Agrotechture Strategies for Urban Agriculture in Mexico City metropolitan area

Agrotechture Strategies for urban agriculture in Mexico City metropolitan area

Juan Manuel Name Guzzy University of Liechtenstein WS2021-2022

“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” (de Saint-Exupéry, 1943)

For the love of my grandmother...

For the love of my mother...

For the love of Gaia, our planet...

Design by Juan Manuel Name Guzzy, printed by Wolf Druck AG, Vaduz, Liechtenstein. 20.01.2022 The terms used in this document data that appear in it do not imply any position on the part of the University of Liechtenstein.

The ideas and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author; they are not necessarily those of the University of Liechtenstein and the corresponding tutors and do not commit the owners.

This document was conceived, developed, and coordinated in its entirety by Juan Manuel Name Guzzy.

This work would not be possible without the support provided by the tutorship of Prof. Arch ETH/SIA Dietrich Schwarz, Dipl. Ing. Robert Mair and MSc Arch David Franciscus Kloeg As well as the Department of Architecture of the University of Liechtenstein.

The data contained in this document are part of IAMgreen’s research, and all data from IAMgreen should not be reproduced without the company consent.

Special thanks to Gabriela Guzzy Arredondo, Víctor Manuel Wido Garcia, Mauricio Wido Garcia, Manuel Galindo, Bruno Chávez, Sergio Rodriguez Elizarrarás, Fernando Barragán, and all those who have been interested in the project and have been key players in its conception throughout its development.

“Architecture is the reaching out for the truth.”

Louis I. Kahn

Agrotechture Strategies for urban agriculture in Mexico City metropolitan area

Juan Manuel Name Guzzy FS190323 Master’s Thesis to obtain the degree “Master of Science in Architecture” Univeristy of Liechtenstein Institute of Architecture and Planning Fürst-Franz-Josef-Strasse. 9490 Vaduz Liechtenstein Prof. Arch ETH/SIA Dietrich Schwarz Dipl. Ing. Robert Mair MSc Arch David Franciscus Kloeg Term of work: WS 2021-2022 Date of submission: 20.01.2022

Acknowledgment To my dear family, friends, tutors and copartners I dedicate these academic efforts to my Mother, Father, and brothers, who have always supported, accompanied, loved, and educated me.

My friends always encouraged and supported me, sharing happy and challenging moments; they constantly remind me how simple and wonderful life can be when you have the luck to share it with a friend. This work is dedicated to them.

To my tutors that dedicated time to education, giving me the opportunities that I have worked for to reach this point in my life, to the Catedra Integral of the Universidad Iberoamericana that gave me the possibility to come to the University of Liechtenstein to continue my studies.

To my copartners of IAMgreen who have inspired me to be disruptive in the complexity of times we live, finding opportunity in the global and climate challenges we face.

But especially to my dear Aunt and Uncle who passed away within this last year, Teresa Guzzy Arredondo and Juan Guzzy Arredondo; biologists and botanical scientists by passion and vocation who always inspired in me the love and respect for nature. May they rest in peace.

Abstract

An architecture proposition seeking to integrate agriculture within the urban built environment providing answers to our finite planet’s challenges.

There is an increasing demand for urgent planning and action in urban and natural areas. A pressing agenda regarding our supply of resources, On August 22, 2020, it was declared that we as humanity had consumed the planetary resources that can regenerate in one year, in addition to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a catalyst that shook the entire human panorama.

An architecture proposal that blends agriculture within the urban environment as a response to the challenges of our finite planet.

We are experiencing the highest population growth and the most significant shift from rural to urban in our history. Currently, 54% of the world’s population lives in urban areas. This trend is expected to grow and is estimated to reach 68% by 2050.

In Mexico, changes are more radical; in 1950, 47% of the population lived in urban areas; by 2050, that number will rise to 90% of the population living in cities. According to population growth estimates, Mexico will have 150 million inhabitants by 2050.

On top of the COVID-19 outbreak, the growing economic, social, and political crisis in Mexico’s main metropolitan area triggered a significant change that led to office space vacancy.

How could Mexico’s metropolitan areas buffer this population growth, finding opportunity in the vacant built space and mitigating its demand for resources such as food, water, and job security while also considering their inhabitants’ quality of life and welfare?

This thesis seeks to find possibilities and strategies for an architectural intervention, replying to conditions and analyzing possibilities that valorize the constructed environment of the city as a resource to be gathered.

Table of contents i

Introduction Architecture, Agriculture and our built envrioment A new definition of prosperity System at risk The growing population of Mexico City and the disappearance of its lakes.

A

Urban Agriculture

B

Site parameters

C

Chinampa Vertical

D

Epilog

Why Urban Agriculture HPA (High-pressure aeroponics) & IAMgreen startup company Growth Cycle

The oversupply of office space Insurgentes #300 Site analysis Reusing the structure

The Atom, the Cell, the Tissue, and the Organism Indoor shelf system “The atom.”

