight of the element together with the corresponding components inside the wall, which in the case of the wall on the north are the farms with its systems, while on the south are insulation with the window components.

From the previous load estimations the mean value for the skin panel self-weight was equal to the 8.10 kN/mâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, which was linearly distributed over the cantilever slab edge.

The load distribution optioneering was presented in the schematic design aspect, and as discussed the solution with linear distribution was selected in front of multiple point loads since the connection assembly and bending moment could be reduced in that way.

As illustrated, the two options were compared with structural schemes in order to clarify the solution.

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If the fixation and the anchoring of the skin panel was as the solution 1, where the load is completely carried by the anchor as on the figure 164:

Fig. 164 Skin anchoring solution 1

Then the corresponding structural scheme would be with the distributed point loads over the span of the slab, with the value of divided total load per the number of anchors â&#x20AC;&#x201C; fixed pin constraints, as on figure 165:

Fig. 165 Solution 1 corresponding structural scheme with point loads

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In case of solution two, where the panels is carried by the slab cantilever edge, and the anchoring is made only for maintaining the horizontal degree of freedom, as on figure 166:

Fig. 166 Skin anchoring solution 2

The corresponding structural scheme would be the distributed load along the slab span in the total value of the self-weight per meter of length, as on figure 167:

Fig. 167 Solution 2 corresponding structural scheme with distributed load

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The solution 2 with the distributed load is adopted as more convenient assembly from the technical and structural point of view, and with load carried by a concrete element rather than the anchoring only.

Glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) is selected as a skin panelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s material, because of its properties and visual appearance. Since it is lightweight, fire resistant, it has a good tensile and compression strength due to the dispersed glass fibers and it can be formed into desired shape easily, it represents the ideal material for the envelope materialization. It can be easily pre-casted and placed in its position in the site, and due to the diverse panel typology on the envelope, it can be shaped in various but programmed types.

5.7 Conclusion The decision about material selection was mainly influenced by the structural and visual properties, maintain different types of concrete within the building core construction and the envelope. The traditional internal construction made of RC slabs, beams and columns was adopted as the convenient one due to the building geometry and the developed spans.

The internal construction of the building, together with the GFRC panels represents equally important architectural elements and therefore it is not hidden or masked anywhere, but instead highlighted in order to maintain the architectural rigidity and monumentality.

Additionally, the internal curved ramps that are establishing the interconnectivity between the floors in the functional layout could be made of high strength or pre-stressed concrete supported by the concrete pylons from below, maintaining the same spirit of material selection along the whole building.

Due to the project complexity and comprehensiveness, the structural analysis and design is not carried out for internal ramps and GFRC envelope, however the framework has been set and this process can be completed in the further development accordingly.

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Fig. 168 Lufa farms final product outcome

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6_ PROJECT MANAGEMENT Internal management schemes and fabrication process

6.1 â&#x20AC;&#x153;How it works?â&#x20AC;? Internal management scheme

Designing the most advanced car on the planet without having someone to drive it make the car almost worthless; in the same sense, setting the management scheme that runs the building is very crucial to the design process since it is directly responsible for the success or failure of the design.

Although most of the farming systems are designed to be self-sufficient closed circuit systems, they still need man-power to monitor, manage and complete the system, for example, in the microfarming systems, the need for someone to monitor the nutrition levels and for harvesting the plants once they are ready is vital for the system to work, in the greenhouse, the aquaponic system starts the cycle with manually feeding the fish tanks according to the fish needs which is also not automated. This chapter will define the strategy that will manage the system that runs both the student housing and the farms in the building, having the students as the main human element involved.

The management scheme defines the relationship between the students, administrators and visitors to the building, thus it is necessary to first understand the building spaces/functions and their requirements for human interaction.

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Commercial and Public use EXHIBITION CENTER: managed by the administrative specialists and organized by the resident students, hosting events and exhibitions for showcasing the latest advances in the field of urban farming systems and techniques. Student participation in the events are not mandatory but encouraged.

RESTAURANT & CAFETERIA: run by students under supervision of the administration, offering part-time jobs to interested students and offering services for both the dorm residences and the public INTERNAL COURTYARD: managed and maintained by the administration, the courtyard is open for students and public to use however the farming is done by specialists.

