Design Thinking Book Congwei Cao

LESS FOR BUILDINGS MORE FOR OURSELVES STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENT IN THE FACE OF DEVELOPMENT

DESIGN THINKING F20 CONGWEI CAO SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE ZEULER LIMA DOUGLIS BECK 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

2

[PROLOGUE] 4-13 [PREMISE] 14-31 [PLACE] 32-73 [PROGRAM] 74-105 [PRECEDENTS] 106-115 [POSSIBILITIES] 116-121

3

4

[PROLOGUE] I came to the United States from China, and I felt the cultural shock when I got off the plane. Because the lifestyle of Americans is very different from that of Chinese people, because they have to drive anywhere, to school, to supermarket, to home, and spend most of their time on the road. So I’m very interested in how this kind of endless urban expansion affects the urban fabric of the United States.

The root causes of these problems are the maladies of apartheid and commodity economy. I want to try to solve these problems that plague American cities. At the same time, it is also because China’s cities are gradually growing, but the Chinese people are not aware of the harm brought by the endless urban expansion, we are immersed in the joy of economic construction and urban construction. I want to learn some useful experience for China’s urban development while studying American urban problems.

5

“Photo source: Elias Sime. Currents 118. Photography. Congwei Cao. Saint Louis Art Museum.”

CURRENTS 118 By ELIAS SIME 6

The texture of the circuit board is very similar to the texture of the city. You can see that there are many green spaces interspersed among them. It also reminds me of how much land has been eroded by urban sprawling.

“Photo source: Suburbia on steroids. Photography. Planet. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/apr/19/where-world-most-sprawling-city-los-angeles.”

Urban sprawl is a low-density, huge and unplanned, mainly residential development, covering more and more land around the core of the city.

7

BUILDINGS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR 42% OF THE WORLD’S ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND 40% OF THE U.S. CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS BUILDINGS CONSUME: 35% OF THE COUNTRY’S ELECTRICITY 11%OF THE COUNTRY’S DRINKABLE WATER, 32% OF MATERIALS BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTION AND OPERATIONS IN THE US ACCOUNT FOR 40% OF THE GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS AND 33% OF ITS SOLID WASTE STREAM.

“Data source: “Buildings.” Alliance to Save Energy, February 19, 2016. https://www.ase.org/initiatives/buildings.”

8

“Photo source: Neighborhood near Salt Lake City. Photography. Rick Bowmer/AP. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-12/why-we-need-a-standard-definition-of-the-suburbs.”

9

10

NEAR MY HOME THERE IS A SEGREGATION PHENOMENON BETWEEN ST LOUIS CITY & ST LOUIS COUNTY.

11

URBAN SPRAWL

“Photo source: Suburban housing. Suburban Las Vegas, Nevada. Photography. iofoto/Shutterstock.com. https://www.britannica.com/topic/urban-sprawl.”

SEGREGATION

“Photo source: Jean-Philippe Delberghe. Unsplash. Photography. Kinder Institute. https://kinder.rice.edu/urbanedge/2020/09/21/housing-cost-residential-segregation-unfair-advantages-whites-andunfair-punishment.”

12

[ARE THEY RELATED ?]

13

14

[PREMISE]

15

[PREMISE] My most profound impression of American cities is the irresponsible and unsustainable urban sprawling that is eroding communities and destroying natural habitats. This is the result of the racial segregation history of America which has been deeply embedded into both social and economic structure of the society.

Suburban sprawl and segregation are two unpopular phenomenon in the process of urban development. Also income level and racial inequality are correlated with suburban sprawl and segregation.

In almost all the metropolitan areas in the US, the suburbs are growing far faster than that needed to accommodate the growth of the metropolitan population. Therefore, the population of cities has a large-scale decline, which is called white flight. This kind of development model is very unsustainable and will bring a series of urban problems to the people. These problems include the destruction of the environment, the destruction of the original community and so on. I hope to weaken the damage of urban development to the environment and community by means of architectural design.

16

“Photo source: Aerial photograph of the North American suburb. Photography. Darko Zeljkovic. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/aerial-photograph-north-american-suburb59216365?id=59216365&src=id.”

17

THE PREMISE | DESIGN THINKING

REASONS FOR THE STUDY

The reason for this study is because I am very curious about the transportation and urban living environment in the US. Prior to my arrival at the US, I always believe that the transportation and urban construction in the United States would be very developed, but after living in the United States for several months, I found that this was not the case.

I have been to many cities in Asia, such as Seoul, Tokyo, Manila, Singapore and so on. The urban public transportation of these cities is very developed. Basically all functions are concentrated in the urban area. Offices and business buildings, as well as residential areas and schools can be reached within walking distance or by public transportation.

After I came to the United States, it is a whole different world. I found that without a car it would be impossible to move at all. All the city functions are far away from each other, completely lacking the compactness or logic of Asian cities.

I have to drive to dinner, to school, to the store, to the supermarket.

Large roads and parking lots occupy everything.

“Photo source: Urban Image. Photography. JMTierney. https://www.crushpixel.com/stock-photo/aerial-view-large-train-station-850277.html. St Louis Image. Joe Millitzer. Urban Image. Brent Toderian. Parking Image. Andrew Lashmar. https://absolutecravings.com.au/blogs/news/parking-at-absolute-cravings-and-health-benefits-for-walking-after-a-meal.”

18

Last semester, my studio’s field trip was to Zurich, Switzerland. In Zurich I found the feeling of an Asian city. So the compactness of Asian cities is not due to different living habits, but to the degree of social fragmentation and segregation. The professor showed us around his company. After work, staff could meet with friends directly in the downstairs bar, and then walk to the school to pick up the children.

But in the United States, urban functions are all scattered in the suburbs. Because the distance between home and school is too far, I even heard that if children want to play with each other, they need to make play dates. The essence of urban life is to improve the living standard and convenience of residents, rather than sacrifice the living environment of residents for suburban construction.

After watching a documentary about Jane Jacobs, I think the biggest problem in American cities is that most Americans choose their own space over city life, which is the kind of life where all urban functions are within walking distance.

Most Americans have been living a kind of suburban life, spending their time commuting between home and company and school on highways. The crucial reasons for this is the segregation history and also the government sacrificed the convenience and community of Americans for the sake of urban construction and development.

“Photo source: Storr’s Center in Mansfield, CT. Photography. Courtesy / The Congress for the New Urbanism. https://sanantonioreport.org/new-urbanism-film-festival-coming-to-san-antonio/. Image of Saint Louis. Photography. Alex Ihnen. https://nextstl.com/2016/05/urban-renewal-st-louis-jane-jacobs-100th-birthday/.”

19

THE PREMISE | DESIGN THINKING

THE URBAN VERSION OF SUBURBAN SPRAWL

IN THE CITY OF BEIJING. China is centralized, so the characteristic of China’s economic development is that politics and economy are closely linked, and the political center is usually also the economic center. As a result, people can only earn real money in a few big cities with centralized power, which leads to the large number of migrant workers in Beijing. These migrant workers usually can’t afford to rent a home in the city.

They can only choose to live in the suburbs where the rent is cheap. With the city growing larger and larger the city planners and developers have new plans for the suburban areas. The Beijing government has demolished large urban areas where migrant workers and blue collar workers live. Thousands of people were forced to move in the cold winter and displaced in the city.

“Photo source: Anderlini, Jamil. “Xi’s Grandiose Urban Ambitions Hit the Wall.” Financial Times. Financial Times, April 26, 2017. https://www.ft.com/content/17fe0c30-2996-11e7-9ec8168383da43b7.”

20

“Photo source: Myers, Steven Lee, and Keith Bradsher. “Beijing Launches Another Demolition Drive, This Time in Its Bucolic Suburbs.” The New York Times. The New York Times, August 7, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/07/world/asia/china-beijing-crackdown-housing.html.”

21

THE PREMISE | DESIGN THINKING

THE SIDE EFFECT OF SUBURBAN SPRAWL

SPRAWLING CITIES WILL END UP CONSUMPTION OF IRREPLACEABLE FOSSIL FUELS CONSTRUCTION IN THE MODE OF URBAN SPRAWL(DESTRUCTION OF CULTIVATED LAND) DESTROY FORESTRY ECOLOGY (DESTROY VEGETATION SYSTEM) CREATE WATER POLLUTION, SOIL POLLUTION AND AIR POLLUTION LOSS OF TOPSOIL A LARGE AMOUNT OF HAZARDOUS WASTE IS PRODUCED

“Data source: Edward Allen and Joseph Iano. FUNDAMENTALS OF CONSTRUCTING SUSTAINABILITY. 5th edition. John Wiley & Sons. 2008.”

