countering food insecurity in the urban environment:...
TRANSCRIPT
COUNTERING FOOD INSECURITY IN THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT:
SYR AQUAPONICS MARKET, SYRACUSE, NEW YORK
Thesis
presented to
the Faculty of the Department of Architecture & Design
at SUNY Alfred State
In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Bachelor of Architecture
by
ZACHARY SOPER
Prof. Matthew DiRado, Thesis Chair
May 2019
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Acknowledgements
I would like to thank the entire Architecture Department at Alfred State College and
Onondaga Community College for the guidance and knowledge they have passed on.
Special thanks to the Spring 2019 graduating class, Timothy Bivens, Teresa Godiers,
David Green, and Matthew DiRado for their continual support through this entire experience.
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Table of Contents
i. Title Page
ii. Acknowledgements
iii. Table of Contents
1. Initial Proposal
2. Signature Page
3. Statement of Problem
4. Significance
5. Thesis Abstract
6. Hypothesis
7. Methodology
8. Precedent Studies
9. Literature Review
10. Site Analysis
11. Programming
12. Schematic Design
13. Structural Design
14. Building Systems
15. Completed Design
16. Completed Thesis Signature Page
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1. Initial Proposal
Societal Need:
Syracuse, New York, is currently in an upturn of residents moving into the area. In the
last three years, the population of the city has increased of approximately 21%. Reacting to this
rise in numbers, developers began constructing new residential units to satisfy the housing
demand. Tenants enthusiastically migrated into the city, without the knowledge that the
environment in which they settled into was never designed to sustain permanent residence.
The Herald Commons apartment complex is just one product of the housing influx within
the downtown portion city. Originally built in 1928, the building was eventually utilized as an
adaptive reuse of the previous Syracuse Herald-Journal. Prior to the introduction of the Herald
Commons and other similar complexes, the area was predominantly used as a commercial
district that provided accommodations that mostly applied to the working class. Now challenged
with permanent dwellings, the necessities of the area have changed. Factors that are attributed to
housing such as food security, community space, and parking now present issues to the new
residents of the area.
Response:
The addition of a mixed-use facility to the existing Herald Commons apartment complex
could provide the accommodations required for tenants to fulfill a healthy, sustainable lifestyle.
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Applying principles found in the New Urbanism and Urban Acupuncture, the facility could
utilize strategies that have the potential to turn neglected spaces into communities and endorse
sustainable living. By integrating a marketplace to the urban environment of Syracuse, residents
of the area could have equal access to the basic goods without the need of personal vehicles.
Process Summary:
To successfully integrate a building on to this site the existing parking lot would need to
be addressed. The site currently houses parking spots for vehicles of the building tenants that are
required by the building code. The removal of this amount of parking from the area would cause
complete disfunction. The design of the mixed-use facility proposes to excavate the site to
accommodate both subterranean and grade level parking. The lower, more secure lot could be
restricted only to tenants and guests, while the upper parking lot could be open to visitors of the
proposed building.
The design of the upper levels of the structure is separated into three primary uses. The
portion adjacent to the existing complex could include green space that is used to bridge the
proposed addition and the existing building together, providing a safe space for community
members to occupy. The inner core brings a marketplace that sells healthy affordable options to
guests of the facility. The top portion implements an urban farm that would provide an
assortment of produce to the marketplace for resale.
Following the New Urbanist model, the incorporation of sustainable systems and passive
design is expected. The orientation of the site allows for consistent solar gain from the early
morning through the evening. A combination of solar thermal panels and southern glazing could
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assist in regulating the temperature of the facility. Introducing photovoltaic arrays to the structure
could generate electricity that could then be allocated between both buildings. Strategically
placing the array on the roof and around the green space serves as a visible model for drivers on
interstate-690 as well as visitors of the facility. The addition of a rainwater collection system
could be used to maintain the vegetation on the building while maintaining the level of
stormwater runoff.
Architectural Justification:
The development of a mixed-use structure could be used as a response to the fundamental
needs of the residents located in Downtown Syracuse. The building could integrate more urban
services to the area by maximizing the use of the site. The original building was adaptively
reused in 2015, introducing new use to the area, as well as requirements. The incorporation of a
markets to this district could add an addition level of accommodations to the community.
Expected Conclusion:
The fundamental needs of the Downtown residents are unlikely to change in the near
future. The proposed mixed-use addition to the site of the existing Herald Commons complex
serves as a building solution to the city of Syracuse by designing an area that provides resources
that are currently scarce. Factors such as limited food markets, insufficient parking, and
congested city streets restrict tenants’ ability to live comfortably. The inclusion of this building
could alleviate everyday stresses and provide a more readily accessible environment for the
community.
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Deliverables:
The final proposal for this project could include; site analysis of current traffic trends and
amenities in a mile radius, a study of similar projects in urban areas and how those buildings
affected the community, schematic design of the proposed addition, a 3-dimensional model of
the existing apartment complex and proposed addition, and presentation set elaborating on the
construction and design of the proposed building.
Work Citation:
Borys, Hazel. “65 Reasons Why Urbanism Works.” Public Square A CNU Journal, 21 Nov. 2017,
www.cnu.org/publicsquare/2017/11/21/65-reasons-support-new-urbanism.
“Discover Design Handbook.” Chicago Architecture Center, 2018, www.discoverdesign.org/handbook.
Fisher, Saul. Philosophy of Architecture. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, 2016.
Morgan, Blake. “6 Tips to Build A Strong Community Content Strategy.” Forbes, 9 Feb. 2015,
www.forbes.com/sites/blakemorgan/2015/02/09/6-tips-to-build-a-strong-community-content-
strategy/#592eab7a7483.
Steuteville, Robert. “25 Great Ideas of the New Urbanism.” Medium, 8 Nov. 2017,
medium.com/@NewUrbanism/by-robert-steuteville-public-square-4a5e036a7bb4.
“Syracuse Population.” World Population Review, 3 June 2018, worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/syracuse-
population/.
“Syracuse TRIP Report.” TRIPNET, 21 Jan. 2016,
www.tripnet.org/docs/NY_Syracuse_Top_Transportation_Issues_TRIP_Release_01-21-2016.php.
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2. Signature Page
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3. Statement of Problem
The industrial Downtown and Near Westside districts of Syracuse, New York, have
struggled with food security for decades as the population of the city continues to grow. These
districts primarily house residents who fall below the poverty line, which can be attributed to the
fact that these sectors were never designed to house permanent dwellings. Catering to the
working class, food options are scarce in these areas, forcing the families who live here to rely
on third tier sources such as corner stores and fast food outlets.
The Food Environment Study that was conducted by the Onondaga County Health
Department in 2017 discovered that people who reside in these districts have amongst the
poorest health outcomes in the entire city. The inability to obtain nutritious food represents the
condition of this portion of the city. Where basic societal needs are pushed aside, and simple
solutions are ignored to favor the population that works temporarily in the city.
The Downtown and Near Westside districts have a long history of being neglected by the
city. This is mostly due to the factor that they reside in a higher-risk area within the city and are
less affluent than other districts. Food insecurity is not just a slight inconvenience for this group
of people, it’s a lifestyle. It effects their daily routines, has a negative impact on their health, and
despite cries for assistance, nothing has changed.
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4. Significance
Food security affects thousands of households across the city of Syracuse. The
Downtown and Near Westside districts are located in a food desert. This is defined as an area
that is void of fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthy foods that are required to feed a
household. Food desert are often associated with impoverished urban sectors and are largely
attributed to a lack of basic resources. The absence of accommodations like grocery stores, food
providers, and year-round farmers’ markets increases the severity of this issue.
5. Thesis Abstract
This architectural thesis aims counter the effects that food insecurity can have on a
community. Focusing on the Downtown and Near Westside districts of Syracuse, New York, the
solution that was explored consists of the inclusion of an urban farm and marketplace to the city.
By utilizing a commercial aquaponic system the facility can provide a wide assortment of
healthy options to an area that currently struggles to function in a food desert.
This facility is designed to integrate into the existing urban fabric while serving as a
resource for the community. The subterranean dual-level garage provides parking for the
residents of the existing Herald Commons apartment complex as well as the employees and
guests of the aquaponic market. The market will sell the fish and crops harvested on site to local
consumers. These products are grown utilizing sustainable systems such as a water retention,
providing water for the grow beds and irrigate the vegetation on site, and a photovoltaic array
aids in the energy required to power the indoor grow lights.
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6. Hypothesis
“If a mixed-use aquaponic facility could provide fresh food to the city of Syracuse, then
residents of the Downtown and Near Westside districts can live a healthy, sustainable lifestyle.”
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7. Methodology
Over the past three years the population of the Downtown area in Syracuse, New York,
has increased by approximately 21%. The upturn of residents migrating into the city has created
a new environment with different requirements. Public services in these areas were designed
around the conditions of the preexisting districts. Prior, separate zones were allocated for
housing, businesses, and entertainment. As the number of pedestrians in the city continues to
grow, the lines between these districts are disappearing.