IAMgreen pyramid “The atom.”

Insurgentes 300 “The cell.

Assemblable architecture Solar analysis Regional Strategy “The Tissue/organ.”

Energy, food, shelter, and water.

Definitions Models List of References List of figures Affidavit

13 16 18 22

29 30 34

37 40 42 48

51 52 58 64 68 80 92

97 99 100 102 104 107

Figure 1 (by Author, 2022) Concept of the Vertical Chinampa Water color

Manifiesto Architecture must seek the joy of living.

Among the diverse environmental, social, political, and economic challenges of the 21st century, architecture can react by promoting synergies within its environment, blurring the boundary between landscape and human craft.

From its conception and early stages of design, it should not only respond to its beauty, firmness, and use but become a mechanism that allows the capture and regeneration of the landscape in which it arises.

The built environment should be employed as an agent that can be rescued and transformed, responding to the new needs of society that can be reconciled by closing cycles between human beings and the planet we inhabit.

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Introduction

i

“We need acts of restoration, not only for polluted waters and degraded lands, but also for our relationship to the world. We need to restore honor to the way we live, so that when we walk through the world, we don’t have to avert our eyes with shame, so that we can hold our heads up high and receive the respectful acknowledgment of the rest of the earth’s beings.” (Kimmerer, 2013) Figure 2 (by Author, 2022) My mother working our Microgreen production shelf system.

Architecture, Agriculture and our built envrioment What function may architecture play in the fields of agriculture and the construction of our built environment?

When it comes to rephrasing the learning process during the preliminary studies phase, the foreword lends credence to the framework. It gets right to the heart of the matter by tracing the procedures that led to the development of the logic of the project’s intervention.

The harvesting of food and resources throughout the year is made possible with technology in vacant or residual area. The occupants of an intervention’s buffer zone benefit from cyclical production in the intervention (s).

The urban cores of cities are growing at an alarming rate. Food, waste, and natural resources are only a few of the physical dependencies that must be examined to accommodate the growing metropolitan population. Because of the city’s resource deficit, this thesis explores and seeks to adapt existing territories that are not part of the city’s government services to ease the situation.

Food produced in rural areas, on the other hand, can be integrated into the architecture program, which aims to reduce its distribution and production in the peripheries to reduce the carbon footprint of the processes involved, to meet three of the four basic human needs: shelter, water, and energy.

Food, shelter, power, and clean water are essential for the world’s current population. To cope with the growing population, our cities must develop systems that can adapt to the built environment, while also recognizing and strengthening their ability to promote social well-being, self-sufficiency, and community resilience.

Due to the enormous quantity of external resources required, such as fossil fuels and pesticides, as well as the shift in natural ecosystems required for industrial land to be used for production, this technique is only viable for the short term. However, contrary to popular belief, urban agriculture has numerous benefits, including increased tourism and lower food costs. Other

13

benefits include a return to seasonality and the natural cycles of life, improved air quality, a stronger sense of place, increased employment opportunities, and a more cohesive community.

Agricultural production methods used nowadays are dominated by industrial production systems. Some environmental and social problems may have been masked by farming practices, which is one of the key sources of worry in the agricultural industry. To understand how this happened, it is necessary to go back in time and examine the development of agriculture and its consequent impact on the environment.

Farmers began applying compost to their land as a technique of reducing soil erosion in the 18th century. Non-organic fertilizers are being created because of the growing usage of chemical fertilizers in agricultural production. In 1908, a chemist by the name of Fritz Haber came up with the concept of using ammonia as a fertilizer because of military experiments. defined formalized (Petrini, 2007). Carl Bosch, a second scientist, developed the technology even further, bringing it into the realm of industrial production. The Bosch-Haber method was the name given to the procedure in question. As a result of the use of these pesticides, traditional farmland was devastated, clearing the way for industrial agriculture to take its place in the agricultural landscape.

The manufacturing of genetically altered and chemical items, as well as the transportation of those products over long distances, has become a major industry.

Local produce is sought for in the ambit of this work, which can be explained by an ironic water cycle such as that of Mexico City’s metropolitan environment. the preservation of a shortage in spite of its geographical location Lakes form naturally in an endorheic basin, when rivers and rain combine to form a single stream.

What actions can architects take to help reduce the amount of waste produced outside of the built environment? Dickson D. Despommier, a doctor

who advocates for vertical agriculture as a viable alternative to the agroindustrial complex in the hinterland, could have provided as a starting point for an investigation. (D. Despommier, 2011).

Urban agriculture, with the assistance of cutting-edge technology, has the potential to produce food in a sustainable manner.