22

INTENSIFY RACIAL SEGREGATION ERODE AGRICULTURAL LAND

MORE BUILDINGS MORE COMMUNITIES WITH ACCESS CONTROL

CONSUME FOSSIL FUEL CONSUME MORE RESOURCES ROAD RAGE AND ACCIDENTS REDUCE THE HARMONIOUS ATMOSPHERE IN THE COMMUNITY GREATER ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS BIGGER SEWERS MUNICIPAL SERVICE FACILITIES VACANT IN URBAN CENTER UNBALANCED URBAN DEVELOPMENT MORE CAPITAL INVESTMENT OCCUPY MORE AGRICULTURAL LAND

MORE CARS LESS COMMUNICATION BETWEEN COMMUNITIES

MORE ROADS MORE RUNOFF RAINWATER

MORE CARS THE REDUCTION OF URBAN GREEN SPACE JOB TRANSFER FROM DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS ARE MORE DEPENDENT ON CARS URBAN NOISE POLLUTION AIR POLLUTION MORE GREENHOUSE GASES DESTRUCTION OF WETLANDS THE RURAL LANDSCAPE AND CULTURAL FEATURES DISAPPEARED ACID RAIN POLLUTION REDUCTION OF OPEN SPACES MORE ROAD KILLS

MORE LANDS DESTROYING NATURAL HABITATS

MORE DISTANCE LEADS TO MORE CARS AND ROADS MORE INFRASTRUCTURE MORE WASTE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES

LONG QUEUE OF CARS URBAN TRAFFIC CONGESTION INTENSIFIES LONGER TRAVEL TIME FOR RESIDENTS TRAFFIC ACCIDENT RATE RISES DISTANCE OF NEIGHBORS INCREASED GOOD FOR HIGH-INCOME GROUPS LOW INCOME CLASS CAN’T AFFORD THE EXPENSIVE TRANSPORTATION INTENSIFYING SOCIAL CONTRADICTIONS INCREASING MANAGEMENT COSTS INCREASED HOUSEHOLD SPENDING A LARGE INFLUX OF PEOPLE PUBLIC HEALTH HAS BEEN THREATENED

“Photo source: A smokestack emits smoke over Interstate 95 in Baltimore. Photography. Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images. https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2020/8/12/21361498/ climate-change-air-pollution-us-india-china-deaths.”

23

THE PREMISE | DESIGN THINKING

BOUNDARIES OF CONFLICT

Lakefront Dr

Creve Coeur Olive Blvd Fee Fee Rd

Edison Ave

Westland acres

Manchester Rd

Bluffs Dr

Trails Dr 24

Charbonier Rd

Goodfellow Blvd

Union Blvd

Olive Blvd

Strassner Dr

MAPPING OUT POINTS OF MAJOR “URBAN TEXTURE” CONFLICTS. I wanted to know how far I could drive, so I took the opportunity to draw the boundaries of urban expansion on the map while I‘m driving. We can think that different urban texture on the map represents the boundary of urban expansion. The texture of the city and the suburbs is very different between the dotted lines and the circles.

Because St. Louis is a city with a long history, so its urban texture have been deeply influenced by the many population movements in history. The shape of the boundaries are like waves which represent the population movements.

Historic U.S. 66

S Lindbergh Blvd

25

THE PREMISE | DESIGN THINKING

DILAPIDATED CITY AND THRIVING SUBURBS

1 Strassner Dr

26

2 Historic U.S. 66

3 Olive Blvd

4 Union Blvd

5 Trails Dr

6 Bluffs Dr

7 Manchester Rd

8 Westland acres

9 Fee Fee Rd

10 Lakefront Dr

I found that the sprawling suburbs had better buildings and better roads, and the side of the city seemed a bit dilapidated. Similarly, jobs have shifted from urban areas to suburbs. Housing prices in the suburbs are also rising.

27

THE PREMISE | DESIGN THINKING

WHY IS THE CITY WORSE THAN THE SUBURBS

Saint Ann

Jennings

Pine Lawn Page dale

Ladue

Forest Park

St Louis Maplewood

Shrewsbury Oakland

Crest wood

Map source: The University of Virginia. “St. Louis Racial map”. The University of Virginia Racial Dot Map. https://i.redd.it/soxtdm41j95z.jpg.

28

Pontoon Beach

Madison

Venice

Fairmont City Caseyville

White Alorton

Black

Centreville

Asian Hispanic

From 1940 to 1950, white people settled in suburban counties of St. Louis, some areas around forest parks and the southern part of the city. Many of them are moving from the city to the suburbs. Blacks, whose choices were limited by racial contracts and other restrictions, settled almost exclusively in the north.

“Data source: Gordon, Colin. “Mapping Decline: St. Louis and the Fate of the American City.” Mapping Decline | Colin Gordon | The University of Iowa. Accessed January 3, 2021. http://mappingdecline.lib.uiowa.edu/map/.”

29

THE PREMISE | DESIGN THINKING

BRIEFLY SEGREGATION HISTORY

Photo source: Leonard Freed. USA. Louisiana. New Orleans. Segregation in apartments. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/6e/55/a0/6e55a014a999326bf74b4c977a4 c192f.jpg.

St. Louis is geographically Midwest, but its history belongs to the south. The builders of the city came from the upper reaches of New Orleans. There was more than 100 years of slavery in St Louis unlike most of the northern cities. However, unlike most southern cities, we have not experienced civil rights demonstrations. Although African Americans have settled here almost from the beginning,

there has never been much pressure on the integration of black and white people. One scholar called it “the legacy of racial distrust.”

The reason is that “Racism is a business,” writer and educator John Wright says, sighing. “If it wasn’t lucrative to chase people away, it wouldn’t happen. People make money off of it. And as long as people make money, the system flourishes.”

“Data source: Cooperman, Jeannette. “The Story of Segregation in St. Louis.” St. Louis Magazine, October 17, 2014. https://www.stlmag.com/news/the-color-line-race-in-st.-louis/.”

30

“Photo source: Fair housing protest in Seattle, Washington, 1964. Photography. Jmabel. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fair_housing_protest,_Seattle,_1964.gif.”

31

32

[PLACE]

33

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

THE PLACEOF AFRICAN AMERICAN SETTLEMENT IN TIME-LINE ST LOUIS

The 56th colored infantry regiment that served in the during the American Civil W ment is composed of Afric soldiers under the command ficers and is authorized by t colored Troops.

By the mid-19th century, many wealthy black residents owned land in the laklade landing recreation area along the Mississippi River.

The land St. Louis first granted to a woman of color, only named este in Spanish literature, is located in this historic area, just north of the gate arch.

Black settlers were listedamong those killed defending St. Louis from the British in the Revolutionary War Battle of Fort San Carlos, which are around the Gateway Arch.

Since the establishment of St. Louis in 1764, people of African descent have played an important role in the city. Early census data showed that both free and slave blacks lived in St. Louis under French and Spanish colonial rule.

1820

1820 18 1780

By 1820 Census, 10000 slaves lived in Missouri, 1764 about one fifth of the population of 17 the state population. Same year, Missouri join the Union as a slave state while Maine was recognized as a free state. At that time, the law prohibited the education of black children.

34

John Berry Meachum i for African Americans River in 1847, when Miss cation in the state.

Around St. Louis, African American performers aspire to success. Ike and Tina Turner, opera stars Grace Bambry and Robert Mcferrin, jazz superstar Miles Davis, rock superstar Chuck Berry.

is a infantry federal army War. The regican American d of white ofthe Bureau of

0s

200 20 1986 1863

19

00s

-18 mid

00s

-18 mid

is known to St. Louis for establishing a school s on a steamboat moored on the Mississippi souri law banned people of color to have edu-

Madame Pelagie Rutgers, another of these prominent female colored landholders in St. Louis.

Kinloch is the oldest African American community founded in Missouri. It was a vibrant and prosperous black community for most of the 19th and 20th centuries. Since the 1980s, St. Louis began to acquire real estate of Kinloch due to the nearby Lambert International Airport.

LAND OWNERSHIP AND EDUCATION HAVE BEEN THROUGHOUT BLACK HISTORY In 1870, the urban area of St. Louis was limited to the location of present day St. Louis city.

Black owned lands are in the suburbs which capital doesn’t like untill the present day. As far as urban construction is concerned, black owned lands haven’t enjoyed the dividend of growth of America.