Greenhouse and Microfarming MICROFARMING: this system is designed specifically to be managed and run by the students only with frequent check up and system maintenance by specialists. Each student (if he/she chooses) is assigned to a specific set of cells that corresponds to his living unit, the students decide the preferred plant types to grow from a per-defined list and are responsible for the plants. Students are encourage to share and exchange products to complete their food needs. The microfarming system is to be included in the room bundle and not as an extra cost.

GREENHOUSE: participation in the greenhouse is not mandatory however it offers exclusive rewards to students like reduced rents or coverage of weekly and monthly food supply for working a set mounts of hours in the greenhouse, it also offer jobs to students and teens. The greenhouse is managed and run by the building administration.

Fig. 169 Internal management scheme

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6.2 Fabrication plan and method The asset of this complexity with its main components requires a proper hierarchical comprehension of the problematics and a holistic approach to the fabrication process and method. First, we can make a rigid segmentation between the construction methods related to the internal RC framing elements and the building hexagonal membrane. Second, based on their predefined and studied in between connection and functional relations, the fabrication phasing should ensure a smooth detail assembly creation and a convenient lifespan. Therefore, as the two main aspects studied within the fabrication phase, the two dominant components are defined as mentioned above.

The very familiar one, reinforced concrete massing, materialized with simple concrete formwork with molds, mostly casted in site, presents the first construction phase, starting from foundations and going upwards. The only complication is the geometry, where concrete can be controlled with a proper pre casted or on site mounted molds, made with the desired shaping. The columns are full cross section RC made, ranging from 350 to 400 millimeters in both dimensions, as well as beams which are mainly 750 deep and up to 350 millimeters wide, in order to maintain the framing with columns. While the slabs are formed as double T section, with spans from 4.5 to 6.5 meters. The raw RC construction is shown isolated on the Figure 170:

Fig. 170 Raw RC construction

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The internal non constructive walls will be developed in dry construction Knauf system, that will be managed after the components that are requiring the molding. Whole structure contains three staircases with monolithic stairs made of reinforced concrete as well.

The foundations are planned in the wide excavation method, in order to maintain the installations and other system elements around them. In case of construction site planning, the space in front of the building can be developed after the building has been completed since it does not make sense in the opposite way, so the space in front together with the square on the EXPO entrance can be eventually used to maintain the necessary spaces for construction site establishment.

Regarding the envelope component, the second construction phase, but the first to be visualized from exterior, it will be realized in the GFRC panels that are overlapping each other, and together with the anchoring are blocking the horizontal degree of freedom on both top and bottom line of the panels. The so called skin of the building is shown isolated on the Figure 171:

Fig. 171 Building Skin

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Developed in hexagonal structure, the fabrication for this building element is planned as pre-casted composition of GFRC panels that will be arranged firstly from left to right and then bottom to top, according to the coupling location on one panel sample. Initially, during the molding process of the slabs, the anchors are left to cope with the skin fixation, as shown in the detail below on figure 172.

Fig. 172 Building skin fixation detail

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After, the skin hexagonal clusters were analyzed in order to manage the proper size of the panel for a convenient molding, transportation and composition, and since the dimensioning of a single hexagonal cell was made according to the needs of the microfarm and the total floor height composition, the dimensions were 90 cm in height and 100 cm in width.

Therefore, the number of hexagon panels and the cluster dimension has been studied. In the first place, since the fixations are in the level of the slabs, which is equal to one floor height, the horizontal axes of the GFRC panel are fixed to match the floor heights pattern, but however, due to the hexagon geometry, some of the panels had to mismatch with the axis, going up and down, as a puzzle effect.

This has been used as an advantage for making a toothed alike element that are locking the movement of the upper one. After fixing the height of the panel, the solution appeared as on the Figure 173:

Fig. 173 The single panel dimensioning

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Vertically it follows the floor height of 4 meters, and the panels are misaligned because of the fittings as mentioned before, while horizontally, apart from the same way of fitting the maximum width is 3.25 meters. In this case, the panel can be only casted in site, since its width is exceeding the maximum load width for the regular transportation load which is between 2.55 and 2.60 meters.

The outside site casting can be enabled if this panel is additionally vertically separated into two smaller panels which would have the width of 1.75 meters, or just one column of hexagons can be excluded and in that way it can width exactly 2.5 meters. Dimensioned like this, one single panel with hexagon clusters would fit into the overall skin pattern as on the following Figure 174.

