BE Lab -Vertical Farming & Sustainable Systems Design

college of built environments' interdisciplinary design studio at the university of washington



Branden Born, Associate Professor of Urban Planning

Gundula Proksch, Assistant Professor of Architecture

Ken Yocom, Assistant Professor of Landscape Architecture






In the United States, it is estimated that about 30% of the agricultural output originates within or on the edges of metropolitan areas. In response, a field of research and practice has emerged that focuses on the productive effectiveness of urban agricultural practices locally, regionally, and globally. In fact, locally, Seattle just declared 2010 "The Year of Urban Agriculture."


Using multidisciplinary skills from both undergraduate and graduate levels, this BE Lab is building upon these urban initiatives and their interrelated goals by developing strategies for integrating agricultural practices into the built environment. In particular, into the sustainable design of a large urban site containing multi-story residential buildings. Working at multiple scales, we are examining and synthesizing the intersections between socially equitable urban agricultural strategies with "high tech"/state of the art sustainable building systems.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Carson, Jacobs, Fishman... Awesome!

Wednesday also brought to campus the renowned Robert Fishman. Speaking to a massive enthusiastic crowd, Fishman presented the seminal works of Rachel Carson and and Jane Jacobs, together in one piece: the Death and Life of Nature and the City. In drawing connections between two of the foundational works in environmentalism and urbanism, "Silent Spring" and "The Death and Life of Great American Cities", Fishman laid an important piece of groundwork, incredibly fitting for developing agricultural systems at Yesler Terrace.
Fishman explained the amazing similarities between the two pieces, especially their commitments to the celebration of complexity in life. Moreover, Fishman articulated that Jacob's vision of the city was dependent on Carson's vision nature, and that Carson's vision in turn relies on Jacob's city. This relationship between urban space and the natural world has become the basis for sustainable urbanism. These connections will be valuable concepts as we continue our considerations for urban agriculture on the Yesler Terrace site.
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