urban reproduction

Project idea

The concept revolves around using city infrastructure as a means for food production.

This project proposes the tops of train tracks to be converted into potential greenhouses and farms which then uses the train to facilitate this produce to the site, which is IIT campus, South Side Chicago. The site and others in the area are well documented food deserts, therefore getting fresh, accessible produce to low income food desert could be very impactful.

Project description

The building itself brings together 3 main elements: train access, greenhouses and restaurants. The user comes off the train and immediately enters the building. As you walk down the stairs you pass by the greenhouses which are hanging from the roof and hovering through the plaza and over the restaurants.

the roof allows maximum daylight to enter where the greenhouses are, and smaller openings where less daylight is needed.

the site is adjacent to Mies van der Rohe’s Crown Hall, so the exposed structure of this building and the truss system creates a dialogue between the two icons.

Technical information

The panels on the roof are made through a grasshopper script based on simulations ran to create bigger panel openings where greenhouses are and smaller openings as you get further away from them.

Documentation

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