A New Root: Architecture for Food
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Abstract
Only 17% of America’s land is considered ideal for agricultural purposes. However,
traditional agriculture ruins our land in the long run by depleting the soil of essential
nutrients. By conserving the land, we can reap its many benefits. To name a few,
conserving the land can play a role in reducing air and water pollution, preserving
biodiversity, preventing soil erosion, and can aid in sequestering greenhouse gases.
Because land is such a vital resource, we can further preserve it by bringing vertical
farming into urban environments. This yields the question: How can architecture
be designed for food production to have an impact on the health of people and the
environment?
The research begins with analyzing several precedent studies of urban agriculture
and its implementations within different architecture typologies. The research
cumulates in the final design of urban farms designed for several settings, including
new and existing markets, a stand-alone structure, and several scales of mixed-use
buildings.