Apartment complexes have begun to develop in business regions as well as areas that are
highly circulated. This rapid urbanization has increased the density within the city, which has
been proven to be economically beneficial, however the urban growth in these localities is
unbalanced. Permanent dwellings have been constructed in areas that were never designed to
sustain residence. Residential housing has unintentionally been built in areas referred to as “food
deserts,” or locations where people are unable to access food that meets the necessary dietary
requirements. Food deserts often force tenants in urban areas to rely on less healthy options as
their first source of sustenance. Food insecurity is a rising problem in urban areas like Syracuse,
as most cities contain five times more fast food establishments than grocery stores.
The change in use of these urban areas effects the circulation and density of the adjacent
streets. The location that these residents have decided to settle in provides little in terms of
accommodations and green spaces, often becoming too congested with vehicles to safely
maneuver the streets. Food deserts have unintentionally been created in the city of Syracuse
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because residential developments have been constructed in spaces that previously catered to the
working class of the neighboring business and industrial buildings, providing food
establishments that are designed to serve food quickly and cheaply. Sustaining an entire
household on these establishments, it is very difficult to adhere to healthy dietary habits.
The New Urbanist model poses a variety of solutions to evolving cities like Syracuse.
Through principles found in new urbanism, concepts such as walkability, connectivity, and
sustainability are promoted. The utilization of these principles is beneficial to the developers,
businesses, and residents by providing conditions that favor each respective party. The model
serves as a counter to the numerous effects of developing municipalities and provide insight to
developers on how to functionally design an urban space.
Diverse issues can be a result of unplanned urban growth in the built environment. The
concept of urban acupuncture suggests that developing small-scale designs can have a positive
impact on neighboring communities. This facility could provide higher levels of functionality to
the lives of Syracuse residents. The addition of a mixed-use building to sites like the Herald
Commons, has the opportunity of mitigating the use of cars, providing resources to residents, and
endorsing sustainable living, while serving as a model for the rest of the city. This building could
incorporate a market that grows their own food sustainably through aquaponic farming and green
space for residents of the downtown area to gather with their families and friends.
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Prediction:
To address the problems posed by the population growth in Syracuse, principles from the
New Urbanist model can be utilized. The model suggests that facets like entertainment, retail and
housing should all be centralized close together for the convenience of city residents. This
adjacency between consumers and general commodities promotes nonvehicular transportation
and increases the level of socialization within the community.
While entertainment and retail are already abundant in Downtown Syracuse, many
districts of the city suffer from food insecurity. The Onondaga County Health Department
published a study in 2017 that assessed the local food environment of the city. The Herald
Commons apartment complex is located in the 13202-zip code, a region shown to be void of a
healthy, year-round food source. The predominant problem with the area is that many new
residential developments are over a mile away from any sort of food market and 51% of the
study participants from this area obtained their groceries by walking. Downtown Syracuse is
marked as a high-risk area in the city, in addition to having the highest rate of poverty among
families with young children. In a city-wide census, residents chose “access to fresh and healthy
foods as one of the top five features” that they wish could be incorporated into their area
(Syracuse Food Environment Report). This inclusion of an urban farm would break down the
barriers that exists between residents and more nutritious food options. While this initiative could
assist families in food deserts, it could also serve as a tool to teach people living in urban areas
how to grow their own food in their homes.
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The addition of a mixed-use facility could resolve the issue of food security in the area.
The produce grown in the aquaponic farm could be sold in a market to residents of the
downtown area. This offers a sustainable food source for households and would reduce their
need to buy unhealthy alternatives. Through aquaponic farming, consumers in the city will be
able to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, and fish that are locally sourced. The food would be
grown all year long within the mixed-use building, operating on a symbiotic system that is also
self-reliant. Bringing this type of sustainable strategy into the city provides food for residents
while teaching the public about a more environmentally friendly way to farm in the urban
setting. Stephanie A. Miner, the previous mayor of Syracuse, implemented a sustainability plan
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in 2012 that was focused around five topics: “Energy & Green Building, Education, Food
Systems, Natural Environment, and Waste & Recycling” (Miner, 4). This aquaponic farm
advocates each topic in Miner’s plan and would likely receive community support upon start up
based on the results of the Syracuse Food Environment Report.
Within the downtown area of Syracuse there is an apparent lack of open green spaces that
people can gather in. These spaces have been proven to promote physical and mental health in
pedestrians of urban areas. Providing residents with a space for physical activity, mental
relaxation and socialization is increasingly important in cities, especially where those places may
not be accessible. The utilization of green roofs can grant residents with gathering spaces while
simultaneously benefiting the function of the building. Green roofs aid in cutting down the
effects of the heat island effect and in turn cool the interior of the building. This system can be
merged with water retention cisterns that can be used to irrigate the site and feed the aquaponic
systems when needed.
Variance:
The proposed mixed-use building could provide resources to the residents of the Herald
Commons apartment complex that are not readily accessible. Through the use of aquaponic
farming local produce can be grown year-round and sold to the consumers in Syracuse.
Aquaponic farming is a closed loop system that create a sustainable food source and very little
waste. Compared to traditional method of farming from soil, aquaponics consumes is 90% more
water efficient and simultaneously harvests fish as well (Sunset). In these systems, the waste that
the fish produce fertilizes the water that gets absorbed by the roots of the plants. Through this
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absorption the plants filter the water which creates a clean environment for the fish to live in.
The only outside sources in aquaponics is the feed for the fish and the energy required to power
the pumps needed to aerate the water. This ties into the ‘new urbanist’ model by providing
residents with a food source that is close to their dwellings and is produced through sustainable
strategies. New Urbanism also suggests that mixed-use buildings that incorporate apartments
(second, third, and fourth floor of the Herald Commons) and office space (first floor of the
Herald Commons), as well as a variety of shops and services boosts the economic value of the
area. The increased density of people coming from the apartments endorses the other businesses
in the area while providing goods and services that they need.
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Work Cited:
Borys, Hazel. “65 Reasons Why Urbanism Works.” Public Square A CNU Journal, 21 Nov. 2017,
www.cnu.org/publicsquare/2017/11/21/65-reasons-support-new-urbanism.
Dune, Lauren. “Can We Grow Crops Using 90% Less Water?” Sunset, www.sunset.com/garden/aquaponics-can-
we-grow-crops-using-90-less-water.
Fisher, Saul. Philosophy of Architecture. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University, 2016.
“Discover Design Handbook.” Chicago Architecture Center, 2018, www.discoverdesign.org/handbook.
Long, Andrew R. “Urban Parking as Economic Solution.” International Parking Institute, 2016,
www.parking.org/2016/01/19/tpp-2013-12-urban-parking-as-economic-solution/.
Moore, Lane. “Fast Food Restaurants Outnumber Grocery Stores In America 5:1.” Jezebel, 13 Aug. 2011,
jezebel.com/5830590/fast-food-restaurants-outnumber-grocery-stores-in-america-51.
Morgan, Blake. “6 Tips to Build A Strong Community Content Strategy.” Forbes, 9 Feb. 2015,
www.forbes.com/sites/blakemorgan/2015/02/09/6-tips-to-build-a-strong-community-content-
strategy/#592eab7a7483.
“Principles of Urbanism.” New Urbanism, www.newurbanism.org/newurbanism/principles.html.
“Syracuse Population.” World Population Review, 3 June 2018, worldpopulationreview.com/us-cities/syracuse-
population/.
“Syracuse TRIP Report.” TRIPNET, 21 Jan. 2016,
www.tripnet.org/docs/NY_Syracuse_Top_Transportation_Issues_TRIP_Release_01-21-2016.php.
Steuteville, Robert. “25 Great Ideas of the New Urbansim.” Medium, 8 Nov. 2017,
medium.com/@NewUrbanism/by-robert-steuteville-public-square-4a5e036a7bb4.
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8. Precedent Studies
Urban Organics, Saint Paul
Urban Organics was established in 2011 by Dave and Kristin Haiber, in Saint Paul,
Minnesota. Their business grew from the mutual concern over the traditional practices used in
the farming industry. They sought to revolutionize modern practices by starting an indoor farm
in the urban environment that could provide a variety of locally grown products to neighboring
businesses. The method that they decided to utilize was aquaponic farming, a mixture of
aquaculture and hydroponics, to create a sustainable food source for their community.
The couple partnered with Fred Haberman, CEO of the Haberman marketing agency, as
well as Steven Harris of Pentair AES, who’s company is a leading provider in technologies that
specialize in water treatment and water filtration. The system of aquaponic farming has existed
for hundreds of years, seen as early as the Aztec civilization, and creates a symbiotic relationship
between the cultivation of fish and plants. Usually constructed on smaller scales, Urban Organics
is one of the first successful commercial-sized aquaponic farms in Minnesota. The company
attributes the absence of this type of farming to the city of Saint Paul being an urban “food
desert,” described as an area that does not have easy access to locally grown products. The
system of aquaponics was favored over the soil farming due to year-round cultivation period that
would normally be interrupted by the winter season in Minnesota. The community has applauded
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the methods of Urban Organics calling their product “hyper-local” and not relying on food
sources that have to be transported from far off places.