“Data source: “Part I: The African-American Experience.” stlouis. Accessed January 2, 2021. https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/ departments/planning/cultural-resources/preservation-plan/part-i-african-american-experience.cfm.”

35

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

WHERE IS THE SITE

ST. LOUIS CITY AND COUNTY ZONED FOR SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSING. Basically, almost all the single family houses are distributed to the sprawling suburbs with white flight. Most of the population in the city live in multi family housing. In addition, the number of single family units in the suburbs is increasing year by year, and there are also better education, medical care and pension facilities in the suburbs.

“Data source: Cambria N, Fehler P, Purnell JQ, Schmidt B. Segregation in St. Louis: Dismantling the Divide. St Louis, MO: Washington University in St. Louis. 2018.”

36

ST. LOUIS CITY

Multi-Family ST. LOUIS COUNTY

Single-Family Non-Residential Zoning

37

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

WHERE IS THE SITE

AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION IN ST. LOUIS REGION BY ZIP CODE. As can be seen from the map, African American communities are widely distributed in St. Louis city and the northern suburbs. This is consistent with the data of single family housing mentioned above. The migration caused by segregation hollowed out the city, and jobs and wealth moved with the white community from the city to the suburbs.

“Data source: Cambria N, Fehler P, Purnell JQ, Schmidt B. Segregation in St. Louis: Dismantling the Divide. St Louis, MO: Washington University in St. Louis. 2018.”

38

ST. LOUIS CITY

Highest ST. LOUIS COUNTY

Near Region Median Lowest

39

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

WHERE IS THE SITE

PERCENTAGE OF DETACHED SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES 2017.

In terms of the percent of detached single family homes, among all the counties Chesterfield and Ladue has the highest rate. The reason is these two places have better income structure and job opportunities.

CHES “Data source: Cambria N, Fehler P, Purnell JQ, Schmidt B. Segregation in St. Louis: Dismantling the Divide. St Louis, MO: Washington University in St. Louis. 2018.”

40

STERFIELD

ST. LOUIS CITY

Highest ST. LOUIS COUNTY

Near Region Median Lowest

LADUE 41

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

WHERE IS THE SITE

PERCENTAGE OF NEIGHBORHOODS THAT THEIR NEIGHBORS ARE THE SAME RACE. But, unlike Ladue, Chesterfield has a diversity of race, and I think most of the reason is that, in the process of urban sprawling, the white communities fleeing from the city have invaded the colored communities originally inhabited in the suburbs. This area also happens to be the place where different urban textures conflict with each other, so my project site will be around this region.

“Data source: Cambria N, Fehler P, Purnell JQ, Schmidt B. Segregation in St. Louis: Dismantling the Divide. St Louis, MO: Washington University in St. Louis. 2018.”

42

CHES

STERFIELD

ST. LOUIS CITY

Highest ST. LOUIS COUNTY

Near Region Median Lowest

LADUE 43

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

SITE LOCATION

I-64

WESTLAND ACRES

Spirit of St Louis Airport

I-64 CHESTERFIELD

Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park Rockwood Valley Middle School

44

MAJOR URBAN TEXTURE CONFLICTS OVERLAPPING WITH POPULATION STRUCTURE.

ST LOUIS COUNTY I-64

ST LOUIS CITY

So, as a result of overlapping major urban texture conflicts with different population structure and different housing structure, I found a place called Westland Acres. It is located in Chesterfield and It is in the frontline of defeating urban sprawling because it is the reflection and combination of all these problems. It is an historical African American community surrounded by new development suffering from rising land value.

45

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

HISTORY OF WESTLAND ACRES

THE CHURCH IS THE CENTER OF LOCAL LIFE.

WESTLAND ACRES

CHESTERFIELD

UNION BAPTIST CHURCH

Its History

This is a time when the first gene are adapting to a new life. In mos cation, without capital, without th

Present Situatio

They have lived here for generations but now they have to struggle against encroaching development which have multiplied their property taxes because these new built houses are worth more than 6 figures. There are only ten families living here, and most of them are elderly. The total population is less than 90 people.

46

They have lived here for generatio gles against encroaching develo their property taxes. There are o most of them are elderly. So this c of many conflicts in American soci urban areas by urban sprawl, and nity and income in terms of racial

INVADING NEW DEVELOPMENT IN CHESTERFIELD

eration of free men and women st cases, they do so without eduhe equipment of modern life.

on

ons but now they have to strugopment which have multiplied only ten families living here, and case is a concrete manifestation iety, including the erosion of subd also the inequality of opportusegregation.

UNION BAPTIST CHURCH WESTLAND ACRES

47

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

HISTORICAL TIMELINE

Around 1868, James Ellis and Philip Winston, two free slaves, bought 88.5 acres of land from former slave owner Andrew Stevens.

About 50 slave owner families came to the St Louis from Kentucky. Many of them put their homes around the Missouri River at present St. Charles County area, including the families of Long and Frazier.

The Antioch Baptist Church was formally established along Wild Horse Creek Road near Eatherton Road in 1841 by white Baptist planters.

Mr. West is a slave to the he bought about 133 acres Joel Fraser. 133 acres next to

48

1879

1868

1841

1797

“Data source: “Westland Acres.” Westland Acres | Wildwood, MO - Official Website. Accessed January 2, 2021. https://cityofwildwood.com/607/Westland-Acres.”

Sadly, the United Baptist Church burned down in 1977. Under the leadership of Clifford Frazier, and other people in the community, in 1984 after considerable difficulties and unremitting efforts the church was reestablished by them.

The residents of Westland Acres, who still in a very low standard of living, are struggling with the development of encroachment.

Westland Acres of land and its rich history are now shared between the two cities and was designated “Wildwood historic district” in 2005.

Long family. In 1879, s from John long and o the Baptist Church.

present

2005

1984

49

THE PROGRAM | DESIGN THINKING

URBAN TEXTURE EVOLVING TIMELINE

1800-1850

ST CHARLES

About 50 slave owner families came to the St Louis from Kentucky. Including the families of Long and Frazier.

1850-1900 In 1841, the Antioch Baptist Church was established.

BAPTIST CHURCH

1900-1950

WESTLAND ACRES

The present United Baptist Church of Westland Acres was formally established in 1921 and recognized in 1922 and built in 1925.

The United Baptist Church burned down in 1977.

Under the effort of the community, the church was rebuilt in 1984 after considerable difficulties.

1950-2020

CHESTERFIELD “Data source: “Westland Acres.” Westland Acres | Wildwood, MO - Official Website. Accessed January 2, 2021. https://cityofwildwood.com/607/Westland-Acres.”

50

ST CHARLES

ST LOUIS CITY ST LOUIS COUNTY

1850 1900 1950 WESTLAND ACRES

1980 2020

LAYERS OF HISTORY IN WESTLAND ACRES In 1870, the urban area of St. Louis was limited to the location of present day St. Louis city. Black owned lands are in the suburbs which capital doesn’t like untill the present day. As far as urban construction is concerned, black owned lands haven’t enjoyed the dividend of growth of America.

51

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

DEMOGRAPHICS OF WESTLAND ACRES

DETAILED AGE AND SEX DATA OF WESTLAND ACRES NEIGHBORHOOD 0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

85+ 80-84 75-79 70-74 65-69 60-64 55-59 50-54 45-49 40-44 35-39 30-34 25-29 20-24 18-19 15-17 10-14 5-9 0-4

“Data source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020). St Louis county report. Retrieved from [census.gov].”

52

Female

Male

RACE AND ETHNICITY OF WESTLAND ACRES NEIGHBORHOOD 0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

1200

1500

1800

2100

2000

2500

3000

3500

White Hispanic Black Asian Native

HOUSEHOLD TYPES OF WESTLAND ACRES NEIGHBORHOOD 0

300

600

900

Married Single Female Single Male Living Alone Not Alone

EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT OF WESTLAND ACRES NEIGHBORHOOD 0

500

1000

1500

<9th Grade 9th-12th High School College A’s Degree B’s Degree Graduate 53

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

SITE CONDITION

54

55

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

SITE PLAN

I-64

I-270

CREVE COEUR

CHESTERFIELD

TOWN&COUNTRY WILDWOOD BALLWIN ELLISVILLE

The site is in the west of the Chesterfield county which is adjacent to several other counties.

