Final Architectural Thesis Booklet

AGRITECTUR TECTURAL AL ARCHICULTUR ARCHICUL CULTURE TURE Edible Architecture Creating Resilient and Sustainable Communities Through Urban Agriculture Will Zillich - Architecture Thesis Cal Poly San Luis Obispo J. Reich 2014-15

AGRITECTUR TECTURAL AL ARCHICULTUR ARCHICUL CULTURE TURE A multi-scalar architectural approach to repairing the urban food system, while simultaneously integrating ecological design into the built environment. This project addresses the issues of the industrial food system as well as the urban waste stream. It proposes an integration of ecological waste treatment and vertical gardens into architecture as a step towards closed-loop sustainable living.

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This book is presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch) degree At California Polytechnic State University, Professor Jonathan Reich College of Architecture and Environmental Design Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

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Table of Contents ...What follows is my approach to creating a healthier, happier more holistic environment for our generation and all those to come...

Global Issues 4

Systems Thinking 46

Environmental Food Crisis 8

Large-scale commercial 52

Scalable Solutions 14 Micro-scale personal 24 Culinary Cultivator Counter-top hydroponic

West Oakland Vertical Farm Live-Work-Eat

54

Appendices 78

26

Thesis Shows

80

Small-scale community 32

Precedents

84

Cal Poly Real Food Colaborative Campus Food Stand

38

Sources

100

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Global Issues

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Population: An Exponentially Growing Problem Every day on earth there are over 200,000 more people to feed, By 2050 world population will reach over 9 billion. Food demand is set to rapidly increase, however modern farming is already impacting the world in devastating ways. Climate change will drastically impact the ability of conventional farms to continue production due to sporadic weather events, increased droughts and flooding, and much more voracious and hard to deter pests.

By the year 2050, nearly 80% of the earth’s population will reside in urban centers. Applying the most conservative estimates to current demographic trends, the human population will increase by about 3 billion people during the interim. (sources: FAO and NASA)

Old Stone Age

2-5 Million Years Ago

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An estimated 109 million hectares of new land (about 20% more land than is represented by the country of Brazil) will be needed to grow enough food to feed them, if traditional farming practices continue as they are practiced today. At present, throughout the world, over 80% of the land that is suitable for raising crops is in use. Historically, some 15% of that has been laid waste by poor management practices. What can be done to avoid this impending disaster?

Middle Stone Age

7000 BC

New Stone Age

6000 BC

5000 BC

4000 BC

8

7

5

Industrial Revolution

4

Bronze Age

3000 BC

Iron Age

2000 BC

1000 BC

Middle Ages

0 AD

1000 AD

3

Billions of People

6

2

Modern Age

1

2000 AD Edible Architecture |9

Impacts of Traditional Agriculture There are many ways in which agriculture impacts the environment.

Using current food production methods, it takes an average of 10 calories of fossil fuels to produce just 1 calorie of edible food.

Modern agriculture uses about 70% of the worlds available fresh water, and consumes more than 30% of the planets total surface area. Agricultural industry is also one of the highest sources of CO2 emissions and pollution. Given the fragility of our planet and our ever increasing pressures from a growing population, our current consumption and production of food will prove to be unsustainable.

Environmental Impact = Population X Consumption

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70%

34.3%

17-30%

37.3%

WATER

LAND

GHG

LABOR

of

CONSUMPTION

of

AREA

of

EMISSIONS

of the

FORCE

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Food Miles

Transportation and Distribution Costs of Traditional Agriculture The average meal in the United States travels 1,200 miles from the farm to your plate with an enormous amount of embedded energy and waste emissions. However, livestock is the second highest contributor of greenhouse gases (GHG), nearly 1/5th of all GHG is generated by livestock production, more than transportation. Growing even some of our own food, eating locally, and minimizing our food transportation footprint, is one of the best things we can do to protect the environment.

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Food Deserts Despite an extensive food transportation industry, many areas still have no access to fresh healthy produce. There is an Increasing disparity of food availability and large urban centers have many regions where residents only access to food comes from fast food and gas stations.

If we’re going to live in cities, why can’t we produce our food in the cities as well?

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Food Deserts Across the US

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Scalable Solutions

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Alternative Methods as Possible Solution

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Images courtesy of Dickson Despommier PhD Author of The Vertical Farm

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Why Combine Architecture and Agriculture?

Within discussions about sustainable and resilient cities, the subject of food supply is often forgotten, and yet food comprises 23% of the average ecological footprint of a person in the developed world.