Similar to how the Syracuse-Herald Journal was redeveloped into the Herald Commons
apartment complex in Syracuse, the building that Urban Organics decided to begin construction
in was an abandoned historic landmark of their city. The team set up their operation in a portion
of the Hamm’s and Schmitt’s Brewery, the largest brewery in the state prior to closing. The
company adaptively reused the space of the previous stockhouse No. 3, an industrial style
building that utilized masonry construction and was previously used to store beer for the
brewery. Occupying approximately 8,500 square-foot of the building, Urban Organics
constructed four 3,500-gallon fish tanks that house close to 4,000 tilapia. These fish fertilize the
water that then is used to grow an assortment of greens like kale, basil, bok choy, mint, swiss
chard, lettuce, watercress, and romaine. The food grown here are void of any herbicides or
pesticides and are sourced out to local venders, restaurants, and hospitals.
Work Cited:
Bos, Mecca. “5 Things to Know about Urban Organics Aquaponics Farm.” City Pages, 5 June 2017,
www.citypages.com/restaurants/5-things-to-know-about-urban-organics-aquaponics-farm/425992603
“Welcome to Urban Organics.” Pentair, pentairaes.com/commercial-solutions/commercial-aquaponics.
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Niche 905, Chicago
Niche 905 was designed in reaction to a rapidly transitioning urban environment. Located
in Chicago, Michigan, developers of the project, the Ascend Real Estate Group and the
Intercontinental Real Estate Corporation, looked for a way to reinvent a portion of their city that
was falling behind the rest in terms of development. In collaboration with FitzGerald Associated
Architects, the group designed the Niche 905 building to appease the housing demand in the city
as well as provide the amenities needed for its residents to live comfortably in the area.
The Niche 905 is 18-stories high and was constructed on the Near Northside
neighborhood in Chicago. This steel-frame building is equipped with 202 apartment units. The
lower portion of the building utilizes a metal-panel system while the top is over entirely glazing.
This change in materials helps pedestrians distinguish the change in use between the upper and
lower levels. The apartments are designed with wider floor plans and are oriented to deliver near
optimal views of the city. Much like the proposed Herald Commons Addition in Syracuse, Niche
905 is a mixed-use building that, along with housing, provides a 1,750 square foot area delegated
to retail on the ground floor, and green space for its residents. A community garden can be found
on the roof of the structure that is consists of a vegetated area (where tenants can grow their own
fruits in vegetables) in addition to a sundeck, pool, outdoor bar and grilling stations.
Designed with the anticipation of becoming LEED silver certified, the building utilizes
green roof gardens, native plants on their landscape, a stormwater collection system, and energy
efficient systems for lighting and temperature control. The windows of the Niche 905 are made
of highly reflective glass that counter solar heat gain. Through the use of staggered balconies
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also provide solar shading to apartment dwellings. To account for healthy living habits, a fitness
center, yoga studio, bicycle storage and a dog run are available. Walkability was an aspect that
project designers factored in when planning the Niche 905. A selection of entertainment, dining
venues, and bars are within a few blocks of the complex. The multi-use building is also just
under half a mile away from the new Plum Market and Whole Foods market, granting residents
the option to stay in and cook.
Work Cited:
Fochtman, Nick. “A Tour of Chicago’s Newly-Open Niche 905 Apartments.” Curbed Chicago, 27 Apr. 2017,
chicago.curbed.com/2017/4/27/15410140/niche-905-chicago-apartments-photos-tour.
Goldberg, Samantha. “Luxury Apartment Tower Finds Its Niche in Chicago.” Multi-Housing News, 30 Nov. 2015,
www.multihousingnews.com/post/luxury-apartment-tower-finds-its-niche-in-chicago/.
“Niche 905.” FitzGerald Associates Architects, www.fitzgeraldassociates.net/project/niche-905/.
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The Bartlett, Arlington
The Bartlett is a mixed-use residential and retail building that was built in Arlington,
Virginia, in 2016. Developer, JBG Smith, and architects, Torti Gallas + Partners and Maurice
Walters Architect Incorporated, designed the masonry constructed building to feature every
accommodation that a resident would require “for a total lifestyle experience” (Croce). Built over
on the site that was previous occupied by warehouse buildings, the Bartlett converted this once
industrial district of the city into a mixed-use community, reflecting the same conditions that the
Herald Commons faces in Syracuse, New York.
The development was constructed over the span of an entire city block, which inspired
the inclusion of numerous green spaces in the area. The Bartlett is 23-stories high with an overall
area of 799,040 square feet. Adding over 699 residential units to the area, the design of the
building promotes spaces that can be used as social cores for tenants. The community aspect was
a driving force for designers, bringing in help of the Hartman Design Group who specialize in
creating spaces that are inclusive and multigenerational. HDG’s designs provide attention to
details such as how a certain lighting condition can make someone feel and include conversation
pieces, brought in by local artist, to provoke conversations between people. The team
incorporated a multi-level green roof and terrace feature that can be access by Bartlett residents.
At over 12,000 square feet, multiple groups can occupy the space at a time without intruding the
other. Party rooms are also provided off the terraces for residents to host in their own building
without the moderation of noise levels.
The amenities that the Bartlett offers are predominately catered around the health and
enjoyment of its residents. A yoga studio, fitness center, two dog parks, and a multi-lane
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swimming pool were introduced to promote exercise in the neighborhood. The building has
implemented active programs to get residents out of their apartments and try new activities. The
entire first floor of the Bartlett contains retail options for the community as well as lounge space.
A Whole Foods grocery store was incorporated into the design of the complex to feed the
buildings residents and remove the need for vehicular travel. The site is also strategically placed
in proximity to multiple form of public transit, further eliminating the need for a personal
vehicle. Through sustainable urbanization, the Bartlett has achieved LEED silver certification
and serves as a model for community-oriented dwellings.
Work Cited:
Croce, Brian. “DC Suburb High-Rise Sparks Neighborhood Growth.” Multifamily Executive, 20 Sept. 2017,
www.multifamilyexem cutive.com/design-development/mfe-awards/dc-suburb-high-rise-sparks-neighborhood-
growth_o.
“The Bartlett Arlington, VA.” TortiGallas Partners, tortigallas.com/portfolio/the-bartlett.
“The Bartlett.” Hartman Design Group, hartmandesigngroup.com/mobile/multifamily/The-Bartlett/.
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Oko Farms, Brooklyn
Oko Farms is a secluded urban agriculture center that is tucked away in the Bushwick
district of Brooklyn, New York. Yemi Amu founded Oko Farms as a reaction to the diminishing
resource of freshwater. She created her own aquaponics farm to substitute her need to rely on
industrial farming. She gravitated to this form of agriculture because it uses a closed-loop system
that saves over 98% more water than soil-based methods. Oko Farms is the oldest urban farm
located in Brooklyn.
The aquaponic farm was established in 2013, as it took over two years for Amu to find a
suitable site and equipment to begin her endeavor. Instead of hiring a full-time staff, Oko Farms
relies on volunteers as well as college and high school interns to help tend to the fish, plants, and
PH levels of the water. The team tried raising tilapia, which is often used in aquaponic systems
due to the rate in which they mature. However, they have transitioned into using catfish as the
species have shown to be more resilient to the winters in New York City. In warmer seasons they
do harvest different types of edible fish. The produce that Oko Farms have decided to grow and
sell includes tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, basil, peppers, onions, peppers, and a variety of herbs.
These conditions provide insight into what can be grown in New York state through aquaponic
farming, which could be applied back to the Herald Commons site over in Syracuse.
Eventually expanding on her venture, Yemi Amu collaborated with the Brooklyn
Economic Development Corporation and the business GreenThumb to create the Moore Street
Farm. Together they added the element of training programs that teach the community of
Bushwick a sustainable way to grow their own food. Eventually the attention of the neighboring
school district was caught, and a classroom aquaponics workshop was established on site. As the
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community continues to respond positively, the aquaponic farm expands its programs further,
recently introducing New York City’s first intensive aquaponics training program that is geared
towards adults. This program offers adults the opportunity to “...learn basic principles of
aquaponics design, construction and implementation grounded in environmental sustainability,
food security and community design.”
As the Moore Street Farm continues to grow, their community continues to support their
initiative and ask for more. This receptiveness between the town and what was once just a single
person trying to grow her own food, shows how projects like this can improve an area. One
aquaponics garden escalated into a community project that becomes more flourished and more
refined as the years go by.
Work Cited:
Abdolhomidi, Shervin. “Inside Oko Farms: A Farming Oasis Powered by Fish in Bushwick, Brooklyn.” Untapped
City, 10 Oct. 2016, untappedcities.com/2016/10/10/ inside-oko-farms-a-farming-oasis-powered-by-fish-in-
bushwick-brooklyn/.
“Moore St. Farm- Aquaponics Research and Education Center.” Oko Farms, www.okofarms.com/farm/.