56

50ft

1211

ft

1621 ft

t 41

9 36

19

8f

50ft

ft

50ft

120 Acres

50ft

SITE DIMENSION “On the Trulia website, 115 acres are listed for sale in Westland Acres for $15,107,000. This parcel of land has been on the website for almost three years. The listed property is one of the last large continuous land masses in the West St. Louis County cities of Chesterfield and Wildwood, and there are no options for individual parcel sales. “ The constructable land area is about 125 acres. As the north side is adjacent to the Spirit of St Louis Airport, the highest construction height according to the zoning code of Chesterfield is 45ft.

“Data source: “Westland Acres.” Who Raised You? Podcast. Accessed January 2, 2021. https://www.whoraisedyoupodcast.com/westland-acres.”

57

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

ACCESS TO THE SITE

LONG RD

I-64

EEK

RD

WILD H

ORSE C

R EC

REEK R

RS

O DH

D

IL

W

ER

CK RA

RD

ST

KE

HR

VA LL

EY

58

RO AD

SM

ILL

RO AD

THERE IS ONLY ONE ENTRANCE FACING SOUTHEAST ON THE SITE 4

I-6

340

There is only one southeast facing entrance on the site. The whole site is surrounded by newly developed residential projects, and all roads are not connected with Westland acres.

I-64

BA

XT

ER

RD

WILSON AVE

340

340

59

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

SITE SECTION WITH CONTEXT

RESIDENTIAL AREA

60

WESTLAND ACRES

1

1

RESIDENTIAL AREA

61

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

SITE SECTION WITH CONTEXT

RESIDENTIAL AREA

62

WESTLAND ACRES

2

2

RESIDENTIAL AREA

63

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

SITE SECTION

64

3

3

There are some old houses on the site and it’s also extremely hilly. So architectural conservation and topography will play major roles in future design.

65

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS

PERCENTAGE OF EXPOSING TO THE MOST AND LEAST ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS. Areas painted orange and red represent a greater risk of respiratory disease for local residents, such as Westland acres, which has poor environmental quality because the air is polluted by harmful gases emitted by a coalfired power plant in Franklin County next door.

WESTLA “Data source: Cambria N, Fehler P, Purnell JQ, Schmidt B. Segregation in St. Louis: Dismantling the Divide. St Louis, MO: Washington University in St. Louis. 2018.”

66

ST. LOUIS CITY

Least Exposure ST. LOUIS COUNTY

Near Region Median Highest Exposure

AND ACRES 67

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

ACCESS TO RETAIL

DEGREE OF CONVENIENCE OF SHOPPING FOR RESIDENTS. This map shows how decades of reduced investment have made Westland acres one of the poorest and most isolated communities in the region, with no healthy, affordable groceries.

WESTLA “Data source: Cambria N, Fehler P, Purnell JQ, Schmidt B. Segregation in St. Louis: Dismantling the Divide. St Louis, MO: Washington University in St. Louis. 2018.”

68

ST. LOUIS CITY

Highest ST. LOUIS COUNTY

Near Region Median Lowest

AND ACRES 69

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

ZONING MAP

70

Commercial

Common Ground

Town home

Industrial

Institution

Multi-family

Park

Recreation

Single Family

Agriculture

“Data source: U.S. Census Bureau (2020). St Louis county report. Retrieved from [census.gov].”

71

THE PLACE | DESIGN THINKING

RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THE SITE

RESTAURANTS MARKETS RESTAURANTS MALL RESTAURANTS SITE

RESTAURANTS

72

RESTAURANTS

MARKETS

MALL MARKETS

73

74

[PROGRAM] So the program needs to provide the community with sovereignty in terms of safe and organic food because this will help to cope with urban sprawl and create a sustainable lifestyle as well, while also addressing the historical meaning of the African American community.

75

THE PROGRAM | DESIGN THINKING

ECONOMIC MODEL EARTH DANCE FARM (FERGUSON)

EARTH DANCE FARM

RESTAURANTS

FOOD PROCESSING

“ANY COMMUNITY CAN THRIVE IF THEY HAVE THE RESOURCES.” TIANA GLASS, EARTH DANCE FARM AGRICULTURAL INSTRUCTOR. “The overarching goals of the program are the same.

We can still supply youth with a paycheck and we are pivoting in the way that our community needs, not necessarily what is convenient for us. If they don’t have a house with a backyard big enough for a bed, we are going to supply them with pots and plants to take care of and watch grow. If they have questions for farmers in the middle of their project, we’ll get them that support too.” – Tiana Glass (Teacher at the farm school) “Data source: “‘Any Community Can Thrive If They Have the Resources.” Tiana Glass, Youth Educator at EarthDance: EarthDance: Ferguson Missouri.” EarthDance, June 3, 2020. https://earthdancefarms. org/blog/any-community-can-thrive-if-they-have-the-resources-tiana-glass-youth-educator-atearthdance/.”

76

FERGUSON

RESTAURANTS ST COMPO

OD

EARTH-DANCE FARM

IES

FO

VE GG

&F

RU

ITS

FOOD PROCESSING

77

05.09

05.02

THE PROGRAM | DESIGN THINKING 05.02 05.02 05.02 05.02

BUSINESS SYNERGIES EARTH DANCE FARM (FERGUSON) 05.0 2 05.02 05.02 05.02 05.02 05.02

LEGEND AROUND THE THE BUSINESS EARTH DANCE FARM ARE ALLConsumer CONNECTED THROUGHOUT Winter Time THE YEAR.

SEASON-LONG VENDORS

OCCASIO

EarthDance Organic Farm School

EarthSprout

A

Howie Farms

Bridge Bread Bakery

W

Kuhs Estate & Farm

Pete’s Pops

Su

Pearson’s Produce

Delhi Sustainable Farms

V

Missouri Honey

Friends of the Market Food Booth

C

La Fuente Tamales

St. Stephens and the Vine Food Booth

G

Oberweis Dairy

VENDORS

OCCASIONAL VENDORS

rganic Farm School

EarthSprout

LEGEND

Alpacas of Troy

Bridge Bread Bakery

Summer Time

Farm

duce

NON-PROFITS

males

Coffee Co. EarthDance OrganicSurge Farm School

Ka

Bella's Homemade Biscuits OCCASIONAL VENDORS

An

EarthSprout

Pittman Leather

Alpacas of Troy

Go

Bridge Bread Bakery

Lesa's Soaps & Lotions

Windy hill farms

EARTHDANCE FARM SCHOOL CONSUMERS

Kuhs Estate & Farm Christie’s Jamaican Plates and BakesPete’s Pops

Surge Coffee Co. Martha's Rainbow Collection

Pearson’s Produce

Medicare Solutions

Glow Naturale

Delhi Sustainable Farms

Voss Pecans

League of Women Voters

Ferguson Historical Missouri Honey Society

People likesFood to cook at home Friends of thewho Market Booth

Christie’s Jamaican Plates and Bakes

University of Missouri

St. Louis Zoo Tamales La Fuente

Restaurants St. Stephens and the Vine Food Booth

Glow Naturale

CONSUMERS Houston Candles and more

Ferguson Eco Team

Ferguson Historical Society

Equadorian Handcrafts

People who likes to cook at home Tourists Houston Candles and more University of Missouri St. Louis Zoo Restaurants Great Rivers Environmental Law Center Ferguson Middle School Gardens People who loves organic food s Ferguson Historical Society People who likes to cook at home Ferguson Eco Team People Reaching Out For Unity and Diversity Tourists Great Rivers Greenway Good Shepherd Arts Center Low income group ack Brand LLC. Kay's Kreations League of Women Voters Ferguson Historical Society St. Louis Zoo Restaurants Great Rivers Environmental LawFerguson Center Library Ferguson Middle School GardensCommunity People who loves organic food Gardens of Hope Hill Ferguson Historical Society People who likes to cook at home Homemade Biscuits Ann's Glass University of Missouri St. Louis Zoo People Reaching Out For UnityFused and Tourists Great Rivers Greenway GoodDiversity Shepherd Arts Center Low income group Christian Hospital St. Louis Zoo Restaurants Leather Goose Creek Soap Co. Ferguson Eco Team People Reaching Out For Unity and Diversity Summer Time ntal LawFerguson Center Library Ferguson Middle School Gardens Community Gardens of Hope Hill People who loves organic food People who likes to cook at home People Reaching Out For Unity and Diversity Tourists Good Shepherd Arts Center Low income groupGreat Rivers Environmental Law Center oaps &Christian LotionsHospital Ferguson Middle School Gardens Restaurants Ferguson Middle School Gardens People who loves organic food Community Gardens of Hope Hill s Rainbow Collection Great Rivers Greenway Good Shepherd Arts Center People who likes to cook at home EARTHDANCE FARM SCHOOL ity andGood Diversity Tourists Shepherd Arts Center Low income group redens Solutions Ferguson Library Community Gardens of Hope Hill Multifood Business Single Family African American Non-profit Restaurants People who loves organic Related Consumers Community Gardens ofFarms Hope Hill Company Business Business Organization Tourists rian Handcrafts Christian Hospital Low income group Multifood Business Single Family African American Non-profit People who loves organic Consumers perms HillRelated Company Business Business Organization

p Co.