An estimated 109 million hectares of new land (about 20% more land than is represented by the country of Brazil) will be needed to grow enough food to feed our increasing population, if traditional farming practices continue as they are practiced today. At present, throughout the world, over 80% of the land that is suitable for raising crops is in use. Historically, some 15% of that has been laid waste by poor management practices. What can be done to avoid this impending disaster?

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At 7 Billion people we have an agricultural footprint larger than the size of South America. This does not include grazing land used for livestock.

About 80% of the Earth’s available tillable land is used for farming and with an expected population growth of an additional 3 billion that would mean an increase of farmland the size of Brazil.

Due to the fertile area of the Amazon rainforest, may types of agricultural products are being produced there.

The Amazon is one of our planet’s largest physical features, and it is far more vulnerable than we’d assumed, both to the onslaught of deforestation for food and biofuels, and to the changes in temperature that we’ve kicked off.

In general there is an increasing separation of where people live and where their food is grown. This leads to areas of high population density and intense deforestation for crop production.

Separation of Food production and People

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By integrating food production into the buildings where we live, work, and play we would be able to: - Have year round production of local food - Grow 4 times the amount of food, twice as fast as traditional methods - Eliminate weather related crop failures - Have no agricultural runoff - Use less land and allow for the restoration and rehabilitation of natural ecosystems - Significantly reduced use of fertilizers - Use no pesticides or herbicides - Uses 70%-95% less water - Nearly eliminates transportation costs and related GHG emissions - Control food safety and security on a better level - Create new employment opportunities - Use certain plants as a way to filter metabolic by-products of urban life.

- Purify gray water and rain catchment.

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Image from Sustainability Blog by Oliver Wyman

Six Key Benefits of Hydroponic Rooftop Farming

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Solutions Applied What follows are applications of my thesis at three scales.

Micro - Table-top herb cultivator which I designed and

constructed for a curniture competition.

Small - Two conceptual abstracts and a preliminary design for Integrating real food into campus culture.

Large - Design of new urban mixed-use residential apartment which incorporates vertical farming into the building

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Micro-Scale

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Counter-top Hydroponics A Culinary Cultivator Hydroponic Herb Shelf allows families to have an indoor garden in their very own kitchen that provides the freshest, organically grown herbs and greens year-round! This means no pesticides, no food waste, and no travel time. A Culinary Cultivator gives you peace of mind that you know exactly what you are eating

+

because you grew it. It’s the ultimate zero-mile diet. My mission is to support local food systems by providing people with a way to start growing and taking control of what they eat. Only through actively producing our own food can we begin to correct the flawed massproduced food system, minimize our carbon footprint, and provide

+

+ = +

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everyone the opportunity to take an active hand in providing their families with the healthiest and freshest food no matter where they live.

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Culinary Cultivator

A Hydroponic Herb Shelf with Grow Light Will Zillich

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lan tro

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Or eg

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Ba

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Mi

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Sa

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Built entirely from reused and recyclable materials this Hydroponic Herb Rack represents the future of our food system. Counter-top hydroponic gardens are a space efficient and cost effective way to grow fresh herbs in the home.

Perfect for the urban gardener, a tiny city apartment, or students on the move, this hydroponic herb rack allows anyone to have access to the freshest of herbs anytime on the year. Instead of soil, hydroponic gardens use a liquid, nutrient-rich environment, this makes the system much more compact and efficient.

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Designed to fit in a window sill or on the counter, this project provides up to 12 varieties of fresh herbs in less space than it would take to grow 2-3 of the same herbs using traditional methods.

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The Culinary Cultivator on display in the Vellum furniture show in downtown San Luis Obispo in 2014. This event showcases student built designs and awards projects that compete in a variety of categories.

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Small Scale

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Hawthorn Elementary Garden to Cafeteria The Garden and Cafeteria integration provides students with the freshest, organically grown food year-round!

This means no pesticides, no food waste, and no travel time. This program also gives the parents peace of mind, knowing exactly what their kids are eating, because they took part in growing it and could follow the entire life-cycle of the food from seed to harvest and even processing.

My mission is to support resiliency in the local food system by providing this generation with a way to start growing and taking control of what they eat. Only through actively producing our own food can we begin to correct the flawed mass-produced food system, minimize our carbon footprint, and provide everyone the opportunity to take an active hand in providing their families with the healthiest and freshest food no matter where they live.

The Garden to Cafeteria program is a unique opportunity for students to grow fresh fruits and vegetables in their school gardens with the aim of supplying some of their harvest to the school cafeterias to be used at lunch service. The program connects school gardening and school lunch through seasonal harvest events and educational activities. Becoming thoroughly integrated with The National School Lunch Program, the goal of the garden is to insure all children access to a nutritious lunch. Over the years the school lunch program has changed, keeping it in line with developments in

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Exploratory Abstract nutritional science. Today’s school lunch is designed to meet 1/3rd of the recommended daily allowance for protein, calcium, iron, Vitamin A and Vitamin C, with restricted amounts of fat and saturated fat. By integrating educational curriculum and healthy foods into the kids lifestyles at such an early age they will become more adept at taking care of both themselves and the planet as they grow older.