According to the defined assembly process, after the panel on the right and the bottom one is mounted, the next panel is placed in its position and fitted between the extended anchoring from the RC slab and sited on its edge.

Right after the connections are sealed with concrete and the anchoring is covered with the mechanical fixation in the form of headings before the heads are capped, to make them hidden and provide a homogeneous image of a monolithic structure. As illustrated on the Figure 175.

Fig. 174 Fitting the GFRC panel front view

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Considering the fact that the design has been developed using the parametric or algorithmic aided computing, and considering that, in the simple words, a parametric model depends upon relationships between parts and since the model is defined by rules and constraints, which define aspects of a design and their relationships with each other, it is feasible to speak about development of robotic fabrication aided with algorithms to support the fabrication process.

Fig. 175 Skin assembly

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6.3 Design tools and process From initial sketches to the final solution, the project has undergone various methods and processes for creating the internal hierarchy of elements and their in between relations. Generally speaking, the major division of tools can be implemented as computer software on one side and all other ones on the other side, such as designing, sketching and implementation of different sorts of ideas through the design process.

The first, research phase, was characterized by a research on various topics from student housing to the evolution urban agriculture, to provide a convenient mixture of those, and strengthen them with a corresponding architecture typology.

In the first phase mainly the bibliography from web and various articles were used in order to understand these aspects and their relation. Right after the first architectural and urban hierarchies are being developed, and the main framework came from the evolution of the research in to the first design choices.

The design initially was been developed between 2D Cad software and some basic 3D modeling in order to understand the massing and the volumetric relations, while the further target was to implement BIM in order to manage all the aspects of the project in a hierarchical way. Building Information Modeling is allowing the users to develop the project aspects such as architecture, structure and systems in a convenient integrated way, and see directly the output of their integration in a 3D digital model.

In the second phase, the concept design phase, an iterative process took place, jumping from sketches to SketchUp and AutoCAD, in order to understand the relations between layout, architecture and energy consumption as a base. The most demanding phase ended with a BIM model on the LOD 100, containing the basic elements for all the aspects, except the systems and the building skin that required a more sophisticated software to design. In parallel with the conclusion of the concept design phase, the research part and the methodology of the project has been developed in the same manner.

The skin of the building was developed using AAD (Algorithm Aided Design) softwares to be able to parametrically control and adjust the paneling and farming systems of the facade, applying an energy efficiency approach that helped orient the design towards the most efficient and functional arrangement of the different types of panels according to the building needs.

The primary software used was Grasshopper on Rhino. The energy simulation taken place was preformed using Lady bug and honey bee, as well as Diva (Energy assessment simulation plug-ins for Grasshopper).

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Finally the third phase opened all doors to different detailing types and analysis in order to control the project scale, and refer to developing a complete solution. The process then was not managed in BIM entirely anymore, due to the complexity of the geometry and the building layout itself, however the main technical issues were still traced in Autodesk Revit.

The energy aspect was considered, after the first Sefaira RT results, with different optimization and optioneering strategies, mainly based on plugins for Rhinoceros, another 3D modeling tool, able to compute from solar radiation on exposed surfaces to the internal day lighting. Structural aspect was confirmed using mainly the verifications by hand, with some elements drawn in SAP2000. This variety of software used was a necessary method to tackle the project complexity and maintain a convenient solution.

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STEP TWO

THE EXPO FUTURE SITE

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1_ URBAN SYNTHESIS Involving the community

1.1 Strategic approach As mentioned in chapter two having the city as the main catalyst for social development strategies tends to be much less effective than having the user as the main catalyst to develop the community. In this sense, Hortus conclusus has been selected as a typology that establishes a very strong connection between inhabitants and the farming process with the user acting as a first reactant, having an introvert bottom up process.

Thus, the urban strategic approach is more oriented towards a social and psychological development rather than a spatial one, with the aim of redefining the residence from being just a shelter to a place where we grow food. In order to have such a result, the urban strategy will focus on creating platforms, both physical and virtual that would be the basis of a food community network that educate, collaborate and spread the new ideology.

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1.2 Synthesis According to the strategic approach considered, the focus of the urban development strategy is more social than physical, having the implementation of the methodology not affected by the location assets but rather the social and community networking in the site under development, which ultimately increase the radius of study area from the site boundaries to a much broader length of effect that would include Milan Metropolitan area and the surrounding peripheries.