League of Women Voters

Voss Pecans

Howie Farms

Friends of the Market Food Booth St. Stephens and the Vine Food Booth

N-PROFITS ry

Vitl'z Snack Brand LLC.

Windy hill farms SEASON-LONG VENDORS

Pete’s Pops

Consumer WinterFarms Time Delhi Sustainable

y

H

People Reaching Oberweis DairyOut For Unity and Diversity CONSUMERS

NON-PROFITS

CONSU

CONSUMERS

CONSUMERS

NSUMERS

Outdoor Annual Vegetable Production Fields

ARM SCHOOL

Low income group Multi Business ompany

Voters

Single Family Business

African American Business

Ferguson Historical Society

ngle Family ri usiness

African American Non-profit St. Louis Zoo Organization Business

an American ness

Non-profit Organization

mental Law Center

CONSUMERS

Non-profit Organization Consumers

People Reaching Out For Unity and Diversity

Consumers

People who likes to cook at home Multi Business Farms Related Restaurants Company Tourists

Outdoor Annual Vegetable People who loves organic food Outdoor Annual Vegetable Production FieldsApril-May Good Shepherd Arts Center Low income group Consumers

Ferguson Middle School Gardens

Single Family Business

78

African American Business

Non-pr Organi

Outdoor Annual Vegetable O OutdoorProduction Annual Vegetable Fields June-August

Annual Vegetable Consumers uction“Data Fields Community Gardens of Hope Hill Production Fields source: “MEET OUR VENDORS.” Ferguson Farmers Market. Accessed January 3, 2021. https://fergusonfarmersmarket.com/our-vendors/.”

n-profit way ganization

Outdoor Annual Vegeta Production Fields

Production Fields

cabbage Take this farm as an example. Through scientific planting methods, carrot canexample. provide the community with fresh vegetables Take this farm asitan Through scientific planting methods, throughout the

beans cherry tomato

Ferguson Farmers Market This is a diagram that connects vendors and consumers through a timeline.

10.17

10.17

10.17

10.10

10.10

10.10 10.0 3

10.0 3

10.17

10.10

10.17

09.

19

.19 09

09.

19 09 .19 09.12

4 10.2

4 10.2

4 10.2

4 10.2

09.19 09.19

09.12

10.3 1

1 10.3

10.31

10.31

1 10.3

11.21

5 09.0

08.15

08.15

.05 09

11.2 11.2 1 1

08.29

08.15

.29

08

8

08.0

8

08.0

11.21

12

1212

11.2 1

1 10.3

1 10.3 09.12

11.21 11.21 11.2 1 11.2 11.2 1 1

10.31

1212 12

09 .12

11.21 11.21 11.21 11.21 11.21 11.21 11.21

08.01 08.01 1 08.0 1 08.0 08.01

11.21 11.21 11.21 11.21 11.21

08.01

07.25

12.19 12.19 12.19 12.19 12.19 12.19 12.1 9

07.

25 07.

07. 25 25 07.25

07.1

8

07.18

07.

18

11 07.

07.1

01.1 6 01.1 6

11 07.

07.

11

07.

18

1

07.1

1

02.

20

06.

27 07.

07. 11 11 03.

20

06.

27

03.

03. 20 03. 20 20

06.

20 06 .2

7

06 .27 .27

06

06.

13 06.

13 06.

13

06.

13

06.

13

05.

30

05.

30

05.

30

05.

30

05.

30

05.

23

05.

23 05.

23

05.

23

05.16 05.

23 05.

23

05.16 05.16

05.09

05.02

05.02 05.02 05.02 05.02 05.

02 05.02 05.02 05.02 05.02 05.02

LEGEND

SEASON-LONG VENDORS Consumer Winter Time

OCCASIONAL VENDORS

NON-PROFITS

CONSUMERS

EarthDance Organic Farm School

EarthSprout

Alpacas of Troy

Vitl'z Snack Brand LLC.

Kay's Kreations

League of Women Voters

Ferguson Historical Society

People who likes to cook at home

Howie Farms

Bridge Bread Bakery

Windy hill farms

Bella's Homemade Biscuits

Ann's Fused Glass

University of Missouri

St. Louis Zoo

Restaurants

Kuhs Estate & Farm

Pete’s Pops

Surge Coffee Co.

Pittman Leather

Goose Creek Soap Co.

Ferguson Eco Team

People Reaching Out For Unity and Diversity

Tourists

Pearson’s Produce

Delhi Sustainable Farms

Voss Pecans

Lesa's Soaps & Lotions

Great Rivers Environmental Law Center

Ferguson Middle School Gardens

People who loves organic food

79

Kuhs EstateKuhs & Farm Estate & Farm

Pete’s Pops Pete’s Pops

Surge CoffeeSurge Co. Coffee Co.

Pitt

Pearson’s Produce Pearson’s Produce

Delhi Sustainable Delhi Sustainable Farms Farms

Voss PecansVoss Pecans

Les

Missouri Honey Missouri Honey

Friends of the Friends MarketofFood the Market Booth Food Booth

Christie’s Jamaican Christie’sPlates Jamaican and Bakes Plates and Bakes

Ma

La Fuente Tamales La Fuente Tamales

St. StephensSt.and Stephens the Vineand Food theBooth Vine Food Booth

Glow Naturale Glow Naturale

Me

Houston Candles Houston andCandles more and more

Equ

THE PROGRAM | DESIGN THINKING

PRODUCTION CYCLE EARTH DANCE FARM (FERGUSON) Oberweis Dairy Oberweis Dairy

EARTHDANCE EARTHDANCE FARM FARM SCHOOL SCHOOL

Outdoor Outdoor AnnualAnnual Vegetable Vegetable Production Production Fields Fields

Outdoor AnnualAnnual Vegetable Outdoor Vegetable Production Fields Fields Production

April-May April-May

June-August June-August

cabbage cabbage carrot carrot lettuce lettuce napa cabbage napa cabbage radish radish chard chard chives chives cilantrocilantro

beans beans cherry tomato cherry tomato cucumber cucumber garlic garlic sweet pepper sweet pepper potato potato summersummer squashsquash cilantrocilantro

SUSTAINABLE ORGANIC FARM PRODUCE FRESH VEGGIES ALL YEAR ROUND .

The EarthDance farmscape is abuzz with pollinators and beneficial insects, and nesting songbirds, amidst fields of certified organic vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers. They grow year-round in two hightunnels and produce seedlings in a greenhouse.

“Data source: “What We Grow: EarthDance: Ferguson Missouri.” EarthDance. Accessed January 3, 2021. https://earthdancefarms.org/food/what-we-grow/.”

80

Outdoor Outdo An ProducP

Septem

sn

c

urge CoffeeSurge Co. Coffee Co.

Pittman Leather Pittman Leather

oss PecansVoss Pecans

Lesa's SoapsLesa's & Lotions Soaps & Lotions

Great RiversGreat Environmental Rivers Environmental Law CenterLaw Center

hristie’s Jamaican Christie’sPlates Jamaican and Bakes Plates and Bakes

Martha's Rainbow Martha'sCollection Rainbow Collection

Great RiversGreat Greenway Rivers Greenway

Glow Naturale Glow Naturale

Medicare Solutions Medicare Solutions

Ferguson Library Ferguson Library

Houston Candles Houston andCandles more and more

EquadorianEquadorian HandcraftsHandcrafts

Christian Hospital Christian Hospital

Vegetable able Fields

Goose CreekGoose SoapCreek Co. Soap Co.

Ferguson Eco Ferguson Team Eco Team

Farms Related Farms Related

Outdoor Outdoor Annual Annual Vegetable Vegetable Production Production FieldsFields

Greenhouse vegetable shed shed Greenhouse vegetable

gust

September-October September-October

November-March November-March

s mato ber c pper to quash ro

arugulaarugula kale kale snap bean snap bean lettucelettuce onion onion carrot carrot cabbage cabbage basil basil

asian greens asian greens lettucelettuce spinachspinach chard chard radishes radishes

Multi Business Multi Business Company Company

Single Busine

Take this Takefarm this it can itprovide can pr year. year.