Some of the many benefits of having a school garden integrated into the students curriculum include; changes in eating habits and a healthier diet, improved test scores and better concentration, connecting children to nature and promoting physical activity.

The garden is entirely planted, tended and harvested by the students, grades kindergarten through fifth, who use it as a learning laboratory year-round. The garden serves as a lens for studying math, science, history, and social studies and lifelong wellness. The curriculum includes everything from plant botany and healthy eating to soil biology and seed saving, and aims to address state standards, supplementing and supporting what students are expected to learn at all learning levels.

Campus Market-Farm Roof-Top Hydroponics Market Farm - A roof-top hydroponic garden integrated with the existing campus market and food processing facility. This agricultural intervention provides a transparent source of food for all students at Cal Poly and educates them about the importance of the food cycle. The Market Farm program is a unique opportunity for students to grow fresh fruits and vegetables on their campus with the aim of supplying themselves with some of their harvest and supplying the fresh produce to the market to be enjoyed by everyone. The program connects urban gardening to the student community by providing seasonal harvest events and educational activities.

As part of the educational opportunities hosted by those involved with the Market Farm, classes or seminars would be held about the impacts of our current food system and is devastating effects on our planet. A new report reveals most consumers aren’t aware that the meat and livestock industry is a bigger source of global carbon emissions than transport — and that’s even when air travel and shipping are included in the transport figures. However, the report, titled Livestock — Climate Change’s Forgotten Sector, also found that consumers were more willing to reduce their meat consumption once they better understood the impacts, giving hope that awareness campaigns could work towards reducing the meat and dairy industries’ contribution to global warming.

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Exploratory Abstract Preventing catastrophic warming is dependent on tackling meat and dairy consumption. Alternative diets that offer substantial health benefits could, if widely adopted, reduce global agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, reduce land clearing and resultant species extinctions, and help prevent diet-related chronic disease.

By integrating food production right into the fabric of the Campus Market, produce has absolutely no transportation cost and the chance of the food going old or spoiling is drastically reduced. Because of the mild climate of San Luis Obispo the market would be able to produce nearly any kind of produce from greens to veggies to fruit end even more.

Real Food Collaborative Campus Food Stand Interdisciplinary Proposal for a Food Vending Stand for the Student-Run Real Food Collaborative.

A brief design project where I collaborated with a student group on campus who was passionate about providing healthy local food. The students in this group were addressing the Real Food Challenge and were trying to close the gap between the food produced on campus by the agriculture department and the food available to students. They wanted a place where they would be able process and sell their food.

The Real Food Collaborative- A group of students who are passionate about working with, learning about, and improving our food system, specifically at Cal Poly. We see strong potential at Cal Poly to increase both demand and availability of real food on campus. This includes local, organic, fair trade and humanely produced products (our holistic term for these qualities is “real”), which are all less harmful and more nourishing to the people, animals, and environmental resources involved.

Our dual goals of opening a student-cooperative café, and continually increasing awareness and availability of real food on campus, are our solutions to fix a broken food system.

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The RFC currently has two missions: 1. Get more real food on campus!

We are following the nationwide Real Food Challenge campaign to increase the procurement of real food on college and university campuses, with the national goal of 20% real food by 2020. We can easily achieve this by working with the abundance of local organic farms in our area like the Cal Poly Organic Farm! http://realfoodchallenge.org/ 2. Create a student run food co-op on campus!

A student run food co-op would give students experience in owning and running a cafe while fulfilling the need for nourishing, affordable, environmentally sustainable and ethically produced food in our campus dining web!

We are working towards this goal with the organization CoFed (Cooperative Food Empowerment Directive), a training program and research institute empowering students to create ethically-sourced, community-run cafes on college campuses

The interior of the food stand showing the hydroponic towers for growing fresh greens and herbs. The front of the food stand holds restaurant grade hot/cold wells for displaying the food while keeping it fresh.

