AgriFlats

AgriFlats recombines ideas advanced forty years ago in Sweden with modern controlled environment agriculture (CEA) to allow people to live and grow food in the same place. This recombination will catalyze a decarbonized, resilient, and high-performing neighborhood.

In 1976, Swedish architect Bengt Warne proposed shrouding a residence with a greenhouse for mutual benefit in a cold climate. This modern iteration magnifies his ideas to the scale of a City block. New two-story apartment buildings unite with modern Dutch Venlo greenhouses,oriented toward the southern sun, where hyperlocal food will grow.

The residents, growers, and the community will all benefit. Instead of the greenhouses acting primarily as an environmental buffer as Warne envisioned, they will be economic generators, growing healthy food while creating year-round jobs.

The greenhouses’ passive solar habitat will allow farmers to grow food in hydroponic and aquaponic CEA systems, under intelligent digital control, in the middle of winter. Within the greenhouses, they will produce food faster than possible in soil while consuming a tenth of the water.

They will grow crops without pesticides year-round in less space, with less labor, without exposing soil to the threat of erosion. During an unforgiving winter, residents will enjoy the warm temperatures, restorative humidity, daylight, and views of an expansive growing environment.

We need to balance food systems with natural ecosystems. It is time to start cultivating what we want.

5.Apartment

9.Biosecurity & Resident Growing

10.Entry to Testing Lab

11.Greenhouse Artificial Lighting

12.Roof Vents

13.Rain Collection Gutter

14.Operable Horizontal Screen

15.Insulating Glass Facade Beyond

16.Solar Thermal Panels

17.Mechanical Distribution

18.Grey Water Toilets

19.Cross Laminated Timber Panels

20.Noncomposite Precast Panels

21.Parkway Planters

22.Backfill Balance Cut and Fill

23.Insulated Thermal Storage Tanks

24.Nutrient Solution Tank

25.Rainwater Storage

26.Grey water Storage

27.Domestic Hot Water Storage

28.Energy Smart Wall

29.Aux Green Anaerobic Digester

Iceland Greenhouse Restaurant Competition

Year 2021 Location

The Iceland Greenhouse Restaurant Competition brief included designing a concept restaurant combining organic, indoor farming with uniquely icelandic aesthetic for practical, year-round farming.

WKA’s submission, “Auroraworks”, is nestled into the black sands of the strikingly beautiful Icelandic wilderness. A glowing gem glistens with vibrant green overlooking the dramatic landscape of Myvatn, with a directed vista south to the Myvatn nature baths and the broad presence of the Hverfjall crater.

From this unique landscape comes a wealth of biology specially adapted to this landscape of extremes. In recognition of nature’s genius, a biomimietic approach to the architectural response provides the most solid and sustainable foundation for long-lasting success at the new Vogafjos greenhouse restaurant, the AuroraWorks.

Biomimicry is designing to emulate nature, and involves translating the first principles found in nature into useable responses to local contexts that embody not just sustainable, but regenerative principles. This strategy aligns perfectly with the Myvatn region’s transition to a circular economy, echoed by the synergies between the greenhouse and the local business ecosystem. A key distinction is that biomimicry doesn’t aim to look like nature, but rather seeks to work like nature does, balancing interests. Architecture reflecting this way of thinking embeds inspired forms, processes, and systems within buildings.

As a result, AuroraWorks reflects an understanding of the natural world compatible with the demand for fresh, local food. We chose materials based on local availability, cost-effectiveness, recycleability and maintainability. The resulting form aligns with vernacular buildings, with modules of traditional pitched roofs that use thick turf and lava stone assemblies for its solid thermal mass walls. Building systems minimize waste and focus on operating efficiency.