81

THE PROGRAM | DESIGN THINKING

FARM SCHOOL EARTH DANCE FARM (FERGUSON)

EARTH DANCE FARM IS ROOTED IN THE FERGUSON COMMUNITY The Earth Dance provides basic education and practical training to meet the needs of novice gardeners, novice farmers, young people and “agricultural curiosity” community members. The Earth Dance develops relationships based on sharing the unity of hard work, food and appreciation of the land. Earth Dance grows certified organic vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers. These agricultural products have been integrated into Ferguson’s economy.

“Data source: “Community: EarthDance: Ferguson Missouri.” EarthDance. Accessed January 3, 2021. https://earthdancefarms.org/community/.”

82

All the business here is interconnected and centered around that farm. Families in the surrounding black communities buy vegetables and fruits from the farms, and the farms also supply their own organic vegetables and fruits to the surrounding restaurants and family workshops. The farm sows in spring and produces fruits and vegetables in autumn,

which can be supplied to the local area. And the farm can also provide extra-curricular activities for surrounding schools. This self-sufficient ecological business cycle is sustainable and can create a lot of local jobs.

83

THE PROGRAM | DESIGN THINKING

DISTRIBUTION MODEL EARTH DANCE FARM (FERGUSON)

According to the information on their website, I found that the businesses they supply are not only in Ferguson, but also cover most of the city and suburban areas of St. Louis. This also shows that the market has a large demand for organic agricultural products.

84

Earth Dance Farm School

85

THE PROGRAM | DESIGN THINKING

PROGRAM SUMMARY

FARM SCHOOL

ORGANIC FARM

The farm school popularize agricultural knowledge and environmental protection knowledge to the public, and provide education for people who want to develop their career in agriculture.

In organic agriculture, farmers will improve structure of soil organic matter, increase species diversity and decrease soil erosion. Instead of just using fertilizers and pesticides. In this way, the harmful substances of agricultural products can be reduced and the ecological environment can be improved.

FOOD PRO

Food processing industry c and scientific food process tional value of food, and he lost in the storage process.

“Data source: “National Institute of Food and Agriculture.” Organic Agriculture | National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Accessed January 3, 2021. https://nifa.usda.gov/topic/organic-agriculture.”

86

OCESSING

can promote employment, sing can improve the nutrielp to preserve the nutrients

RESTAURANTS

PUBLIC SPACE

Restaurants that get ingredients from local farms and gardens can take advantage of the fresh flavor they offer. Because the transportation distance of local food is very small, there is less fuel consumption and exhaust emission in the process of transporting raw materials to restaurants.

An open green public space can not only be used as a farmer’s market, but also a place for daily communication activities of community residents. Especially in the period of covid-19, outdoor activities were safer than indoor activities.

87

THE PROGRAM | DESIGN THINKING

USERS INTERACTION

LOCAL FAMILIES

FARM SCHOOL

88

SCHOOLS

ORGANIC FARM

FOOD PRO

OCESSING

LOCAL BUSINESSES

RESTAURANTS

LARGE CHAIN MARKETS

PUBLIC SPACE

89

THE PROGRAM | DESIGN THINKING

WESTLAND ACRES OWN VERSION

?

WESTLAND ACRES LOW DENSE OPEN SPACE

FERGUSON CITY AGRICULTURE

SUBURBAN FABRIC AGRICULTURE OPEN SPACE

90

BIKING

COMMUNITY

AGRICULTURE

DINING

TRADE

MEDICAL

MEMORIZING

GALLERIES

PROFESSIONALS

BIKING

FAMILY

AGRICULTURE

TRADE

URBAN FARMERS

MEMORIZING

COMMUNITY

TEENAGERS YOUNG COUPLES

DINING

MEDICAL

GALLERIES

FAMILY

FAMILY

PROFESSIONALS

URBAN FARMERS

FAMILY

FAMILY

TEENAGERS YOUNG COUPLES

TEENAGERS YOUNG COUPLES

AGRICULTURE

PROFESSIONALS

COMMUNITY

TEENAGERS YOUNG COUPLES

BIKING

URBAN FARMERS

GALLERIES

AGRICULTURE

MEDICAL

MEMORIZING

AGRICULTURE

COMMUNITY FARM SCHOOL

URBAN FARMERS AGRICULTURE

WORKER’S HOUSING

DINING

TRADE ORGANIC FARM

MEMORIAL PARK FARM TO TABLE RESTAURANTS

FARMER’S MARKET

91

THE PROGRAM | DESIGN THINKING

WESTLAND ACRES OWN VERSION

Farmers Market Memorial park Farm School

Farm to

Restaurants & Produce

Union Baptist Church

We

Rockwood Valley Middle School

Therefore, there is not only an independent internal business cycle, but also an external business cycle that will not compete with Ferguson’s because they are far away from each other.

92

Lafayette High Sc

Ferguson

t

o table restaurant Worker’s housing

Restaurants & Produce

estland Acres organic farm Marquette High School

Restaurants & Produce

chool Restaurants & Produce

93

THE PROGRAM | DESIGN THINKING

PROGRAM INTEGRATION STRATEGY

FARM TO TABLE RESTAURANTS

MEMORIAL PARK

FARM SCHOOL

LEARNING

FARMIN The memorial park will be surrounding the new project forcing people to visit before they enter the site.

The farm to table restaurant can provide a gathering place for people in the surrounding communities.

94

Local schools can organize field trips to the farm school for the students to learn agriculture and farming knowledge.

ORGANIC FARM

WORKER’S HOUSING

FARMER’S MARKET

LIVING

NG

There will be an on site housing project for the workers working in the organic farm so they can save the commuting time as well as reducing carbon emission and spending more time with their families.

Fresh produce of the farm will be shipped to the farmer’s market directly for the local communities.

95

THE PROGRAM | DESIGN THINKING

PROGRAM INTEGRATION STRATEGY

FARMING Farm school Organic Farm

?

LEARNING

LIVING

Memorial Park Farm school

Worker’s Housing Organic Farm

THESE THREE MAJOR PARTS OF THE PROGRAM NEED TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY .

These three major part of the program need to serve the community. These functions must be combined with the reality of the local community to make sense. If a farm can operate healthily and sustainably. The biggest problem it needs to solve must come from the local community.

96

BLACK COMMUNITIES ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY FOOD-INSECURE. MORE OF THEM ARE FEELING THE IMPACT SINCE THE COVID PANDEMIC. During the pandemic, the food insecurity rate has been twice as high among black household compared to the rate among whites, according to the research from Northwestern University.

Black households Before Pandemic OVerall

With children

Hispanic households After Pandemic OVerall

White households With children

21%

25%

36%

41%

16%

17%

32%

36%

8%

10%

18%

24%

THE MAIN PROBLEM THAT LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES OF COLOR SUFFER FROM IS FOOD INSECURITY. Citizens from these communities normally have to travel well out of their neighborhoods to find organic produce, if they can even afford it. So that there’s a need for a self sustainable farm and control of power by the Westland acres community and also farming educational schools. These are directly related to their food sovereignty.

“Data source: “COVID-19 Has Plunged More People of Color into Food Insecurity.” The Counter, September 8, 2020. https://thecounter.org/covid-19-people-of-color-food-insecurity/.”

97

THE PROGRAM | DESIGN THINKING

LOW DENSE SUSTAINABLE ECOSYSTEM ESTABLISHING FOOD SOVEREIGNTY FARM ENERGY

ENERGY

ABSORB ATMOSPHERE TOXIN

FERTILIZER COMPOST

MEMORIAL PARK LIVESTOCK

PURIFIED GREY WATER FARM TO TABLE RESTAURANT

FARM SCHOOL

ORGANIC FARM

BIO WASTE MANURE

SUSTAINABLE HORIZONTAL URBAN FARMING IS SUITABLE FOR WESTLAND ACRES .

The whole ecosystem is farm centered. Livestock and human manure can be used as organic matter to produce biogas and fertilizer, which can be used as energy to feed back the whole system. So it’s a sustainable, organic and healthy system.

98

ENERGY

ENERGY

BIO GAS

FERTILIZER CO2

FARMER’S MARKET

PURIFIED GREY WATER GREENHOUSE

WORKER’S HOUSING

WORKER’S HOUSING

MANURE

MANURE

URBAN

99

THE PROGRAM | DESIGN THINKING

PRODUCTIVE SYSTEM SUSTAINING THE FARM FINANCIALLY

PROCESSES THAT CAN GENERATE REVENUE.