The utilization of organic waste for composting may aid in the development of the hinterlands by lowering the demand for fossil fuels and preventing pesticide poisoning of water supplies, all while reducing the amount of garbage that is dumped in landfills.

Considering the coming years and in conjunction with the UNESCO Sustainable Development Goals, this work investigates architectural alternatives for a metropolitan region like Mexico City and its environs that is heavily reliant on resources gathered from the hinterlands, as well as for other urban areas around the world.

Figure 3 Knickerbocker. (2009). concept of the urban vertical farm, which recycles water and grows crops using hydroponics.

The New york times.

15

A new definition of prosperity Can we prosper without economic growth on a finite planet?

The project’s design incorporates hypothetical scenarios of prosperity and welfare development that are not quantifiable in terms of gross national product and are manifested in an urban zone inside the Metropolitan Zone of the Valley of Mexico.

Finding common ground to solve this issue using UNESCO’s sustainable development objectives as a framework was the beginning point, as did mending the limits of our limited planet based on Stockholm Resilience Center research.

Prosperity is a term that refers to a condition of affluence, thriving, or growth when things are going well. Every day, the system in which we live convinces us – via the news, politicians’ speeches, company announcements, and other means of persuading us to spend – that our prosperity is contingent on the growth of the gross national product (GDP) and/or the stock market.

These two fundamental models are used by the majority of nations to assess the nature of their economic system and its relationship to prosperity. When the economy expands, more jobs are produced; when the economy shrinks, employment opportunities diminish. The GDP calculation, on the other hand, does not completely account for the environmental degradation induced by economic expansion. Societies founded on capitalism permit excessive use of scarce natural resources such as oil. Implementing different growthpromoting measures, such as deregulation for sustainability, has led in an increase in the degradation of essential resources, putting air and water quality at danger. The great task of the twenty-first century will be to balance capitalism’s imperative with all efforts to avert climatic disaster. Tim Jackson asserts that the Earth is losing biodiversity and valuable resources as a result of product innovation, worker productivity, and other cornerstones of contemporary capitalism. (Jackson, 2009)

Because economic progress and prosperity are not synonymous, we must make a division between them in order to solve the rising problems confronting mankind. We must acknowledge that global warming is comparable to a variety of other issues that may not get the same amount of attention or publicity. Additionally, the Stockholm Resilience Center classifies these additional problems as “the nine planetary limits,” which evaluate how the environment and humanity’s relationship have changed since 1950.

According to this study, it is regrettable that the environment has changed significantly over the previous 70 years, with the Biosphere Integrity, Landsystem change, and biogeochemical processes posing the greatest danger outside the zone of uncertainty. (Stockholm Resilience Centre, 2015) Food production is linked to these high-risk zones because it contributes to land-system change by clearing forests to make way for meadows and monoculture crops. This transformation has a direct impact on the biosphere’s integrity, since agroindustry employs chemicals to produce food, altering the biogeochemical fluxes of phosphorus and nitrogen.

All USDG members are immediately affected by the desire to use food production as an axis and instrument of change. The Sustainable Development Goals serve as a rallying call for all nations, wealthy and impoverished alike, to collaborate in order to attain prosperity while protecting the environment. They recognize that poverty eradication involves strategies that foster economic development and address a range of social needs, including education, health, social protection, and employment opportunities, all while combatting climate change and conserving the environment.

The objectives are critical now more than ever in terms of establishing a framework for COVID-19 rehabilitation. (UNESCO, 2015) After all, it is all about food. Isn’t it?

17

System at risk

The devastation devastation of traditional agriculture practices The traditional agriculture manufacturing processes are in danger.

Unsustainable farming practices, social and economic pressures, and the effects of climate change could make it more difficult for farmers to find land and water to grow crops. This could make it increasingly challenging for farm owners to meet current and future needs. (FAO, n.d.)

• Land: About 51 million sq. km of land is used for farming on Earth. Around 33 percent of the land is used for farming, and the remaining 66 percent is used for grazing livestock in fields and fields of grass. (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, n.d.)

This is according to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. The FAO says that the number of crops grown on the same land each year will account for about 80% of the food production gains needed in developing countries to keep up with population growth. It is thought that developing agricultural land will only produce 20% more food. (World Health Organization, 2018).

Between 1961 and 2016, the world’s population grew by more than twice as much as the number of food people ate. In addition, the demand for land, which is a limited resource, has gone through the roof. Between 1961 and 2016, the world’s cropland per person went down from 0.45 hectares in 1961 to 0.21 hectares in 2016.

• Water: There are significant differences in how much water is used for drinking and the amount of water needed to produce our food, so we need to manage how much water we use. We could live each day with just a few liters of water. However, the difference in how many liters it takes to make one kilogram of beef is pretty prominent. The ratio is 1 kilogram for every 15 thousand liters of water.