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Brickell City Centre, Miami
The Brickell City Centre is a development located in the Brickell district of Downtown
Miami, Florida. This mixed-use facility spans 9.1 acres and costed $1.05 billion. Designed by
Swire Properties Incorporated, a real-estate company based in Hong Kong, the project served as
a tool to improve the city center of Miami through mixed-use developments that help to build
communities in urban areas. They rely on the residents and tourists to sustain their retail and
entertainment spaces.
The construction of the Brickell City Centre was specifically planned for the Brickell
financial district to benefit the preexisting economic core. The development consists of three
different sectors in retail, office, residential, tourism, dining, and entertainment. In residential
use, the Rise and Reach towers hold 89 apartments and 780 condo-units, each erected 45-stories
high. These towers, along with the East hotel, feed the large three-level mega mall that acts as
the primary hub for the area. The facility accounts for a wide range of amenities that residents
and guests and provides community spaces for groups to gather in. Two office towers were also
constructed in the development, named Two Brickell City Centre and Three Brickell City
Centre, these building provide employment to residents in a close proximity of their homes
adding approximately 3,700 jobs to the area.
While the gentrification of the Brickell district was a goal of the design, Swire
additionally focused on creating opportunities for community connection within the city.
Activities such as public art exhibitions and community meditation have been offered to get
residents and guest to interact. Local agricultural vendors are asked to occupy venues to host a
farmers’ markets once a week, providing tenants with fresh produce from a sustainable food
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source. Due to widespread nature of the development, a ‘metromover’ was designed on the site.
This system provides an accessible way for groups of people to travel around the Brickell district
with ease. With outside collaboration with the firm Arquitectonica and Hugh Dutton, a French
artist and engineer, the “Climate Ribbon” was created. This freeform architectural element
helped to tie the different towers together while providing passive solar shading and continuous
airflow between the spaces. This sustainable element also acts as a rainwater collection system
that then supplies water to plants on the property.
Work Cited:
Barzilay, Omri. “Brickell City Centre Stands As A New Model For Retail.” Forbes, 29 Nov. 2017,
www.forbes.com/sites/omribarzilay/2017/11/29/brickell-city-centre-stands-as-a-new-model-for-
retail/#33f1474c237f.
“Brickell City Centre.” Brickell City Centre Connect, brickellcitycentreconnect.com/project-description/.
“Brickell City Centre.” Swire Properties, 2016, www.swireproperties.com/en/portfolio/current-
developments/brickell-city-centre.aspx.
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City Point, Brooklyn
City Point is a recent mixed-use development in the downtown center of Brooklyn, New
York. The project consists of three towers; the 7 DeKalb tower, City Tower, and the Brooklyn
Point tower. Designed by Cook + Fox Architects, City Point serves a mixed-use commercial and
residential complex that is over 1.8 million square feet in size. Due to the changing urban
environment in Brooklyn, city developers saw City Point as a solution to the revitalization of the
area.
The plan for this development incorporates residential housing, offices, retail space and a
large market hall to accommodate tenants. The 7 DeKalb tower consists 200 dwellings that were
designed to be both affordable and modern in style. The tower is 19-stories high, with over
660,000 square feet of retail space connecting it to the City Tower. This City Tower functions
largely as a mall for pedestrians with several anchor stores bringing in business during the day,
while restaurants and entertainment options attract people at night. A staple of the City Tower is
located in the basement of the building, the DeKalb Market Hall provides food options at
different price points. The accessibility of the space allows customers to obtain groceries,
quickly buy a meal to go, or enjoy a more formal dining experience in the same location. For
residents of the building, City Point hosts outdoor farmers markets and urban farming
demonstrations to promote more sustainable living in the city. The exterior landscape of City
Point uses green spaces to guide people to different attractions while creating a community
gathering spaces.
The exterior façade of the building utilizes terracotta baguettes to decrease the amount of
heat gain in the building while also providing solar shading on the large spans of glazing. To
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further help regulate the temperature of City Point, a terracotta rainscreen façade system by
Alphaton was incorporated. This system reduces the amount of thermal movement in exterior
walls while promoting stormwater drainage away from the building. City Point was designed to
meet the criteria to achieve LEED silver certification and currently holds support from the NYC
Economic Development Corporation.
Work Cited:
Chen, Stefanos. “Downtown Brooklyn’s Next Luxury Tower.” New York Times, 23 Feb. 2018,
www.nytimes.com/2018/02/23/realestate/downtown-brooklyns-next-luxury-tower.html.
“City Point.” Downtown Brooklyn, downtownbrooklyn.com/listings/city-point.
Rosenfield, Karissa. “City Point / COOKFOX.” ArchDaily, 8 Apr. 2013, www.archdaily.com/356758/city-point-
cookfox.
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9. Literature Review
Edi(ta)ble Urbanism: The Food, The Veil and The City
Elizabeth Campbell is a graduate of the University of Auckland, receiving her master's
degree in architecture in 2012, and eventually becoming a licensed architect in Australia. In
Campbell’s thesis project, “Edi(ta)ble Urbanism: The Food, The Veil and The City”, she studied
the effects a traditional market can have on a community. Focusing on the Whangarei Grower’s
Market in the city of Whangarei, New Zealand. She addressed issues such as urban sprawl and
the innovation of transportation as reasons to why cities are not being utilized for agriculture
despite being perfectly suitable.
This thesis discusses the methodology of taylorism and the effects it has had on urbanism
and the disconnection it has caused between humans and their resources. The mass production of
objects, materials, and food has created a detachment between the residents of cities and their
ability to obtain goods. Campbell’s case study was largely based on the ideals stated by famous
architectural thinkers like Rem Koolhaas, Ferdinand de Saussure, and Mario Campo. The
prospect of walking to get from one place to another has become lost on the modern-day citizen.
Koolhaas suggests that the mental image one has for a supermarket has been condition on to
people, they look for large brands that are cloned between localities. This has caused developers
to stray away from the traditional markets, such as the piazzas in Rome, where costumers would
get an experience from visiting the market. Theorists made connections between the built
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environment and the beneficial nature of social gathering spaces. This can be applied to markets
and their functionality in provided goods while provoking conversation to customers.
Campbell states, “The market model provides as spatial and social catalyst agent in
society capable of generating event in mass, local economy and the return of food knowledge in
the city” (Campbell, 4). She references the Santa Caterina Market in Barcelona and the High
Line in New York as examples of areas that were repurposed into more traditional market
spaces. Campbell expresses that unlike most modern markets, the Whangarei Grower’s Market is
operated as an open vending destination and does not occupy an actual building. It serves as the
largest market in New Zealand, described as “...a platform for the exchange of ideas, community
and renewed societal interest in knowing where your food comes from” (Campbell, 10). As the
citizens of the area continue to prefer the local method of agriculture; more industrialized
markets have begun to diminish. Markets similar to the Whangarei Grower’s Market serve as a
connection point between architecture and urbanism. These agriculture-to-market systems
provide a framework for their respective cities, promoting socialization, engagement and
community development.
The book “Hungry City,” by Carolyn Steel, is referenced when addressing a common
issue in the urban environment, the demand of natural resources due to their increased density.
Urban areas began to outsource, tapping into the resources of other areas such as rural
environments. Designers have begun to analyze the formation and proximity of resources in
high-density areas such as African and Indian slums. The living conditions in these locations
force residents to live in a mixed-use space that can be used for whichever function is needed at a
given time. While sanitary conditions are poor, the bonds between people residing in these areas
are very close. Campbell states “... the people living in the settlement have a type of happiness
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that can only be described as remarkable” (Campbell, 23). She attributes this to the qualities
often found in mixed-use developments.
Campbell formatted her thesis project in a very coherent way that helped the reader
follow along. The utilization of the ideas of outside architecture theorists provided insight into
her process and gave merit to the issue that was being studied. The exploration into taylorism,
being a catalyst for the lack of urban farming in cities, was done to establish if the mass-
production oriented society we live in had an effect. Through her study she came up inconclusive
in her research on whether market models have a larger impact on their communities. Stating the
fact that there is always something new or different that could provide a more beneficial outcome
to customers.
Work Cited:
Campbell, Elizabeth. “Edi(Ta)Ble Urbanism: The Food, The Veil and The City.” Urban Hybridization, 2013,
www.urbanhybridization.net/Elizabeth_Campbell.pdf.
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Food Urbanism: A Sustainable Design Option for Urban Communities
Jason Grimm is a food system planner for the Iowa Valley Research Conservation &
Development and founder of the Iowa Valley Food Co-op in Williamsburg, Iowa. Grimm earned
his bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture and environmental studies in 2009, and the
American Society of Landscape Architects President’s Award for his research. His thesis project,
titled “Food Urbanism: A Sustainable Design Option for Urban Communities,” created a
criterion suggesting that the infrastructure of food can influence the development of urban
communities. The project suggests that unsuccessful urban food systems can create conditions in
cities that counter sustainable living in the cities of Iowa.