LOCAL MARKET

LOCAL RESTAURANTS

FARMER’S MARKET

FARM

HARVEST

SHIP

SHOP

FARM

HARVEST

SHIP

EAT

FARM

HARVEST

SHOP

FARM TO TABLE RESTAURANTS

LOCAL COMMUNITY FARM

HARVEST

FARM

LEARNING

FARM SCHOOL

100

EAT

EAT

FARMLAND

GREENHOUSE

FARM SCHOOL GARDEN

THE HEALTHY ECOLOGY ENVIRONMENT BRINGS SALES MARKET TO THE FARM. Farms, greenhouses, and gardens form an organic ecosystem that provides fresh food and vegetables for the surrounding communities, while generating income to maintain the organic farm. Harvesting and shipping can also drive the prosperity of surrounding businesses.

101

THE PROGRAM | DESIGN THINKING

DETAIL OF PROGRAM

ORGANIC FARM. Organic farms include many fields. Planting includes wheat, corn, flowers and vegetables. It also includes a variety of vegetable greenhouses to provide fresh vegetables throughout the year.

GREENHOUSE VEGGIE FIELD

102

FLOWER FIELD

CROPS FIELD

115 ACRES

9 ACRES

FRUIT FIELD CROPS FIELD

FARM SCHOOL GARDEN

PICNIC AREA

103

THE PROGRAM | DESIGN THINKING

DETAIL OF PROGRAM

115 ACRES

FARM TO TABLE RESTAURANT. Fresh vegetables, fruits and meat from the farm are supplied directly to the restaurant, allowing the community to enjoy healthy, fresh and organic food.

7000 sqft

KITCHEN

RESTAURANT

FARM SCHOOL.

115 ACRES

Schools can provide agricultural knowledge education for the community and agricultural skills for low-income people, so that they can improve their competitiveness in future employment. At the same time, it can receive the field trip of the surrounding primary and middle schools 70000 sqft

TEACHING ROOM

104

LAB

SEMINAR ROOM

115 ACRES

WORKER’S HOUSING. Housing for workers and their families can be divided into three types: one is a single dormitory, one is for family of three or four, and the last one is for the elderly or people with mobility difficulties.

46000 sqft

STUDIO

ONE BEDROOM

THREE BEDROOMS

FARMER’S MARKET.

115 ACRES

The farm sells fresh vegetables, meat and fruit in the market. Not only will there be food from local farms, but small businesses from nearby farms will come to the market to sell their products.

60000 sqft

105

106

[PRECEDENTS]

107

THE PRECEDENTS | DESIGN THINKING

MVRDV’S LANDSCAPED FOOD MARKET IN TAIWAN

COMBINING LANDSCAPEDFARM WITH MARKET. “The landscaped roof will be divided into terraces, each growing a different crop. Pineapples, rice, roses, and tea will be separated onto levels determined by the plant’s climatic requirements. Sheltered spots, benches, and picnic tables will be incorporated into the roof, offering a balance between agricultural productivity, and recreation.”

“Data source: Walsh, Niall Patrick. “Construction of MVRDV’s Landscaped Food Market Begins in Taiwan.” ArchDaily. ArchDaily, March 6, 2019. https:// www.archdaily.com/912704/construction-of-mvrdvs-landscaped-food-marketbegins-in-taiwan.”

“Photo source: Walsh, Niall Patrick. “Construction of MVRDV’s Landscaped Food Market Begins in Taiwan.” ArchDaily. ArchDaily, March 6, 2019. https://www.archdaily.com/912704/construction-of-mvrdvs-landscaped-food-mark

108

ket-begins-in-taiwan.”

109

THE PRECEDENTS | DESIGN THINKING

VERTICAL FARMING HYBRID TO HOUSE SINGAPORE’S AGING POPULATION

COMBINING ELDERLY HOUSING WITH URBAN FARMING. “In order to solve the problem of aging and food shortage in Asia, the architect put forward a concept scheme combining cheap retirement housing and vertical farms. This can not only make the elderly live well, but also put the food on the market to subsidize the operation cost of the community. And almost all the horizontal space in the community have been used to perform as organic farm.”

“Data source: Rosenfield, Karissa. “SPARK Proposes Vertical Farming Hybrid to House Singapore’s Aging Population.” ArchDaily. ArchDaily, December 1, 2014. https://www.archdaily.com/573783/spark-proposes-vertical-farming-hybridto-house-singapore-s-aging-population-2.”

“Photo source: Rosenfield, Karissa. “SPARK Proposes Vertical Farming Hybrid to House Singapore’s Aging Population.” ArchDaily. ArchDaily, December 1, 2014. https://www.archdaily.com/573783/spark-proposes-vertical-farming

110

g-hybrid-to-house-singapore-s-aging-population-2.”

111

THE PRECEDENTS | DESIGN THINKING

FOOD PARK IN DENMARK

COMBINING URBANITY WITH AGRICULTURE. “Over the next 30 years, the current AFP—which was opened in 2009 and spans 473000 square feet with nearly 1,000 employees—will expand by an additional 70 acres. Five focus areas have been identified to improve AFP through the new expansion: healthy materials, clean energy, increased biodiversity, healthy air, and clean water.”

“Data source: Santos, Sabrina. “Agro Food Park Expansion in Denmark to Combine Urbanity and Agriculture.” ArchDaily. ArchDaily, September 7, 2016. https://www.archdaily.com/794507/agro-food-park-expansion-in-denmark-tocombine-urbanity-and-agriculture.”

“Photo source: Santos, Sabrina. “Agro Food Park Expansion in Denmark to Combine Urbanity and Agriculture.” ArchDaily. ArchDaily, September 7, 2016. https://www.archdaily.com/794507/agro-food-park-expansion-in-denmar

112

rk-to-combine-urbanity-and-agriculture.”

113

THE PRECEDENTS | DESIGN THINKING

FOOTPRINTS COMPARISON

LANDSCAPED FOOD MARKET

114

VERTICAL FARMING HOUSING

AGRICULTURAL FOOD PARK

115

116

[POSSIBILITIES]

117

THE POSSIBILITIES | DESIGN THINKING

THE CIRCLE

SUSTAINABLE HORIZONTAL URBAN FARMING .

The project massing consists of two parts. The first part is a long bar shape, which consists of organic farm on the roof and the farmer market on the first floor. The other part is a circle, made up of restaurants, schools and worker housing. All the building is surrounded by the memorial park.

118

FARM SCHOOL FARM TO TABLE RESTAURANT ORGANIC FARM FARMER’S MARKET

MEMORIAL PARK

FOOD PROCESSING WORKER’S HOUSING

119

THE POSSIBILITIES | DESIGN THINKING

THE CURVE

SUSTAINABLE HORIZONTAL URBAN FARMING .

The massing of the project is formed by two curved belts crossing each other. The first floor is overhead and supported by the columns. The roofs on the second floor are all organic farms.

The rest of the building functions are arranged in the curved strip shape. Stacked on top of the strip is the pedestrian trails, where people can enjoy the farm and memorial park from above.

120

FARM SCHOOL FARM TO TABLE RESTAURANT ORGANIC FARM FARMER’S MARKET

MEMORIAL PARK

FOOD PROCESSING WORKER’S HOUSING

121

BIBLIOGRAPHY Anderlini, Jamil. “Xi’s Grandiose Urban Ambitions Hit the Wall.” Subscribe to read | Financial Times. Financial Times, April 26, 2017. https://www.ft.com/content/17fe0c30-2996-11e7-9ec8-168383da43b7.

Aerial photograph of the North American suburb. Darko Zeljkovic. https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/ aerial-photograph-north-american-suburb-59216365?id=59216365&src=id.

A smokestack emits smoke over Interstate 95 in Baltimore, Maryland, on December 17, 2019. Andrew Lichtenstein/ Corbis via Getty Images. https://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2020/8/12/21361498/climate-change-airpollution-us-india-china-deaths.

“Buildings.” Alliance to Save Energy, February 19, 2016. https://www.ase.org/initiatives/buildings.

Cambria N, Fehler P, Purnell JQ, Schmidt B. Segregation in St. Louis: Dismantling the Divide. St Louis, MO: Washington University in St. Louis. 2018.

“Community: EarthDance: Ferguson Missouri.” EarthDance. Accessed January 3, 2021. https://earthdancefarms.org/ community/.