Interior View of Food Stand

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Preliminary Design Equipment for RFC food stand -Solar PV Grid-interconnected system -Large refrigerator (about 36”x28”) -Hot storage Portable cabinet (H 33-9/16" x W 19" x D 26-3/8") (http://www.alto-shaam.com/en/products/heated-holding-cabinet) -Cold storage Portable cabinet (H 33-9/16" x W 19" x D 26-3/8") -6-8 Hot wells (2 pan holder 7-1/2" x 27-13/16" x 23-1/8") each well is 12”x20” (http://www.alto-shaam.com/en/products/drop-in-food-well) -2-3 Cold wells -Sink w/ 3 tubs -Tank-less water heater -Above sink dish rack -Oven/ stove combo -Range hood

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"

10'-0"

5'-0"

1

1 0'-

1

" 4 / 3

12'-10

/4"

17'-3 3

Plan of RFC Food Stand

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5

4 1 0

2

3

There were a variety of locations discussed for the stand. I chose to focus my design on the best location (#1) as it was closest to the heart of campus and at the intersection of two main traffic routes.

Possible Locations for the Food Stand

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Material Ideas

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The south window of the food stand is mostly filled by vertical planters as a way to grow and harvest fresh produce right in the heart of campus.

Grow Towers in Food Stand

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Systems Thinking

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Natural hydrological and energy cyclesCycles Natural

Closed Loop

Solar Precipitation

Solar

Carnivores Quaternary Trophic Levels

ENERGY/ NUTRIENTS

Omnivores Tertiary Trophic Levels

WATER

Herbivores Secondary Trophic Levels Transpiration/ Respiration

Plants Primary Trophic Levels

Infiltration Evaporation

Micro Fauna Decomposers

The natural cycles of water and energy in any sustainable ecosystem are almost entirely closed loops.

Looking at the major ecosystems across the globe we see that the only input of energy is the sun and every other resource is recycled and utilized in some way.

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Urban Cycles

Resource Extraction Chemical Production

Fertilizer Forced Crop production

CAFO Feedlots Artificial Food Production

Long Distance Transportation

Unhealthy Use

Food Waste Contaminated Runoff Landfill Pollution

The industrial urban system on the other hand is almost entirely one way. From destructive resource extraction and intensive processing methods, to inefficient single use consumables, most urban systems reuse very little and contribute to tremendous amounts of waste and pollution.

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Eco-Building Water and Nutrient Cycles When trying to design buildings systems that emulate the natural environment, resource recycling is key.

Grey water systems are becoming more common and are a great way to reuse water within a building.

Using the same water more than once can drastically reduce a buildings demand on the local utilities as well as minimize its waste output.

Living machines utilize organic and biological processes to breakdown sewage and convert it into harmless compounds. Plants are able to filter the water with their roots and polish it to a standard higher than many sewage plants without the need for harsh chemicals.

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By incorporating these various systems with hydroponics, the water used by the residents is recirculated throughout the building. Waste water is converted into fertilizer for the plants which in turn filter the water and produce food.

In a properly balanced system the residents feed the plants and the plants feed the residents.

This mimics natural systems and could possibly eliminate wasted resources. Systems such as this are being studies by NASA as possible methods of supporting astronauts where closed loops and efficient systems are the key to survival.

Eco-Building hydrological and nutrient cycles

Grow To wers

Hydroponic Gardens

Black Water

Grey Water System

Residential Use

Mostly Closed Loop

NFT Racks

Grey Water DWC Beds Ebb-Flow Media beds

Potable Water

UV sterilizer

Filter

Storage Tank Prefilter

overflow

Horizontal Flow Wetland

Tidal Flow Wetand

Tidal Flow Wetand

Nutrient Solution Tank

Primary Aerobic Treatment

Anerobic Digester Equilization Tank

Living Machine

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Large Scale

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West Oakland Vertical Farm For the large scale application of my thesis I began the initial design development of a mixed use high rise apartment building. The idea was to incorporate the biological systems of crop production as a way to metabolize and recycle the building’s waste.

Preliminary program distribution and massing.

Community resources and event spaces are located on the ground floors with professional offices and restaurants above. Housing rises in three tower blocks around a central courtyard. The south facing facades of each tower are intertwined with vertical gardens which provide food, fresh air, and a taste of nature to the community.

Section showing integration of residential apartments with rotating vertical gardens.

Early Conceptual section

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West Oakland Site One of the many reasons I chose West Oakland as the location for a large scale application of my thesis was because of its dire need for wholesome food. Looking at the many food deserts located around California, few lie in such densely populated regions as those around Oakland. Being located in the center of the bay area Oakland is facing a rapidly growing population, as many young professionals are seeking housing which accommodates employment in San Francisco.

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Current Conditions

The site I found in Oakland has some interesting history behind it.

It was Previously located under the Cypress Viaduct which collapsed in the 1989 Loma Prieta quake. It has since remained unbuilt and currently hosts an abandoned surface parking lot.