Milan Metropolitan Area is very active when it comes to social networking; Projects, initiatives, and programs that promote urban-rural partnerships already exist. These projects are perhaps isolated and have a very different range of characteristics and specificities, some of which are related to the production and distribution of local food farms and products, and promotion of food and health activities.

Therefore, there is a need to improve the exchange of information between levels of regional and local planning, in order to ensure the right support and the transfer of good practices to other areas as well as interested individuals. These existing NGOs and committees can also serve as possible stakeholders that can take part, manage or run the social food network.

According to the Urban Rural Partnerships in Metropolitan Areas (URMA - http://www.urma-project. eu/) in the Pilot Case developed by the Lombardy Region focuses on the periurban areas in the western portion of the Milan metropolitan area, the surveys have confirmed the positive correlation between the continuity of the rural system (low level of fragmentation) and the presence of â&#x20AC;&#x153;good practicesâ&#x20AC;? (such as local networking, associations, local food buying groups, local parks): conversely. A complex and multifaceted scenario from the point of view of the functions and services performed by the periurban areas and the policies and projects activated for the improvement of periurban areas promoted by institutions, but also by a large range of associations. The large consensus that supports local food distribution and consumption is also evident.1 The main difficulties/barriers to the implementation of integrated projects relate to the rigidity of the institutional framework in terms of competencies (different scales and bodies have responsibilities and competencies for water, rural, natural, soil, urban plans and management) and in terms of a lack of crosscutting governance instruments. The existing governance framework is not able to support/ implement the crosscutting proposal and projects proposed by individual associations or private enterprises. In particular, if these proposals imply multi-issue actions and solutions (involving, at the same time, agriculture innovation, water management, ecosystem improvement and urban neighborhoods renovation, etc.).1 In conclusion, Identifying the bottom-up initiatives and practices on a local level is crucial for the development of agricultural sector since they have much higher effect on small scale development strategies, and in Milan there are already quite a few existing organizations.

1. A Colucci. The potential of periurban areas in the resilience of metropolitan region. Resiliencelab, co.o.pe.ra.te. Srl , dastu/politecnico di milano. 2015

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1.3 Local NGO programs and practices Over the last few years, much research work and many European projects have been set up focusing on food polices, rural-urban landscape and urban/rural partnerships. With the recent institution of the Milan metropolitan area and the EXPO, the institutions have launched a different program to foster networking between the initiatives. One example is the food policy pact and the Milan food policy. Good practices and initiatives germinate similar initiatives and it is important to underline the diffusion of integrated initiatives in the Milan metropolitan context.

These existing platforms tackle the issue of food security, trying to improve and promote the connection between the local food productions with the local food market, and getting the consumers more in touch with the locally produced crops, however the civitatis hortus offers a different approach to the solution which focus on the relationship between the consumer and food growing directly through the medium of architecture, but for the new platforms to work as a whole, it has to be integrated with the present systems and policies.

Some of the good practices existing now in Milan are Parco della Risaie, BuonMercata, Mercato Metrapolitano and Nutrire la CittĂ che cambia. All of which involve citizens and promote local food production and marketing, as well as forming social networks between farmers, markets and consumers.

Fig. 176 Examples of good practices in Milan

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Fig. 177 Platform effect. attractor surface, MODELAB

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2_ DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY Defining the new center in the Expo site

2.1 Vision (Global and local) With a global vision for raising the food supply ratio to the demand ratio in order to have food secure – resilient city, through having an interconnected food networks comprised of small and local farms, local food markets and individuals between the city districts; The vision for the new expo site area and its surroundings is to be an active and vital part of that network of wider scale.

“From consumer to producer. An integrated, selfsufficient, local food community” 241

2.2 Goals and strategies

Fig. 178 Goals and strategies for the new expo site

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2.3 Physical and visual platforms One of the main core development strategies in the Civitatis Hortus concept is the creation of platforms that work as the bonding network that connects the multi-scale food communities. Starting with the Hortus Conclusus as the base building unit, to the community scale which is governed by local practices and organizations (Local food production, markets and health awareness), moving on to a larger scale of multiple districts forming a connected chain that serves the city, eventually ending up in regional scale with multiple cities platforms that exchange, promote and oversee the needs to sustain the region with selfsufficient food security. Having the Milano Horizontal farm as one of the leading units in forming the small scale platforms in Metropolitan Milan, acting as a research and development, as well as a viable example of applying the concept of Hortus conclusus in residential use buildings.