This thesis focuses on utilizing a methodology consisting of sociologically, economically,
and environmentally productive steps to achieve a successful urban food system. Through
Grimm’s research he suggested the addition of agricultural sites in cities to decrease the carbon
footprint attributed to transporting crops. He studies the existing urban fabric of the city of
Ames, Iowa, to create nodes where possible developments could be constructed. These nodes
were used to establish a food system typology for the area, addressing the localities that are in
food deserts (portions of an urban area void of affordable, quality food). Food deserts are
especially abundant in low-income urban communities. City residents that are in poverty rely on
whichever food sources are within the close proximity to their homes. Those without a local
market suffer from food security (the ability to reliable obtain nutritious food that meet dietary
requirements) and will substitute in less nutritious forms of sustenance available in convenience
stores and fast food establishments.
Agricultural production can be achieved in urban communities through creative design
and careful attention to parcels of land. Locations such as parking lots and roof tops can retain
35
their function while simultaneously serving as growing stations for crops. Vertical structures
offer purpose to the underutilized air space above surfaces. Aquaculture also grants a solution to
urban farming, giving resident of the city a fresh source of fish without the need to be close to a
large body of water. Grimm also suggested the involvement of local education institutes of the
city. Converting their structures into a multi-use building to house and mend to agricultural units.
The process of growing one’s own food can be capitalized on to teach students of these school
how to sustainably provide for their city.
The prospect of urban farming was meticulously analyzed in the thesis proposal that
Grimm developed. Through a mixture of individual studies, an interview process, and his own
personal experience as a farmer, he established an effective plan to bring an urban food system to
the city of Ames, Iowa. The overall composition of his thesis book contained graphics that were
unnecessary in some situations and an indentation issue is evident throughout the entire piece
which was distracting as a reader.
Elizabeth Campbell and Jason Grimm had similar mentalities when initially studying the
realism behind urban agriculture. Their methodologies differed however as Campbell took a
more theoretical approach to her thesis project, studying famous architectural thinkers and
shifting the direction of her project to constructing a successful urban market in the densely
packed cities in New Zealand. Her analysis of the urban environment was largely from a third-
person perspective, with no physical interviews conducted and the absence of any personal
experience or research. The concepts that were addressed have been broadly attributed to
problems in urbanism for decades and there was few original thoughts or solutions posed.
Campbell did however keep readers engaged with coherent language that felt formal but
still understandable. The composition of her thesis was well spaced out, with no daunting bricks
36
of text, and a maintained a consistent flow that aided in the navigation of her thought process.
Jason Grimm’s project fell in this area, between each page the reader had to reorient themselves
to figure out the new layout, with indentations seemingly changing for no reason. The tone of
his piece felt more conversational, using a relaxed syntax that came off to the reader as out of
place, especially given the in-depth concepts that were being addressed and the heavy amounts
of text that were provided.
Unlike Campbell, Grimm decided to integrate his diagrams into his writing which helped
when he would explain an original design. Grimm relied heavily on his typology studies to
formulate his ideas and give readers a visual aid of the problem he was addressing. He
constructed over twenty different flow, node-based, circulation, matrix, site diagrams to establish
his typology for urban food systems that were followed by text to further explain them. Campbell
used a figure method in her illustration, forcing readers to turn to the back of her thesis book
every time she mentioned a diagram or design. While this was inherently less distracting than
Grimm’s approach in created a tedious habit for the reader to bounce between pages.
These thesis project shared concepts that are commonly related to the urban environment.
The new urbanist principles are evident in the both pieces with the authors aim to create more
sustaining, diverse, and social community. The inclusion of the market model was extensively
referenced, posing as a solution to the current issues seen in the heavily brand-oriented
supermarket stores. Providing city members with the ability to grow their own food in close
proximity of their homes counter aspects found in urban areas such as food deserts. Research
done in Grimm’s and Campbell’s respective projects state that localities that suffer from food
security are more likely to use fast food and restaurants as their first-tier food source. Agriculture
in the urban setting grants residents a reliable resource for the nutrition needed in households.
37
The authors also studied the sociological effects that green spaces emitted. Stating their
positive influence on communities and their flexible nature, allowing a wide assortment of
activities and events. A concept that was only mentioned by Campbell was urban acupuncture.
This term applies to much of the research that Grimm had wrote about but was never addressed.
The concept of urban acupuncture suggests that developing small-scale designs can have a
positive impact on neighboring communities. Creating a space that can be enjoyed by city
residents serves as a catalyst for development in adjacent areas. Urban acupuncture focuses on
aspects such as productive space, sustainable practice, community orientation, historical
relevance, and overall public education and improvement. Each authors’ thesis projects were
successful in their own endeavors, Campbell’s project provided insight into the value of a market
38
model but ended up inconclusive in her research, while aspects of Grimm’s project would be
applied later in his professional career.
Work Cited:
Grimm, Jason. “Food Urbanism: A Sustainable Design Option for Urban Communities.” Field to Family, 2009,
www.fieldtofamily.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/ Food-Urbanism_Grimm.pdf.
39
The New Urbanism
The New Urbanist design movement was conceived in the early 1980s in the United
States of America. Architects, city planners, and urban designers began formulating different city
models that emulated higher functioning European cities. The overlying concepts of these
models emphasized the criteria of New Urbanism, utilizing factors such as walkability while
understating vehicular travel as a means of maneuvering the urban landscape. Building principles
were established by a group known as the Congress of New Urbanism. This group of well-
respected architects consisted of the likes of Peter Calthorpe and Andres Duany, which helped
the current generation of architectural designers to more accurately visualize the ideals of the
movement. A set of guidelines that were noted as the Ahwahnee Principles, worked as the
foundation for the Congress for the New Urbanism. Originally organized in the 1990s, the group
has since evolved into establishment of approximately three thousand members. The Congress
annually hosts conferences across the country to aid in education on the effective utilization of
the principles found in the New Urbanist model. The driving force behind the New Urbanism
movement is to bring new life to entire regions that feel exhausted or underutilized.
When designing upcoming developments, New Urbanists take a different angle than the
traditional neighborhood or city developments. In the past urban planners designed suburbs and
urban areas as separate entities. While this was functional in many fashions, it forced people to
rely on having personal cars to get to work or go to the store. This also plays a role in a topic
many people have growing concerns about; urban sprawl. Car dependent communities make it
easy for populations to scatter into numerous low-density residential developments. This is
problematic because with urban sprawl comes increased traffic as well as permanent
environmental issues.
40
With neighborhoods consuming undeveloped land, the wildlife within that area gets
displaced which can have lasting effects on the ecosystem. Now urban designers and urban
planners are looking into different ways to integrate these suburban districts together with urban
areas in a more cohesive manner. By converting urban areas that are primarily used for
commercial purposes into more mixed-use spaces, planners can condense the perimeter that
humans occupy. For over twenty years, the New Urbanists movement has been shifting the focus
of architect, urban designers, and urban planners. Emphasizing aspects like how to sustainably
think about our environment and how to best preserve it. The Congress for New Urbanism stated
that the New Urbanist movement is credited with kick starting many prevalent development
patterns and strategies. This includes mixed use developments, affordable housing designs,
transit-oriented communities, walkable and aesthetically appealing streetways, and an overall
increase in the quality of life for pedestrians.
Urban planners are taking steps to decrease the number of personal automobiles from city
streets and introduce more ambulatory means to maneuver around the area. Taking a majority of
the cars out of the equation, pedestrians as well as the neighboring environment would see
numerous benefits. More people would be motivated to bike or walk to work, alleviating the
congestion that is caused by driving. This strategy has already been implemented in many
communities with the incorporation of designated bike lanes into their streets. This has allowed
people to rely less on cars for transportation and has shown to drastically improve the outdoor air
quality.
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The movement urges a healthy lifestyle with more walking and less stress induced by
vehicular traffic. The first design principle stated by the Congress for New Urbanism was the
walkability factor. In their ideal model for an urban area, everything that a person would need
should be within a ten-minute walk from their home. Additionally, a person’s work and school
should also be contained in this ten-minute walking radius. To encourage someone to choose
walking over driving the model suggest all street should have a “pedestrian friendly design”.
Different organizational and design choices can be made to help persuade someone into thinking
that a street is more welcoming and safe. Having buildings adjacent to the road eliminates any
blind spots a person may experience while walking.
42
While some open green spaces are encouraged, the area’s main streets should retain this
design. Streets that are narrower and that are lined with trees also promotes a pedestrian friendly
design. This is because cars are much more likely to slow down under these circumstances.
Some on-street parking can be utilized by the city’s commercial retail and services while also
serving as a barrier for pedestrians on the sidewalk. However, any large parking lots should be
hidden in some sort of manner. This can be done by tucking them behind taller buildings or by
cleverly disguising parking garages with aesthetically appealing architecture. Walkable urban
municipalities have been shown boost the sense of community and place of the area while
simultaneously decreasing the percentage of crime. This is contributed to more community
involvement and an increased presence of people during the morning and night time.