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Future West Oakland Master Plan

There have been many plans in the works to revitalize Oakland and bring some much needed life to the low-income communities around the western districts. These proposed development plans will play a strong role in my design. By preemptively proposing a vertical farm to be integrated into the future development it will provide local fresh food, reducing the need for traditional big-box grocers and the large footprint they have

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Solar Exposure and Massing Optimization Efficient plant growth is vital to the success of any urban farm operation. To expedite plant growth and produce food quickly, solar orientation is crucial. To optimize some early massing models I constructed a shading study, which takes into account season and time of day, and located each tower to minimize the shadows cast on the rest of the building.

These images show a series of idea studies each trying to maximize the southern insolation and minimize self-shading. As I was experimenting I came across some very different shapes that each performed similarly.

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Solar Oriented Building Section

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Alternative section showing increased floor area and better integrated vertical garden spaces.

Top view of building envelope for optimal solar orientation. Forming the building in such a way to minimize shading on the southern facade

Solar Optimized Site Plan

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Apartment Design

The apartments were designed in a modular fashion. Each module contains three separate units, two single bedroom units and one three bedroom unit. Circulation is placed on alternating floors to allow some units access to direct light.

The vertical gardens act as a double wall partially shading the hallways in the summer yet allowing some sun in the winter. The hallways act as a buffer zone between the apartments and the weather outside and are able to ventilate or trap heat to maintain a comfortable environment.

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A number of facade studies looking at various arrangements of the apartment modules and placement of the vertical gardens

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Lower Floor of Apartment Module

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The lower floor of each apartment module has a one bedroom apartment and the social space of a three bedroom apartment. It also contains the horizontal circulation, sub-floor utility runs, and the base for the grow towers.

The upper floor of each apartment module has another one bedroom apartment and the private space for the three room apartment.

Upper Floor of Apartment Module

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North western View

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Aerial view showing the north facing facade with private balconies for most of the 198 apartments. The street front has commercial space on the ground floor with restaurants and outdoor seating on the second floor.

Aerial view showing southern green walls and central atrium. The central atrium contains the living machines and crops not suited for vertical towers, such as root crops, perennials or trees. The atrium also connects shops on the ground floor and has semi-public seating and social areas.

South Western View

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A

B

B

v

A

Top View

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Top view showing the three blocks of apartments around central courtyards. The height and spacing between them allows maximum solar exposure to the plants.

Shallow Utility Floors separate each Apartment module and contain much of the gray water and hydroponic systems.

Section A-A Looking East

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Section B-B Looking North

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Hallway View

Interior view of a typical hallway in the residential apartment towers.

Vertical gardens filter the light, create fresh air, purify the water and feed the residents. Vertical connection between each level allow for air circulation and heat ventilation.

Frosted glass windows between the hallways and the apartments let diffuse daylight penetrate into the apartments while preserving indoor privacy.

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View from Balcony Looking north east from a private balcony we see the pattern of grow towers integrated into the facade of the building. Solar panels collect and provide enough energy to power the Living Machine and Hydroponic systems

Notes

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Apendix

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Final Thesis Show

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For the final show of thesis projects the students in my studio transformed a gallery space by constructing custom displays for each project.

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Section model showing the layout of each apartment with utility spaces between each module. The grow towers are also seen acting as shade screens and a double skin wall.

Final Section Model

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Precedents & Case Studies

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Bio-Facades, BIQ House, Germany A Building with a Second Green Skin The sides of the building that face the sun have a second outer shell that is set into the façade itself. Microalgae – tiny plants, most no larger than bacteria – are produced within this shell. They enable the house to supply its own energy. The only thing that the algae have to do is simply to grow.

They are continuously supplied with liquid nutrients and carbon dioxide via a separate water circuit running through the façade. With the aid of sunlight, the algae can photosynthesise and grow. This façade is the first of its kind in the world and makes use of the very latest energy and environmental technology.

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Natural, efficient and unique: the BIQ is setting new standards as the first building in the world to have a bioreactor façade. Microalgae are cultivated in the glass elements that make up its “bio skin”. These are used to produce energy, and can also control light and provide shade.

Inside, an innovative living concept is aimed at ensuring maximum design versatility for everyday life, and gives us a glimpse into urban life in the future. With its innovative living concept, futuristic exterior, and “intelligent” algae façade, the BIQ is a highlight of ”The Building Exhibition within the Building Exhibition”.

Microalgae – a Smart Energy Solution The algae flourish and multiply in a regular cycle until they can be harvested. They are then separated from the rest of the algae and transferred as a thick pulp to the technical room of the BIQ. Afterwards they can be fermented in an external biogas plant and thus re-used for the generation of biogas. Algae are especially well-suited to this process because, compared with soil-grown plants, they produce up to five times as much biomass per hectare and contain an especially large proportion of oils that can be used to generate energy. Alternatively, the algae can be used for research by the cosmetics and food industries. Depending on the season and requirements, the algae can be used in different ways according to demand (conversion into heat in winter or the use of biomass in the food industry in the summer months when growth is highest).