The physical and virtual platforms will consist of multi-layered multi-scaled organization, where each collective of layers will comprise a certain scale for the platform according to the area of effect. For example, the smallest scale platform, which is the first step would be consisted of three main layers that would act together to develop a certain small community or a small district within the city limits. The second platform would introduce new layers that cover a wider scale of audience, like Existing food chains and local practices, and so on until reaching a regional or national scale platform that would oversee all of the smaller connected platforms into one huge network.

In that sense, the following is a proposal to what the different layers in different scales could be:

Fig. 179 Multi-scale food network platform

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STEP THREE

CIVITATIS

HORTI

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THE CITY OF MILAN The farming commune of Milan

Regional scale strategy In order for the methodology â&#x20AC;&#x153;Civitatis Hortiâ&#x20AC;? to have an effect on a larger scale, a regional scale strategy must be implemented having to connect all of the small scale district and city-level platforms to form a much larger inter-connected system that is in its self-sufficient and resilient to future food insecurity.

Such regional scale strategies can be implemented in various approaches, either through the creations of a governing organization that would manage, facilitate and coordinate these city-level platforms. In addition to exchanging with other regions in the country in order to reach a food market that would be comprised mainly of local food productions instead of only relaying on imported goods.

Another approach would be a little more effective is introducing the concept of Civitatis Horti to the regional food policies, having the concept as a new unconventional development pole that rather focus on the user and home grown food production that focusing on local farms and markets. The following point will further discuss the possibilities of using the Civitatis Horti methodology in the food policy of Milan.

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Food policy The 2015 Milan Food Policy guideline published the data and information on the food cycle in the milanese context and the vision and guideline priorities of the milanese food policy. In its policies, the Municipality describes the guiding principles and orientations encoded at international level on issues related to the right to food, to develop a food system that is able to ensure healthy food and drinking water in sufficient quantity and equally accessible to everybody, resilience and sustainability articulated in its social, economic and environmental components.

For this reason it is committed to include the choices which directly or indirectly affect food and water, in the framework of its institutional prerogatives and in the activities of its subsidiary companies, in order to improve the quality of life of people and the quality of its territory and to play an innovation role on the national and international level.

The International Food Policy is a project for the whole Municipality: the Municipality, therefore, also assumes a role of support, stimulation and facilitation of all forms of social, technological and organizational innovation which meet the principles set out in the International Food Policy itself and that can contribute to the implementation of the guidelines it contains.

The priorities of the Milanese Food Policy are: 1. To ensure healthy food and sufficient drinking water as primary nourishment for everybody Ensure access to healthy drinking water and sufficient food to all citizens as primary nourishment in order to protect human dignity and improve the quality of life.

2. To promote the sustainability of the food system Facilitate the consolidation of all the components and activities necessary for managing a sustainable food system and promote local production and consumption of fresh and seasonal quality food.

3. Understanding food Promote a culture oriented to consumer awareness of healthy, safe, culturally appropriate, sustainable food, produced and distributed with respect for human rights and the environment.

4. Fight against waste Reduce surpluses and food waste during the different stages of the food chain as a tool for limiting environmental impact and to contrast social and economic inequalities.

5. To support and promote scientific agrifood research The guidelines and actions related to this priority will be clarified by subsequent planning documents.

The city council. Milan 2015-2020 Food Policy guidelines. the Council Bulletin. September 2015

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The data and information on the food cycle in the milanese context states that Farming surface in the municipality of Milan decreased from 49.2 % in 1955 to just 19% in 2012 highlighting the fact that it is crucial to provide an alternative food production method that would help cover the city needs.

The Civitatis Horti concept can be introduced to help increase the production ratio as well as decreasing the food needs in Milan, in compliance with the guideline priorities 1,2 and 3 mainly where it will introduce a new sustainable food system that would help understanding the importance of food production and promotion of the consumer health awareness about food, while providing healthy nourishment for everybody with an easy access to personal food supply.

It is in the authors opinion that the Hortus conclusus methodology should be introduced to the food policy of metropolitan Milan, adding a new and innovative method of food production that focuses on the residential sector and the direct consumer rather than just focusing on promotion and development of local and peripheral farms around the city in order to increase the food production.