In order for cities to function properly under the New Urbanism city model, a high level
of connectivity needs to be apparent. Backed by the philosophy that businesses, stores, schools
and homes should be within walking distance of each other; streets should be planned in an
interconnected grid network. This type of city layout is simple to learn for pedestrians, ensuring
that they will have an easier and overall more enjoyable time when walking the area. Although,
for that to work, roads need be clearly marked to create a coherent wayfinding experience for
people. Interconnected street grid networks have also been shown to break up vehicular traffic in
urban areas. This is important because, as previously mentioned, pedestrians prefer to travel on
roads that are less occupied by vehicles. An increase in the area’s foot traffic in addition to the
interconnected grid layout helps to support local businesses. People are less likely to look inside
stores, let alone notice the stores at all, if they are traveling by car. Due to the general form of the
architecture with urban areas, the gridded street networks make a lot of sense. The rectangular
arrangement of the streets allows for more buildings to be packed inside of urban areas. The
43
close proximity of these buildings, shops, and services constitutes a more convenient lifestyle for
city residents.
This model works in conjunction with the New Urbanist’s motive to decrease the use of
automobiles. City residents can walk to neighboring stores instead of drive, while supporting
their local businesses. The compacted development also results in a lower cost of repair on
infrastructure per capita than other urban and suburban models. In consideration of residents who
may not be a hundred percent ambulatory, green transportation alternatives are recommended.
These can vary between bicycle-carriages, busses, or trains networks to bring people from their
homes to work or different shopping areas. People who are traveling from outside these New
Urbanism developments can utilize these green transportation systems to more efficiently
maneuver the town. Often times, it is easier to not bring one's car inside these types of
developments simply due to the fact that the streets were designed to walked down not driven.
Maintaining the increased density within these urban areas is one of the major design
challenges associated with the New Urbanism model. Urban designers, architects, and urban
planners are urged to work together to find the best solution to keep residents from sprawling out
into other less populated areas. Mixed use buildings are typically very abundant in the New
Urbanist cities. By incorporating apartments in with shops and businesses, the area is able to be
further concentrated to just a handful of main roads. The model suggests that commercial and
retail spaces be located on the ground floor of the building to be more easily accessible by
pedestrians. On the upper floors of the building a variety of apartment complexes and housing
units should be incorporated. Distinct architectural features can be used to create a visual
contrast between the commercial and residential uses.
44
These types of urban designs also benefit local businesses, in that they would not have to
pay large sums of money for advertising within the community as they would essentially be the
neighbors of their main customer base. The sizes of these retail stores and dwelling have been
shown to be noticeably smaller when compared to other more traditional versions, however this
is not always a bad thing. Scaled-down retail spaces usually serve as an incubator for small
businesses and are much more likely to be successful in this type of environment. More
compacted apartments and housing units are typically lower in rent, welcoming a more diverse
range of inhabitants into the city. Since buildings share a mix of commercial and residential use,
less parking would need to be provided as everything is already within walking distance of each
other. The New Urbanism model also promotes a high level of diversity in its community with a
wide range of mixed housing. A large assortment of homes are available that can vary in style,
square footage, and price. Typically, the highest population of these cities is held at the core,
where all the amenities and job opportunities are. As the area progresses outward the population
and amenities become much less apparent.
These new developments give architects, urban designers, and urban planners an
opportunity to construct or restore urban centers using a variety of sustainable strategies. Modern
day designers, and clients are much more environmentally conscious which has been reflected in
their building methods. New Urbanism aims to reinvent outdated designs to better provide for
future generations to come. Walkability and affordability are definitely important factors in this
model, however there’s a level of human comfort that needs to be recognized as well. While it's
true that humans benefit from the amenities provided by local businesses, psychologically they
also benefit from more open, green spaces. Open areas give a sense of relief for people inside
highly dense urban sectors. They also provide a permeable landscape for storm water to naturally
45
be absorbed. These green spaces work as a more organic transition between one urban area to
another, while simultaneously hosting an assortment of trees and vegetation. Adding just a few
of these vegetated areas is shown to drastically mitigate factors like the heat island effect within
urban developments.
Work Cited:
Congress for the New Urbanism. “The Movement.” CNU, www.cnu.org/who-we-are/movement.
“Principles of Urbanism.” New Urbanism, www.newurbanism.org/newurbanism/principles.html.
“Sustainable Urban Development.” The American Society of Landscape Architects, Professional Practice,
www.asla.org/ContentDetail.aspx?id=23720.
46
10. Site Analysis
47
Site Plan
Syracuse, New York, consists of over twenty-six square miles, with a population of
approximately 143,000 people according to the 2017 census. This site plan depicts a half mile
radius around the site of the proposed facility. Syracuse currently stands as the fifth highest
populated city in state, acting as a hub for education and economy for Central New York.
Interstate-81 and 690 were constructed over the city through an elevated highway system which
floods thousands of people in every day.
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Syracuse Districts
The Near westside is located in the business district, which houses an ornate mix of
architectural styles and building types. Private developers have been renovating numerous
structures to conform to residential-use. The downtown portion of the city occupies the
commercial district that is confront with the same shift in urbanization. The redevelopment of the
city brings an incline population growth, planting future residents in the center of areas void of
healthy food accommodations.
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Food Desert Diagram
This diagram represents the dynamic between the residential units in the city and the
options that they are forced to rely on to feed their households. This results in large portions of
the city falling under the descriptor of food desert. The majority of food options available to
these residents consist of corner stores and fast food outlets. The site of the proposed facility is
located in a centralized location between the Downtown and Near Westside districts. This was
done to efficiently serve both communities, supplying them with nutritious food that is grown
sustainably on site.
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Public Transportation
The city of Syracuse serves as a transportation hub for residents of the city as well as
visitors. The Centro Transit Hub is centralized in the Syracuse’s Downtown region that connects
to all of Onondaga County. The Centro Hub serves as the main transfer location between Auburn
and Oswego bus stations. The Civic Strip was designed to conveniently pass civic institutes,
museums, art sectors, and entertainment strips. Starting at University Hill the Connective
Corridor is primarily used by Downtown and Syracuse University residents. An extension from
the Connective Corridor is proposed to grant students access to the facility.
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Road Usage
Unlike other large cities in New York, Syracuse city planners designed the highway
systems to go directly through their city as opposed to around. Interstate-690 is directly adjacent
to the proposed site of the SYR Aquaponics Market on the northern side. Traversing from
Pennsylvania and the way to Canada, Interstate-81 also passes by the facility. Over 100,000
commuters travel on each these respective highways every day, providing easy access to non-
community members that wish to visit the site. Other main road systems like the Erie Boulevard
usher vehicles to and from the facility.
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Topography
The topography of the city is generally very flat with the exclusion of northeast portion of
the diagram which house St. Joseph’s Hospital. As each mask darkens in shade, the landscape
shifts five feet in elevation. Topographically the lowest portion of the diagram shows the base of
Onondaga Creek that run southeast through the city. The site of the SYR Aquaponics Market
experiences virtually no change in elevation outside of man-made drainage systems. The nature
of the site is beneficial when considering most of the lot will be excavated to construct the
subterranean parking garage.
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Syracuse Herald-Journal, Syracuse, NY. Macknight Architects, 1928, macknightarchitects.com.
The Syracuse Herald-Journal was originally erected in 1928 in Syracuse, New York. This
building was designed boasting industrial motifs that projected some insight of the function of
the interior. William Randolph Hearst, a publisher and founder of the Herald-Journal Printing
Company, had purchased the building to produce newspapers for the city.
The four-story building was constructed using steel frame construction and masonry units
to provide a sturdy structure that simultaneously gave a comfortable level of fire-resistance. The
entrance is a very prominent element, utilizing ornamented steel with a vibrant red coating. The
printing presses occupied the basement while the upper levels were mostly used for office and
administration spaces. A strong datum is evident when observing the layout of the building’s
fenestration.
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Herald Commons, Syracuse, NY. Macknight Architects, 2017, macknightarchitects.com.
Purchased by Horn Companies L.L.C. in 2014, the structure was converted into an
apartment complex that was completed in 2017. The design of the exterior was rather restricted
as the building was protected by the Historic Preservation Committee of Syracuse. Although, the
fenestration of each facade was approved for replacement to improve efficiency of the
apartments and create a tighter building envelope. The windows were modified with more
prominent mullions that utilized the same red color as the original entrance.
The ground floor of the Herald Commons consists of office and administration space as
well as the main lobby for the upper levels. The second, third, and fourth floors house the one-
and two-bedroom apartments.
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11. Programming
Aquaponic farming is a year-round agriculture system that incorporates a closed-loop
method of hydroponic agriculture and aquaculture. The two respective methods feed off the
biproduct of the other creating a sustainable way to cultivate food that can be accomplished
indoors. The proposed SYR Aquaponics Market is designed to utilize this form of agriculture to
address the issue of food insecurity in the downtown area of Syracuse. Portions of the city are
void of businesses that can provide residents with the resources that they need to meet base
nutrition standards.
Aquaponics simultaneously cultivates plants and fish alongside each other, serving as an
alternative approach to urban farming. The system also uses severely less water than traditional
soil methods and is far less likely to be in contact with pests, removing the need for pesticides.