Living Eco-Machines

The OCSL's Eco Machine™ treats wastewater in seven steps: 1) Solid Settlement Tanks 2) Equalization Tanks 3) Anoxic Tanks 4) Constructed Wetlands 5) Aerated Lagoons 6) Recirculating Sand Filter, and 7) Dispersal Fields. It processes up to 52,000 gallons of water per day when Omega's campus is open (April to October), and about 5,000 gallons of water All the water from Omega's campus, per day in the off season (November to March). Each component of the including water used in toilets, showers, and sinks, flows to the Eco Eco Machine™ at the OCSL is designed in a number of cells that Machine™, where it is purified by allow Omega to manage the flow of microscopic algae, fungi, bacteria, plants, and snails. This natural water wastewater. When our water usage is low, we divide the wastewater reclamation process cleans the water using zero chemicals. In large among the various cells to efficiently dispersal fields under the parking lot, "feed" all the living organisms and the purified water is returned to the plants that purify the water. This keeps the Eco Machine™ running aquifer deep beneath campus. well year round.

90| Edible Architecture The Eco Machine™ at the heart of the Omega Center for Sustainable Living is the latest in natureinfluenced technology designed

by John Todd, a pioneer in the field of ecological design. An Eco Machine™ is a water reclamation system that cleans water by mimicking the processes of the natural world.

Solar energy supplies 100% of the electricity necessary to power the natural water reclamation achieved by the Eco Machine™. In addition, Omega's campus is located on the side of a hill, so gravity aids the water's flow to the Eco Machine™, reducing energy demand.

Closed-Loop Ecosystems, Biosphere 2

B2 Earthscience involves an array of natural, experimental and modeling research, along with education and outreach programs all aimed at understanding earth, ecological and environmental processes important for the sustainability and resilience of our coupled human–natural world in the face of global environmental change.

B2 Earthscience is utilizing the unique attributes of Biosphere 2 to conduct research that cannot be accomplished anywhere else, by anyone else.

to explore complex questions in earth sciences, allowing highly controlled experiments to be conducted at varying scales with precise manipulation and close monitoring.

Biosphere 2 permits environmental variables to be tightly controlled even at a large spatial scale such as that of the different wilderness biomes represented under the glass. It also permits testing and utilization of novel techniques and instruments that are not amenable The University of Arizona is building to field studies. This ability to obtain a research program to bridge the high-resolution measurements and gap between laboratory and fieldfinely manipulate variables is crucial scale studies utilizing the unique for developing experiments of more infrastructure of Biosphere 2. The facility offers unparalleled opportunities mechanistic nature. Thus Biosphere

2 has the potential to provide unique contributions to the understanding of how earth systems respond to environmental change. Past research at Biosphere 2 has made significant scientific contributions in areas such as the understanding of ecosystem responses to elevated carbon dioxide concentrations.

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Eden Project, Grimshaw, ARUP

Initially conceived as a UK Millenium Project for the public as well as a research and educational tool, The Eden Project is an impressive feat of engineering. From the start, the mission of the Eden Project has been to “promote the understanding and responsible management of the vital relationship between plants, people, and resources, leading towards a sustainable future for all.”

The idea for the three biomes was thought up by Tim Smit who had worked on and was largely responsible for the successful restoration of The Lost Gardens of 92| Edible Architecture

Heligan. This time his focus was to create something new, starting from scratch, that would amaze future generations. This structure aimed to educate visitors about the importance of a sustainable environment through the study and education of plants. To achieve this goal, Tim teamed up with the internationally known sustainable architecture firm of Nicholas Grimshaw and Partners. Together they explored many innovative ideas for the creation of the world’s largest biome.

There are essentially three biomes in the Eden Project: the humid–tropics biome, the warm temperate biome, and the moderate temperate biome which is the land surrounding the two enclosed bubble-like structures.

The humid–tropics biome, the largest biome at over 240m long, houses tropical plants from all over the world.

Trails and various waterfalls enclosed inside the structure allow visitors to totally immerse themselves in a unique environment that would otherwise be impossible. The moderate temperate biome, though smaller still, allows visitors to enjoy and learn about plants and environments from all over the world.

NASA - Advanced Life Support, Crop Production The Bioengineering Branch in the Life Sciences Division at NASA Ames is developing advanced life support (ALS) technologies for use in the regenerative life support systems required for future human missions.

