INNOVATION FARM
ALLENSWORTH, CALIFORNIA
A RESILIENT BLUEPRINT FOR SUSTAINABLE FARMING
Competition Entry
As an entry for the Arch at Zero 2023 Competition: this proposal for the Allensworth Agricultural Center is an
educational campus that focuses on creating a net-zero
sustainable environment which integrates housing, education
centers, and a range of agricultural activities. The project
aims to achieve energy efficiency, promote sustainable
practices, and incorporate advancements in technology to
return to an architecture integrated with the natural realm.
The two building structures highlighted for this proposal
are the Housing Village and Innovation Campus. Serving as
the core of the site’s activity, much of the infrastructure
of the site’s operations are located here.
The project proposes a fresh, sustainable approach to designing and
considering architectural assemblies, while developing
aesthetic methods of integrating building systems into
architectural form.
Exterior corridors connect the various Innovation Campus buildings. The wooden canopy above shades the public space below for a cooler site experience and ensures comfort when circulating through the site. The campus serves as a living laboratory for biodiversity conservation and restoration. It boasts a variety of ecosystems, including native plantings, wetlands, meadows, and wildlife habitats. These areas are carefully preserved, providing a haven for plant and animal species.
The classroom buildings are designed to be flexible for a variety of educational and community events.
Workshops, lectures, and hands-on training
programs cover various topics, including
organic farming, permaculture, agroforestry,
aquaponics, and sustainable livestock
management. Visitors can engage with
researchers and experts, and gain practical
knowledge through field trips to nearby
farms. The campus also collaborates with
local communities to promote agricultural
entrepreneurship and provide vocational
training opportunities.
A network of pathways ties the dozen homes together with a series of programmed agricultural, resting, eating, and gathering spaces.The dynamism of the space promotes the use of the buildings and surrounding spaces in unique ways. Additionally, the large canopy above allows for a shaded relief from the harsh direct sun, and another means of transporting renewable resources like solar-powered energy and solar-heated water.