The size of these systems can vary depending on the intended harvest amount. At home, systems
can be condensed down to a stacked fish tank and grow bed, while commercial systems can span
entire buildings. Spaces required in commercial production include fish tanks, plant nurseries,
germination system, growing station and product storage. Since the facility is also designed to
include a market place to sell products, a sanitary space for fish to scaled and prepped is
necessary. Along with a washing station for vegetables, as well as a storefront to sell product and
interact with customers. Aquaponic systems serve as a great resource to educate communities
about alternative techniques to grow your own food. The incorporation of educational space to
56
host seminars and tours to train classes and small groups how to successfully and efficiently
utilize their own aquaponic system.
The SYR Aquaponics Market is designed to emulate a large-scale harvest method. A
modular design for these types of systems is highly recommended so stations can be arranged as
the aquaponic farm upgrades and expands. The width of the vegetated filter beds has to be
considered when designing for this type of agriculture as harvesting the crop can be difficult if
the beds are too wide. The same thought process has to be considered when designing the fish
tanks.
Modular design also allows for more biodiversity between crops and fish, as more
stations can be set up that pertain to the slight variations between each species. The market space
to sell vegetables and fish grown on site has the option of being as small as a service counter or
as large as a medium sized market. This is a space that would ideally start small and expand
larger depending on the outreach received by the community. Product diversity increases the
rate of success and profitability when applied to a market setting. Businesses that produce more
than one type of good offer more variety for customers to appeal to.
After reaching out to existing large-scale harvest operations (Nelson + Pade Aquaponics
and Aquaponic Engineering & Design), it seems that indoor systems should dimensionally
57
occupy at least 5,800 square feet. This is to allow for comfortable circulation around each of the
components and easy access to each. The fish tanks occupy on average as much as a third of the
square footage when compared to the growing stations, assuming that a vertical system is
not being used. This suggests that roughly 1,750 square feet should be reserved for the fish tanks
and 4,050 square feet for the grow beds.
The parcel of land the SYR Aquaponics Market is proposed to be constructed on is
approximately 175’ by 160’. After applying the 10’ setbacks on the south and east side of the
site, and the city mandated 20’ easement between new construction and interstate-690 there is
still a footprint of 21,750 square feet available for the structure. Fortunately, the zoning
ordinance for Syracuse permits the use of horticultural nurseries, greenhouses, and wholesale
business buildings.
In aquaponic system designs, some can be built to emulate green houses and provide
access for direct sunlight to sustain their crops. However due to the climate and seasonal
variance in the city of Syracuse, it would be more efficient to rely on a dual system of natural
light and LED grow lamps. The dual lighting system ensures that crops are growing consistently
and evenly across grow beds. To save energy costs, the natural light would be used when there’s
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abundant sun exposure and the grow lights would only be turned on during days of overcast.
With efficient lighting, these large-scale systems have the potential to produce approximately
200 to 300 heads of lettuce per day and around 380 lbs. of fish every month. Annually a single
5,800 square foot aquaponic farm can produce 5,000 lbs. of fish and roughly 80,000 to 110,000
heads of lettuce.
Typically, in aquaculture tilapia is the fish of choice as it has a relatively short maturity
cycle and do not become hostile when in tanks with each other. The systems required for large
commercial aquaponic systems have an upfront cost of around $80,000. The return on
investment is expected to take three to five years, depending on community feedback. The
location in Syracuse that the building is proposed for is ideal in the sense that there are no
competing markets in a mile radius and local residents have communicated that a store with
affordable fresh produce is needed. Fair pricing would have to be incorporated to appeal to the
general public, as the Downtown and Near Westside districts are two of the least affluent areas in
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the city. Based on other successful aquaponic farm, the estimated cost of a head of lettuce would
be around $1.25 and around $0.60 per pound of tilapia. These prices would vary as more
diversity in product is introduced to the system.
To assist in offsetting the cost of the LED grow lights, the SYR Aquaponic Market is
proposed to host a photovoltaic array on the building. Photovoltaics generate energy through
solar gain which can used to power the aquaponic facility as well as the Herald Commons
apartment complex. While these types of systems are expensive to incorporate into designs,
various state and Federal incentives are available to cut down on costs.
Work Cited:
Congress for the New Urbanism. “The Movement.” CNU, www.cnu.org/who-we-are/movement.
Nelson and Pade, Inc. “Commercial Aquaponic Systems.” Nelson Pade Aquaponic Systems, 2018,
aquaponics.com/aquaponic-systems/commercial-systems-3/.
Tortorello, Michael. “The Spotless Garden.” New York Times, 17 Feb. 2017.
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12. Schematic Design
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Building Composition
The SYR Aquaponics Market serves as a reaction to the prevailing needs associated with
food deserts. The city of Syracuse continues to struggle with this problem as the population
grows each year. Residents of the Downtown and Near Westside districts have publicly
expressed their distain toward the accommodations that they have access to. The respondents of
a 2017 Food Environment Study stated that “access to fresh and healthy food” was one of their
top five features that they wish would be incorporated into their neighborhoods. The problem
grows larger when considering that 51% of residents in these districts acquire their groceries
through ambulatory means and 40% rely on public transportation.
This building design has to meet the existing needs of the residents while being
incorporated into the urban environment of Syracuse. Located on the corner of Herald Place and
Clinton Street, all construction is required to abide by zoning ordinance of the industrial
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commercial district of the city. This allows buildings in this area to be a maximum of seven
stories high and reflect the style of neighboring structures. In consideration of the adjacent
buildings on site, the SYR Aquaponics Market will consist of between four and five floors to
integrate into the skyline, however there is potential for growth as the business establishes itself
in the city with the opportunity to become more prominent.
Starting on the ground level the facility respects the existing conditions of the Herald
Commons apartment complex. This new construction will mostly affect the tenants that reside in
the eastern apartments. A reasonable setback is designed between the exterior walls of the SYR
Aquaponics Market and the apartment complex to provide a buffer between each building. This
allows natural light and ventilation to enter the respective dwellings of these tenants.
The top levels of the building will house the aquaponic facility. The systems for the
facility require ample access to natural light to effectively grow food on the intended commercial
scale. An open roof that utilizes either skylights or a green roof structure will be incorporated to
grant equal access of light to the plants in the grow beds. On a design basis, the facility should
capture elements of nature to reinforce the sustainable elements that are utilized on site. Bringing
components such as trees indoors, visitors will feel fully immersed with the methodology behind
the structure.
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Interstate-690 East, Syracuse, NY. Google Maps, 2017, maps.google.com.
Interstate-690 Integration
The design of the SYR Aquaponics Market has to be integrated into the existing
landscape of the Herald Common Apartment Complex. Adjacent to the site is interstate-690 on
the northern end. Designing next to an interstate proposes several challenges, such as noise levels
and litter, however it also offers exposure to the site. The portion of the highway that crosses
through Syracuse extends fifteen miles long, connecting the town of Van Buren to DeWitt.
Approximately 100,000 vehicles travel on interstate-690 every day, providing an ample
amount of publicity for any businesses that are within view of the highway. The site of the
facility is along a bend in the highway, naturally queuing drivers to slow down their vehicles and
take in the urban environment. As the lot exists currently, commuters would look past it to
observe more interesting architecture in the distance.
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The goal of the proposed aquaponics market it to provide healthy alternatives and
education to Syracuse’s Downtown, which would be much more successful having a reputable
brand in the city. The vision for the design of this building is to elevate the aquaponic facilities to
the point of being level with intertate-690. As commuters travel on the highway system, their
attention would be caught by the vast vegetation that contrasts with the portion of the city that is
almost entirely finished with brick and concrete.
The noise levels that the vehicles on the highway emits would be drowned out inside the
facility through the sound of water moving between the aquaculture tanks and the grow beds.
The output of food that the SYR Aquaponics Market is capable of producing allows outside
businesses to purchase goods for resale that are locally and sustainable sourced.
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Sustainability Plan
The SYR Aquaponics Market was designed to satisfy the varying criteria of initiatives
that Syracuse officials have already implemented. This includes the Sustainability Plan that was
initiated in 2012 by then mayor, Stephenie Miner, in an effort to improve the efficiency and
quality of life for residents in the city. This movement was inspired by similar initiatives that
were introduced to other cities around New York.
The Sustainability Plan was established to address five different factors to work toward a
more sustainable future. Every one of these aspects were implemented in to the design of the
proposed facility. Educational programming is offered to local schools and community members,
water is reused on site through a water retention system, vegetated spaces are available to guests
of the facility, photovoltaic arrays provide power to numerous building systems, and the
aquaponic farm provides healthy food to the community.
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13. Structural Design
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Structural Grid
The SYR Aquaponics Market is a five-story building that is erected using steel frame
construction. As an addition to the Herald Commons Apartment Complex, the structural column
grid of the proposed building lines up with the existing structure. The structures are bridged
together through the second-story green roof/vehicular ramp on the western side of the building.