Cooperman, Jeannette. “The Story of Segregation in St. Louis.” St. Louis Magazine, October 17, 2014. https://www. stlmag.com/news/the-color-line-race-in-st.-louis/.

“COVID-19 Has Plunged More People of Color into Food Insecurity.” The Counter, September 8, 2020. https://thecounter.org/covid-19-people-of-color-food-insecurity/.

Elias Sime. Currents 118. Photography. Congwei Cao. Saint Louis Art Museum.

Fair housing protest in Seattle, Washington, 1964. Photography. Jmabel. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/ File:Fair_housing_protest,_Seattle,_1964.gif.

Gordon, Colin. “Mapping Decline: St. Louis and the Fate of the American City.” Mapping Decline | Colin Gordon | The University of Iowa. Accessed January 3, 2021. http://mappingdecline.lib.uiowa.edu/map/.

Jean-Philippe Delberghe. Unsplash. Kinder Institute. https://kinder.rice.edu/urbanedge/2020/09/21/housing-costresidential-segregation-unfair-advantages-whites-and-unfair-punishment.

“MEET OUR VENDORS.” Ferguson Farmers Market. Accessed January 3, 2021. https://fergusonfarmersmarket.com/ our-vendors/.

Myers, Steven Lee, and Keith Bradsher. “Beijing Launches Another Demolition Drive, This Time in Its Bucolic Suburbs.”

The New York Times. The New York Times, August 7, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/07/world/asia/chinabeijing-crackdown-housing.html.

122

“National Institute of Food and Agriculture.” Organic Agriculture | National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Accessed January 3, 2021. https://nifa.usda.gov/topic/organic-agriculture.

Neighborhood near Salt Lake City. Rick Bowmer/AP. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-06-12/why-weneed-a-standard-definition-of-the-suburbs.

“Part I: The African-American Experience.” stlouis. Accessed January 2, 2021. https://www.stlouis-mo.gov/government/departments/planning/cultural-resources/preservation-plan/part-i-african-american-experience.cfm.

Rosenfield, Karissa. “SPARK Proposes Vertical Farming Hybrid to House Singapore’s Aging Population.” ArchDaily.

ArchDaily, December 1, 2014. https://www.archdaily.com/573783/spark-proposes-vertical-farming-hybrid-to-housesingapore-s-aging-population-2.

Suburbia on steroids. Cape Coral in Florida sports the sprawling ranch-style homes and spacious yards indicative of mid 20th-century American suburbia. Photograph: Planet. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/apr/19/whereworld-most-sprawling-city-los-angeles.

Suburban housing. Suburban Las Vegas, Nevada. iofoto/Shutterstock.com. https://www.britannica.com/topic/ urban-sprawl.

Santos, Sabrina. “Agro Food Park Expansion in Denmark to Combine Urbanity and Agriculture.” ArchDaily. ArchDaily, September 7, 2016. https://www.archdaily.com/794507/agro-food-park-expansion-in-denmark-to-combine-urbanity-and-agriculture.

Walsh, Niall Patrick. “Construction of MVRDV’s Landscaped Food Market Begins in Taiwan.” ArchDaily. ArchDaily, March 6, 2019. https://www.archdaily.com/912704/construction-of-mvrdvs-landscaped-food-market-begins-in-taiwan.

“Westland Acres.” Westland Acres | Wildwood, MO - Official Website. Accessed January 2, 2021. https://cityofwildwood.com/607/Westland-Acres. westland-acres.

“Westland Acres.” Who Raised You? Podcast. Accessed January 2, 2021. https://www.whoraisedyoupodcast.com/ westland-acres.

“What We Grow: EarthDance: Ferguson Missouri.” EarthDance. Accessed January 3, 2021. https://earthdancefarms. org/food/what-we-grow/. “‘Any Community Can Thrive If They Have the Resources.” Tiana Glass, Youth Educator at EarthDance: EarthDance: Ferguson Missouri.” EarthDance, June 3, 2020. https://earthdancefarms.org/blog/any-community-can-thrive-if-theyhave-the-resources-tiana-glass-youth-educator-at-earthdance/.

123

IMAGE CREDITS Bettmann. Berry performed under the Gateway Arch in St. Louis on May 11, 1986. Photography. Getty Images. https:// www.billboard.com/articles/news/magazine-feature/7735704/chuck-berry-hometown-st-louis-inspired-embittered.

Amy Davis. Atiya Wells, right, the director of Bliss Meadows community farm, last month with her children, Kori, 6, and Kai, 2, farm manager, John Walker, left, and her husband Kieron George. Photography. Baltimore Sun. https:// www.washingtonpost.com/local/at-an-urban-farm-in-baltimore-plans-for-activism-african-american-history-andmaybe-even-tiny-houses/2019/09/07/1aac3310-ce64-11e9-8c1c-7c8ee785b855_story.html.

VIA films. Aerial shot of flower farm, Carlsbad California. Photography. https://www.shutterstock.com/video/clip4587134-aerial-shot-flower-farm-carlsbad-california.

Chris Naffziger. Kinloch, Missouri. 2008. Photography. http://stlouispatina.com/kinloch-missouri/.

Allef Vinicius. Green grocer selling organic fresh agricultural product at farmer market. Photography. https://www. arkrepublic.com/2017/11/25/soiled-black-farmers-work-to-sustain-livelihood-and-land/.

Mitchell Nolte . Battle of St. Louis. Painting. THGC Publishing. https://revolutionarywar.us/year-1780/battle-st-louis/.

Village of Niles. People can grow produce for themselves or to donate at the Niles Community Garden. Photography. https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/niles/ct-nhs-community-garden-tl-0220-20200217-dd4blj2jmbd7dagrn5hbcm2qya-story.html.

Brandon Stengel. Alexandria Area High School / Cuningham Group Architecture. Photography. https://www.archdaily.com/615957/alexandria-area-high-school-cuningham-group-architecture?ad_medium=gallery.

Hertha Hurnaus. Exterior view of the building and the garden. Photography. https://miesarch.com/work/1640.

Cuningham. Flexible learning at alexandria area high school. Photography. https://www.cuningham.com/2015/10/12/ flexible-learning-alexandria-area-high-school/?lang=zh-hans.

CarolineAbkar. Farmer’s Table opens in Bay Park, San Diego. Photography. https://yoursandiegorealty.com/2018/10/18/ farmers-table-opens-bay-park.

Berkshire Hathaway. Dundee-memorial park. Photography. https://www.bhhsamb.com/areas/dundee-memorialpark-ne-real-estate.

Wikimedia Commons. Political map of the united States. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/kansas-nebraska-act.

Cuney-Hare, Maud, 1874-1936. Photograph of Madame Selika. Maud Cuney-Hare. Washington, D.C.: The Associated Publishers, Inc. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Maud_Cuney_Hare-222-Madame_Selika.jpg.

124

Photography courtesy of ferguson farmers’ market. A vendor chats with customers at the Ferguson Farmers’ Market. https://www.stlmag.com/dining/seven-farmers%E2%80%99-markets-to-visit-for-national-farmers%E2%80%99market-w/.

A typical river paddle steamer from the 1850s-the Ben Campbell is a painting by Celestial Images which was uploaded on February 24th, 2019. https://fineartamerica.com/featured/a-typical-river-paddle-steamer-from-the-1850sthe-ben-campbell-celestial-images.html.

Louise Lucas . Meat safe: Walmart is using blockchain to trace the origin of pork in China . Bloomberg. https://www. ft.com/content/225d32bc-4dfa-11e8-97e4-13afc22d86d4.

LWilson. The Ultimate List of Black Owned Farms and Food Gardens. http://floridablackfarmers.com/the-ultimatelist-of-black-owned-farms-and-food-gardens/.

Colliers. The Schnucks in Florissant’s Grandview Plaza shopping center. https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/ news/2020/03/15/schnucks-cuts-hours-to-clean-restock.html.

Mike Callicrate. National Farm-to-School Month: Highlighting Cutting-Edge Programs. 2017. https://nobull.mikecallicrate.com/2017/10/19/farm-to-school/.

Rev. brenda girton-mitchell. The Department of Education Center for Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships visits Ferguson, MO to meet with community leaders. https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/blog/2016/01/06/ferguson-missouri-community-and-schools-are-working-together.

Agostino Brunias. Free women of colour with their children and servants in a landscape, ca. 1770–96. Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn, New York. https://www.robilantvoena.com/exhibitions/225/works/artworks3112/.

Ross Cristantiello. Boston Public Market. https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/inno/stories/news/2018/08/01/bostonpublic-market-expands-to-logan-airport.html.

125