Milan is a very active city when it comes to food policies in the world. In October 2015, Mayors from over 100 cities across the work gathered in Milan to sign the Milan urban food policy pact (MUFPP) and celebrate World Food Day. This was the first international food call that calls for cities to develop a more sustainable and equitable food system by guaranteeing health, reducing food waste and loss, conserving biodiversity, adapting to climate change and mitigating the effects, and promoting healthy diets. On the following year, the mayors met again in FOA headquarters in Rome to share their progress, new ideas, trace new goals and work together to build the zero hunger generation. The summit was entitled Local solutions for global issues.

This international platform of world leaders can be an opportunity to share the idea of hortus conclusus, where the methodology can be further development and implemented in various cities around the world, adapting to the needs and requirements of each one. Having the yearly summit as a place to share the experience and the results of the development strategy.

Fig. 180 Farming surface in the municipality of Milan (DUSAF database)

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CONCLUSION AND FUTURE OUTLOOKS

General conclusion The scope of our food chain and food production is in leaning towards an apocalyptic scenario, our agricultural system is buckling under its own weight, while weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re losing farmers every day, since the most of the population is affected by the need to move to the cities and larger communities, searching for better jobs and life. The UN estimates that by 2050, 6.5 billion people will be living in cities, nearly double what it is today. This transition will directly influence the food security, which is already on a shaky ground due to the market trends, people behavior and general attitude about this issue.

The food productions is dislocated, products are losing the domestic spirit, and nutrition became an obligation or need rather than a joy. Food market is suffering from globalization, leaving space for profiteers to act and take over small businesses and turn them into industry.

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The Hortus Conclusus thesis is offering one possible solution for this problem, by engaging the youth, as a future generation of decision makers, rising their awareness on this situation, and giving them the tool to tackle it. Putting them into the same process, the urban agriculture and the development of the young personalities through studies, we developed Agritecture, an architectural typology that will be directed towards creation of spaces that will directly support or provide a possibility for urban farming, education and activities with the similar goal.

The problem however is much more complex than that, food trading represents one of the largest markets in the world, if not the most important one, and there are many stakeholders that are not sharing the same point of view, since their profit is more important for them rather than the overall healthy nutrition and food security. So, it became a matter of not only technology and will to conduct the change, but also politics and business affairs. The penetration of this cult must happen also in other life aspects at the same time, in order to reach a desired effect and make an input into all levels of the society complete.

Future outlooks The concept of Agritecture is making a place where people can directly interact with process of farming on different social and economic levels, in order to maintain their own nutrition and preserve the culture of growing domestic food. At the same time, they will spread the interaction to other integrities since every individual is coming from different context, especially students.

Furthermore, different acts and happenings can be organized to spread this culture and engage more people, local communities, stakeholders and the governmental bodies. Due to the fact that this problem is, as mentioned before, also related to politics and food market business, the implementation could have a lot of enemies from the business spheres.

Speaking about the time-line, these three steps are representing the seeding of the process on a multiscale level strategically, with the same goal, the implementation of the homegrown food culture, and viable food security for the future generations.

The complexity of implementing this theory requires much more than described, such as research in the fields of psychology, student life, dorms and of course the farming process, in order to maintain a consistency and establish the mechanism that can sustain the new food chain. Furthermore, once seeded, this process has the potential to become an iterative within the same methodology, conquering globally the market, since every nation has its own food culture that is withdrawing under the modern consumerism.

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APPENDIX ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS 2. AD_Underground floor plan 3. AD_Ground floor plan 4. AD_First floor plan 5. AD_Second floor plan 6. AD_Third floor plan 7. AD_Greenhouse floor plan 8. AD_Section AA 9. AD_Section BB 10. Northwest Elevation 11. Southeast Elevation

BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES AND DETAIL DEVELOPMENT 12. Blowup 01 13. Blowup 02 14. Vertical closures 01 15. Vertical closures 02 16. Horizontal closures 17. Nodes and details

STRUCTURAL DRAWINGS 18. SP_Underground floor plan 19. SP_Ground floor plan 20. SP_First floor plan 21. SP_Second floor plan 22. SP_Third floor plan 23. SP_Section AA 258

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HORTUS CONCLUSUS The Seed of a new architectural typology Mahmoud Abdelwahab & Marko Blazic

HORTUS CONCLUSUS The Seed of a new architectural typology Mahmoud Abdelwahab & Marko Blazic

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