The exterior walls of the facility are constructed using reinforced concrete and steel frame
system with a brick veneer facade. The top third and fourth levels of the building almost entirely
consist of glazing and steel columns wrapped in brick.
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14. Building Systems
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Smart Glass
Smart glass is very important element to functionality and affect that the SYR
Aquaponics Market has on the community. This system uses electrochromatic material that
adjusts the level of light that passes through the glass. To activate smart glass, a single burst of
electricity is used to modify the level of transparency that is required. This can be synchronized
with the photo sensors present in the building to automatically adjust the state of the glazing in
accordance to the needs of the aquaponics facility.
This system is particularly useful after the sun goes down. The building was designed to
emanate a soft glow as the LED grow lamps remain running throughout the night. This provides
a constant source of light for the plants to accelerate their harvest cycles. While this doesn’t
affect most of the surrounding buildings, the neighboring tenants in the Herald Commons
building would not particularly enjoy the light flooding in their rooms while they attempt to
sleep. To avoid this disturbance the glazing on the western elevation of the facility will be
activated to eliminate any light from entering the tenant’s dwellings.
While indoor farms have a tendency to be a bit warmer than other spaces, temperatures
should remain in within a specific range. The plants aquaponic system grow best when the
internal temperature is under 85 degrees and above 65 degrees Fahrenheit. On certain summer
days where the sun is too strong it may be more efficient, on a cooling basis, to activate the smart
windows and utilize the interior grow lamps. This would only be utilized during days of intense
sunlight to cut down on operating costs and created a comfortable environment for guests and
employees of the facility.
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Night
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Moderate Sun
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High Sun
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Photo Sensors
Access to light is a crucial factor in the design of aquaponic systems, having a direct
correlation to the growth rate of crops. The grow beds inside the facility are oriented to capture
as much natural light as possible. Lining the perimeter of the building, natural light shines
through the large curtain walls to sustain each of the crops.
A large atrium was designed to provide ample sunlight to even the grow beds located on
the northern of the facility. The center of the fourth-floor remains open to below, creating a light
well that disperses sunlight to portions of the third-floor. Collaborating with the natural light,
photo sensors are positioned next to each grow bed in the facility. The photo sensors track how
much exposure each area is receiving and adjust the LED grow lamps accordingly. During
moments of high sunlight exposure, the LED grow lamps dim or turn off entirely to save energy.
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LED grow lamps were chosen for the aquaponic facility due to their low heat output and
energy efficiency. As these lights will be operating from sunset to sunrise it was important to
choose system that does not require a lot of energy to operate. LEDs also provide the option to
change the color the light that they emit, which is useful as certain types of vegetables grow
better under different colored light. It also presents an interactive aspect that can be used to
attract guests, with the lights being changed to specific colors on the nights of specific events or
holidays.
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Water Retention
Integrated into the design of multi-tiered roof is a storm water retention system that aids
in supporting many of the other sustainable and aesthetic factors throughout the facility. Crickets
are pitched to direct storm water to small weirs, that filter out larger particles and fill the interior
water cisterns as well as the exterior detention pond located on the second-floor balcony.
Precipitation that is collected is in this system is used to irrigate the three vegetated roofs
and planters during long dry spells in the city. A controlled flow system is used to help regulate
the level of urban runoff from the site. Controlling the rate at which water is released from the
site assists city water ways and sewer systems, minimizing the risk of sewer back-ups that result
in floods in the area. This passive system is well suited for dense, urban environments and is
overall very low maintenance.
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Water retention is particularly useful for the SYR Aquaponics Market as excess water
can be used in the aquaponic facility to fill the aquaculture tanks after routine cleanings. A
gravity pump system is also utilized in collaboration with the city’s water mainline to feed the
toilets located on the market level. Cisterns are stored above the washrooms, where water
pressure accumulates as it collects, which is then released to refill the tanks in the toilets when
flushed. This provides a zero-cost method that lowers the dependency on the water department,
which cuts down on monthly bills and increasing the efficiency of the building.
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Aquaponic System
The aquaponic facility located on the third and fourth floors of the building utilize the
deep-water raft form of aquaponics. This system is different from other types as it separates the
fish and crops into their own respective tanks, resulting in cleaner water that is circulated through
system. Crops are held in grow beds where they are suspended in a floating raft system. This
keeps the leafy portions dry, to avoid wilting, while the roots are submerged. Fish occupy their
own tanks, using a recirculating aquaculture system that is connected to the rest of the aquaponic
system.
During educational tours guests can explore the aquaponic facility to learn about how to
grow their own food in the urban environment. The essential components of the aquaponic
system are placed within a stained wood covers that can opened to reveal the inner workings.
This was done to provide protection to the settler, biofilter and transfer pumps from outside
conditions, ensuring that the system is operating efficiently and void of any possible
contamination. The transfer pumps contain chillers and water heaters that help to regulate the
water temperature of the system. Despite the resilient nature of tilapia, sudden spikes in water
temperature will cause the fish to go into shock, jeopardizing the harvest for that specific unit.
Generators are stored in the fifth-floor mechanical room to ensure that pumps are always
operating, even in the event of a city-wide power outage.
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Aquaponics is a sustainable, financially viable food production system that respects two
of the most important resources we have; water and land. Aquaponics functions as a hybrid of
fish cultivation a hydroponic farming. In this system tilapia would be cultivated due to their large
size, rapid maturity, and resilient nature. Aquaponic agriculture utilizes the effluent released
from the fish and transfers the tainted water to a settler. Inside the settler are microbes that
convert the water into fertilizer through a process called nitrification. The water is then shift to a
biofilter that utilizes an aerobic process that converts the naturally occurring ammonia present in
the fish effluent into nitrate. The nitrate rich water is then pumped into the grow beds where the
crops absorb the nutrients. The plants are suspended on a floating raft system, where the roots are
immersed in the water allowing them to absorb the nutrients while simultaneously filtering out
material that would be harmful to the fish. This water is now recycled back into the fish tank
where the process repeats itself.
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15. Completed Design
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Site Plan
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Floor Plans
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Dual-Level Parking Garage
To compensate the residents of the Herald Commons, as well as the guests of the
SYR Aquaponics Market, a dual-level garage was designed. The structure consists
of 48 parking spots and 6 handicap parking spots. Grocery cart storage is also
available to shoppers on each level.
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Basement Floor Plan
Basement Room Schedule
B.1 Elevator Lobby
B.2 Grocery Cart Storage
B.3 Subterranean Parking
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Dual-Level Parking Garage
To compensate the residents of the Herald Commons, as well as the guests of the
SYR Aquaponics Market, a dual-level garage was designed. The structure consists
of 48 parking spots and 6 handicap parking spots. Grocery cart storage is also
available to shoppers on each level.
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First Floor Plan
First Floor Room Schedule
1.1 Bicycle Storage 1.4 Ground Parking
1.2 Elevator Lobby
1.3 Grocery Cart Storage
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Marketplace
The SYR Aquaponics Market provides a wide variety of vegetables and fish that
are harvested on site. A café along with other amenities are also available for
guests. A large outdoor gathering space looks over Downtown Syracuse. A green
roof was incorporated to provide privacy to the existing apartments and the
balcony space.
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Second Floor Plan
Second Floor Room Schedule
2.1 Elevator Lobby 2.6 Cold Storage 2.11 Fish Counter 2.16 Café
2.2 Administration 2.7 Dry Storage 2.12 Checkout 2.17 Café Seating
2.3 Men’s Toilet 2.8 Sanitary Prep 2.13 Cart Storage 2.18 Balcony
2.4 Women’s Toilet 2.9 Washing Station 2.14 Fresh Vegetable
2.5 Custodial Closet 2.10 Corridor 2.15 General Market
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Aquaponic System
A commercial sized aquaponic system occupies the third and fourth floors of the
facility. Tilapia are grown alongside an assortment of vegetables that are sold back
to the community in the marketplace. Educational programs are available that
teach participants how to sustainably grow their own food.
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Third Floor Plan
Third Floor Room Schedule
3.1 Elevator Lobby 3.4 Green Space
3.2 Aquaponic Storage 3.5 Lower Aquaponic System
3.3 Reception Area
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Aquaponic System
A commercial sized aquaponic system occupies the third and fourth floors of the
facility. Tilapia are grown alongside an assortment of vegetables that are sold back
to the community in the marketplace. Educational programs are available that
teach participants how to sustainably grow their own food.
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Fourth Floor Plan
Fourth Floor Room Schedule
4.1 Elevator Lobby 4.4 Education Space
4.2 Green Space 4.5 Upper Aquaponic System
4.3 Corridor
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Sustainable Support
The roof of the facility houses numerous photovoltaic arrays and a water retention
system. The array consists of 156 photovoltaic panels that aid in powering the
different systems on site. Generators are stored in the mechanical room to ensure
the system has power at all times.
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Fifth Floor Plan
Fifth Floor Room Schedule
5.1 Mechanical Room
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Solar Analysis
Summer
Winter
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Winter Solar Study
Building Section A
Summer Solar Study
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