In order to have affordable -- and even doable -- long-term exploration (of space), you need to incorporate biology into the life support system.

NASA researchers at the Kennedy and Johnson Space Centers are figuring out how to do just that. They’re exploring technologies that could wed people, plants, microbes, and machines into a miniature “ecosystem” capable of supporting space travelers indefinitely.

This type of life support system -- called “bioregenerative” -- would be fully self-contained, creating an ecologically sound microcosm where each element supports and is supported by each of the others.

Humans and plants are ideal space traveling companions. Humans consume oxygen and release carbon dioxide. Plants return the favor by consuming carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. Humans can use edible parts of plants for nourishment, while human waste and inedible plant matter can be

broken down by microbes in tanks called "bioreactors" and provide nutrients for plant growth. Plants and microbes can also work to purify water, possibly with help from machines. The only input needed to keep such a system going is energy in the form of light.

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Live Share Grow- Brandon Martella In response to an exponential growth in population and current trends in unsustainable food consumption, San Diego architect Brandon Martella has proposed a new high-rise building typology that integrates an expansive farm and market into the American urban landscape. The vertical farm skyscraper is an architecture that responds to a burgeoning economic and environmental issue– a problem of fruit and vegetable supply not meeting the 320+ kilogram per person demand in the united states.

Since the bulk of produce for San Diego comes from both the imperial and central California valleys, the issue of food sustainability and acquisition is one of increasing importance in the region.

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Cradle to Cradle Design- William McDonough & Co World Future Energy Summit in 2008, A concept for an Eco-effective, mixeduse building for a desert climate. The structure is not just kind to nature; it actually imitates nature by making oxygen, distilling water and producing energy. In effect, a building that is like a tree, standing in a city that is like a forest. From solar panels that produce power to tree-filled terraces that recycle water, the building will work, quite literally, from the inside

Desert Tower Concept

out. The structure, envelope, and mechanical systems of the building merge into super-thin, smart skins that automatically adjust to the sun and wind like a living, breathing organism. This tower shows the way urban centers can get closer to nature—and in the process keep neighborhoods and cities vibrant and healthy.

Office Building of the Future

Liuzhou, Guangxi, China

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Bioclimatic Architecture - Ken Yeang

National Library – Singapore (2005)

Spire Edge Tower – India

Yeang’s work applies bioclimatic (climate-responsive) principles to building design, to create lowenergy passive-mode buildings. This climate-responsiveness approach engenders critical regionalist features in his work, where climatic responses of the design provide the links to its locality. The bioclimatic approach subsequently became the underlying armature for his ecological design agenda.

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EDITT Tower – Singapore

Co-op Canyon - Standard Studio Co-Op Canyon creates a sustainable, zero carbon space fit for 1,000 users. Inspired by the cliff dwellings of the Anasazi Indians, the Co-Op features terraced urban conditions which overlook a lush urban canyon. The dwelling terraces are lined with front yard gardens that host native plants varying in color and texture, while backyard gardens emphasize the ends of the terraces. The garden allotments, in addition to communal farms, are dispersed throughout the terraces allowing residents to grow, exchange, and share canyon-grown produce.

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Urban Farm - Konodesigns Urban Farm at Pasona Tokyo Headquarters is a nine story high, 215,000 square foot corporate office building for a Japanese recruitment company, Pasona Group, located in downtown Tokyo. Using both hydroponic and soil based farming, crops and office workers share a common space. For example, tomato vines are suspended above conference tables, lemon and passion fruit trees are used as partitions for meeting spaces, salad leaves are grown inside seminar rooms and bean sprouts are grown under benches. The main lobby also features a rice paddy and a broccoli field.

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Plantagon - Sweden Plantagon International is the global innovation leader in the sector urban agriculture. Plantagon’s resilient food systems minimize the need for land, water, energy and pesticides. The environmental impact is very low, and if the products are delivered directly to consumers in the city, the transportation costs are also minimized. The Plantagon concept is simple and appealing: fresh, local vegetables delivered daily directly to consumers. No middle hands, no yesterday’s food.

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USA Pavilion - EXPO Milano 2015

The USA Pavilion’s theme is American Food 2.0: United to Feed the Planet. Expo Milano 2015 will enable the USA Pavilion to showcase the United States as an innovator not only in the food sector, but also in many aspects of culture, science and business. Feeding ourselves engages a massive infrastructure, advanced technologies, and dynamic systems that touch on just about every aspect of the world we live in.

Each step from farm to table reflects a set of values and connections that impact our identities and shape our future.

