DAVID LIU
ADVISOR JEFFERY KRIEGER
URBAN AGRICULTURE
SUPPORTING CITIES THROUGH
AQUAPONICS
Aquaponics is an agricultural approach that will help narrow the diverging gap between an increasing population and decreasing food security. My project will serve as a sustainable food source for a dense urban population while expanding the knowledge of aquaponics to the community.
WORLD POPULATION(1)
With the global population on the rise and an increasing number of urban residents, there is a higher demand for food that is fresh, healthy, and local food in an urban environment. A sustainable approach is also necessary to combat the climate crisis and utilize limited surface area effectively. Cultivating plants and fish in an enclosed environment will reduce the use of pesticides, manage global fish population, and control pathogens. The knowledge and information of aquaponics is still growing where a large number of people are unaware of its existence and positive benefits. A facility that not only performs as a place for aquaponics but also as a place for both education and supplies will increase its awareness to benefit urban environments.
CROPLAND PER PERSON(2)
(1) https://ourworldindata.org/future-population-growth#global-population-growth (2) https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/agricultural-area-per-capita
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE(3)
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS LAND USE
FRESHWATER WITHDRAWALS
EUTROPHICATION MAMMAL BIODIVERSITY
(3) https://ourworldindata.org/environmental-impacts-of-food?insight=food-plays-a-largerole-in-many-environmental-impacts#key-insights-on-the-environmental-impacts-of-food
The current conditions is a desolate land that includes remnants of industrial buildings from decades ago that once filled the site. A portion of the road is still used to connect Bartram’s mile trail along the Schuylkill river.
PHILADELPHIA
KINGSESSING NEIGHBORHOOD
KINGSESSING
SITE
RIVER
SCHUYLKILL
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGIN ISLANDS AQUAPONIC SYSTEM(4)
LAND AREA
• 0.125 acres / 5,445SF SYSTEM WATER VOLUME
• 29,000 gallons
• LEAF LETTUCE - 1,404 cases
• 24 - 30 heads/case
• 33,696 heads - 52,120 heads total
• BASIL - 5 metric tons
• OKRA - 2.9 metric tons
FISH (TILAPIA)
• NILE - 4.16 metric tons
• RED - 4.78 metric tons
The University of the Virgin Islands had developed an aquaponics system with a 2:1:5 feeding ratio for fish tanks/filter/plant containers. This ratio intensifies production on a small land while reducing water usage. Their system uses horizontal growing beds that can be condensed into a smaller area by hydroponic racks used within a controlled environment. (4) https://www.uvi.edu/research/agricultural-experiment-station/aquaculture-home/aquaponic-systems/application.html
INPUT
SEEDLING
WATER WITH NITRATE
AERATE WATER
PROCESS OUTPUT
FISH FEED
WATER
HYDROPONIC
PLANTS CONSUMES NITRATE
REUSE
AERATE WATER BACTERIA TURNS AMMONIA INTO NITRATE
FILTER
WATER WITH AMMONIA
SMALL FISH
AQUACULTURE
CONTAINS EXCESS FISH FOOD AND FISH DROPPINGS
CROPS
FISH
TEST FIT PRELIMINARY DESIGN REVIEW
2ND FLOOR FACADE SECTION
1ST FLOOR
PEDESTRIAN VEHICULAR RAILROAD
PRELIMINARY DESIGN REVIEW
SUSTAINABILITY METHODS
CAPTURE RAINWATER & SOLAR PANELS
CAPTURE RAINWATER
CAPTURE RAINWATER & SOLAR PANELS
INCREASE THERMAL MASS
CAPTURE RAINWATER
ORIENTATION
PHOTOVOLTAIC GLASS
MINIMIZE INCREASEENVELOPE THERMAL MASS
PHOTOVOLTAIC GLASS
ORIENTATION
MINIMIZE ENVELOPE
AQUAPONICS
ROOF DETAIL
OBSERVATION DECK
PROCESSING AREA
SECOND FLOOR CONNECTIONS ROOF CONNECTIONS
WALL DETAILS TECHNICAL REVIEW
High insulation is necessary to create an isolated environment in order to control all inputs of the growth and development of both hydroponic and aquaculture systems. An extra layer of insulation beyond their immediate enclosure helps create this higher degree of control as the systems change. The wall assembly uses insulated concrete form to provide a high r-value while creating a durable space for industrial equipment between the exterior, interior, and aquaponics systems.
SUSTAINABILITY METHODS
HYDROPONICS
HYDROPONICS
AQUACULTURE
PV PANELS PHOTOVOLTAIC GLASS
HYDROPONICS
2ND FLOOR
AQUACULTURE AQUACULTURE
1ST FLOOR
ELEVATIONS
EAST ELEVATION WEST ELEVATION
AQUAPONICS INTERIOR
Plants are grown using a nutrient film technique hydroponic method arranged in racks to maximize space. This method has sloped racks for water to flow under each tray of plants for roots to absorb nutrients which then flow out to the filters. The purple light is a combination of red and blue lights containing high photon efficiency beneficial for the plant growth.
Multiple aquaponic tanks are used to rear fish for the market. Fish growth is staggered at different areas of the building to create a steady supply for the market. Employees tasks include record keeping, maintaining water quality, feeding, cleaning, and fish handling.
FEEDBACK / OBSERVATIONS /
The community portion of my project is underdeveloped.
At the beginning of the year, I had a smaller site to work in and expected a single community greenhouse. It quickly expanded to the current scale with multiple greenhouses and eventually a separated education/store building and farmers market by the end of winter term for the technical review. After the technical review, I was advised to move away from the greenhouses and focus on the aquaponics building and turn it into something great, ultimately leaving the community area how it currently stands.
The scale and amount of greenhouses seem large.
At the end of Fall term, the community greenhouse was a single structure based on the Sankofa Community Farm at Bartram’s Garden. This was then distributed across the site at the winter term with varying sizes instead to replicate the scale of each greenhouse form in their actual capacity such as A-Frame greenhouses being smaller for private use and Ridge & Furrow greenhouses being large for industrial use. These larger ones would be shared by multiple community members. The increased area is to expect more users to use the space compared to the community garden at Bartram’s Garden.
The community greenhouses use sunlight for their growth while the hydroponic in the private area is completely covered. A method to expose the hydroponic floor to benefit them in a similar way.
The idea of the hydroponic floor is to be isolated and sealed away from the exterior to create a completely controlled environment. Allowing sunlight in will alter the expected outcome of the plants as the amount of light varies through the year as well as the different properties of sunlight compared to the purple light. The arrangement of the racks stacking on top of each other also creates an issue as the structure supporting the LED lights shade the plants below. However, there are other hydroponic systems that can allow for evenly distributed sunlight such as a vertical conveyor system.
The areas that do allow daylight were sacrifices I chose to make in order to have these areas exposed to the public. Strategies were used to minimize the amount of light such as allowing ambient light but preventing direct sunlight through shading and orientation of the openings.
The limited accessibility for the public to obtain hydroponic equipment. These are seen in large industrial buildings such as the hydroponic floor in the private building.
Hydroponic gardening has become more accessible to the public over the years as technology and research advances. The larger and complex systems used for industrial buildings have a greater upfront cost and maintenance which won’t be sold in the public store. The intention isn’t for the public to purchase these larger equipment but instead have access to the simpler ones either by purchasing or renting them out. Anyone can install a system at the site or at home with access to equipment and knowledge. An example of a small farm is The Sustainable Farm by Custom Cuisine in Reading Terminal Market which has a hydroponic system setup inside to sell accessible fresh food as well as mini hydroponic kits.