Solar Harbor: Nurturing Nature in Industrial Design

Abstract

Warehouses are places where productivity and cost reduction meet to create highly profitable, efficient structures. At this intersection, however, there also lies a concrete box with little regard for the employees that toil within. These boxes, in addition to their disregard for human needs, interrupt nature in a massive way, destroying ecosystems for various lifeforms and leaving a large carbon footprint. These large, intrusive structures pose many problems regarding modern design, and contain outdated and unsustainable building practices that lead to many natural and societal problems. A thorough investigation of current warehouse design indicates all the afore-mentioned issues. This thesis strives to address some of these issues and provide solutions to problematic design practices. Specifically, this thesis focuses on a warehouse residing in the Fargo/Moorhead area, designing a warehouse that provides an update to the current structure, integrating natural lighting, sustainable design practices, and improvements on the building’s current program and layout.