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Using interactive exhibits and stateof-the-art digital media, the USA Pavilion at Expo Milano 2015 will highlight American industry, products, and entrepreneurship within the contexts of sustainability, nutrition and health, technology and innovation. Our official partnership with Italy will position the United States as a destination for business, entrepreneurship and travel. The USA Pavilion will promote collaboration to strengthen bilateral ties between the United States and Europe and the rest of the global community in order to tackle food-system challenges together.

The USA Pavilion is a one-of-a-kind building designed by architect James Biber of Biber Architects in New York.

It is a 35,000 square foot space within Expo Milano’s 3.6 million square foot sustainable “smart city.” The building is a multi-level experience that flows with activity from top to bottom, side to side. It includes a massive vertical farm that will be harvested daily. “I’ve drawn inspiration from the straightforward, ‘honest’ agricultural buildings that are part of our nation’s history,” said Biber in a recent interview about the process of creating the USA Pavilion. “It is a very simple building, and when people look at it, they’ll instantly understand exactly how it was made.”

“There’s a constant dialogue between nature and science in the USA Pavilion – and the proposition that they’re not on opposite ends of the spectrum, but very much part of a cooperative system,” the award-winning architect continued. “America’s food story is rich and innovative – much more so than most people realize. We want visitors to understand and appreciate how complex and sophisticated our story is.”

The Vertical Farm - USA pavilion One of the more innovative features of the USA Pavilion is a 9,250-square-foot (860-square-meter) Vertical Farm, where 42 different varieties of vegetables, grains, and herbs are grown. The crop wall represents a highly integrated approach to agriculture and tells a story of food production for the future.

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References & Bibliography A Vision for Public Food Production. sustainablecitiescollective, 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/dirt/1005946/vision-public-food-production>.

Barth, Brian. The Tricky Business of Zoning for Urban Agriculture. LAND 8, 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http://land8.com/profiles/blogs/the-tricky-business-of-zoning-forurban-agriculture>.

Clarke, Chris. If You Want to Stop Wasting Water and Energy, Stop Wasting Food.

TakePart, 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/09/09/ how-stop-food-waste?cmpid=ait-fb>.

Despommier, Ph.D, Dickson. The Vertical Farm. Columbia University, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http://www.verticalfarm.com/>.

FarmedHere Sustainable Indoor Farming. N.p., 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http:// farmedhere.com/>. http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/nearly-1-million-californians-living-food-deserts-10122

http://magazine.good.is/articles/agri-tecture-food-s-next-big-movement http://mdrxa.wordpress.com/research-paper/vertical-farming-in-malaysia http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/david-thorpe/426096/worlds-first-commercial-rooftop-aquaponics-farm 102| Edible Architecture

http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/greenprophet/408091/why-i-am-farming-water http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/seedstock/442951/urban-farming-co-takes-aquaponic-farming-europe-s-rooftops http://www.brandonmartella.net/ http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/food-access-research-atlas/go-to-the-atlas. aspx#.VGEgavnF_u0 http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/blog/can-food-deserts-become-oases http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-product-design/co-op-canyon-demonstrateshow-food-can-be-integrated-into-architecture.html http://www.ubmfuturecities.com/economy-manufacturing.asp Neighmond, Patti. It Takes More Than A Produce Aisle To Refresh A Food Desert. NPR, 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/02/10/273046077/takes-more-than-a-produce-aisle-to-refresh-a-fooddesert>.

Protect and Expand Urban Agriculture. Oakland Food Policy Council, 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http://oaklandfood.org/2013/07/29/urban-agriculture-2/ >.

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SUSTAINABILITY BLOG. Ed. michael lierow. N.p., 20 Aug. 2013. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http://blogs.oliverwyman.com/sustainability/2013/08/20/how-urban-agriculture-can-grow-grocers-revenue/>.

The Future of Food: How Science Will Solve the Next Global Crises.. WIRED MAGAZINE: ISSUE 16.11, 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http://archive.wired.com/special_ multimedia/2008/ff_futurefood_1611>.

The Plant. Bubbly Dynamics, LLC, 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http://www.plantchicago. com/>.

Thorpe, David. How Cities Will Feed Their Citizens in the Future. sustainablecitiescollective, 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/david-thorpe/439071/how-cities-will-feed-their-citizens-future>.

Tilman, David, and Michael Clark. Global diets link environmental sustainability and human health. NATURE, 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v515/n7528/full/nature13959.html>.

Wiles, Graham. Cardboard to Caviar. algalbiomass, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http://algalbiomass.weebly.com/graham-wiles-cardboard-to-caviar.html>.

World Food Day: What you need to know about the future of food. VIRGIN UNITE, 2014. Web. 10 Dec. 2014. <http://www.virgin.com/unite/leadership-and-advocacy/ world-food-day-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-future-of-food>.

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