Our biosphere keeps holding more people’s lives and that need to feed with more water hungry foods that need a large quantity of water. These measures are needed to change how we use freshwater in agriculture to get

the most out of limited water resources. (Water|FAO| food, and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 2022) For most parts of the world, farming uses upwards of 70% of the freshwater available. Fifty percent more food would have to be grown, and 15 percent more water would have to be taken out by 2050 to feed the world’s 9 billion people. (FAO, n.d.-b) • Agrochemicals and pesticides: The widespread usage of fertilizers and pesticides has culminated in 70 percent of the globe’s available freshwater for drinking. Over the years, phosphorus usage as a fertilizer has bolstered worldwide food security. However, since phosphate stones are non-renewable, predictions indicate humanity will run out of phosphorus in 54 years, triggering a worldwide phosphorus catastrophe.

Around the globe, one in every ten people becomes sick after eating contaminated food. Pesticide usage has increased dramatically globally during the last sixty years, with around 2,300,000 tons of industrial pesticides being used yearly. This phenomenon has increased agricultural yields and provided more protected and predictable food supplies. Numerous low and middle GDP or budget nations have yielded acceptable quantities of food to maintain a sizable agricultural export sector and feed their people well. (World Health Organization, n.d.)

Such accomplishments have resulted in an ongoing demand for the use of insecticides. However, widespread use of these agrochemicals has detrimental effects on human health, drains agriculture’s natural resource base, and compromises future production. The United Nations, Food and Agriculture Organization established “Save and Grow” in 2011 to decline pesticide usage via a sustainable ecosystem procedure. (Polluted, n.d.)

19

20% of new food production is expected to come from expansion of farming land.

Created by Vectors Point from the Noun Project

+12.75 Million km2

70% of freshwater is used for agriculture

+

Created by nailil jamila from the Noun Project

Created by Kris Brauer from the Noun Project

+54 years of phosphorus reserves

by 2050 a 15% increase of water withdrawls

= almost 2x times surface in square kilometers of the amazon area 6.7 Million km²

x2

Problematics:

• Floods, droughts, pests, and forest fires are all impacted by the environmental change.

• Population growth: exponential over the next 30 years, from 7.7 billion now to 9.7 billion in 2050.

• FoodWaste: Each year, 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted, enough to feed two billion people; methane emissions account for 25% of water usage and are one of the primary sources of water body pollution.

• Devastation of the environment caused by agricultural induction: CO2 emissions, deforestation, poisoning of aquifers, acidification of the seas, soil erosion, and loss of biodiversity, to name a few...

Figure 4 (by Author, 2022) with symbols from the noun project

21 Figure 5 (Top) (FAO, 2020) Figure 6 (Middle) (FAO, n.d.)

Figure 7 (Bottom) (Gunstone y Nathan Donley, 2021)

The growing population of Mexico City and the disappearance of its lakes.

Mexico City expanded substantially after the Spanish colony, undergoing more severe transformations than other growing cities.

The geographical expansion of urban sprawl enables us to conclude that the vast Megalopolis in the heart of Mexico continues to expand at a constant rate. It has increased by 170 percent during the previous 16 years.

The vast Megalopolis that runs through the heart of our nation – with Mexico City as its structural hub – is one of the greatest urban concentrations in Latin America and the globe.

Between the 1930s and 1980s, the Metropolitan Zone of the Valley of Mexico served as a catalyst for industry and capitalist growth, technical and cultural modernisation, and as a showcase for avant-garde architecture and urban planning.

Mexico is beginning to predict a mostly urban population, with rural areas anticipated to account for just 10% of the population by 2050. By 1950, urbanization accounted for 47% of the population; by 2050, it will account for 90%.

Mexico’s population is expected to reach 150 million by 2050, with 135 million living in cities. The following map illustrates how the city’s footprint has encroached on the lakes, and how it has not abated.

Human activities have had a detrimental effect on the population’s quality of life, natural ecosystems, and biodiversity in a number of regions. Demand for food and energy, as well as water supply to the population and productive activities, has grown, placing a pressure on the quality of natural reservoirs.

23 Figure 8 Map (by Author, 2022) with INEGI data (Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía)

Fall of Tenochtitlan 1521

Vice-royal era 1521 - 1810

Increased demand for products and services has resulted in an increase in wastewater output, which is being dumped untreated into surface water bodies, particularly in developing nations. Numerous freshwater and marine habitats are polluted, impairing their ability to provide environmental services and biodiversity. Simultaneously, contaminated surface and subsurface water sources reduce liquid availability, necessitating costly treatment and purification methods.

A conflicting position in a city located in an aquifer-rich basin has contributed to the perception that the city, the valley, and the whole basin of Mexico are completely dry regions. Once upon a time, rivers and lakes existed.

This viewpoint has been bolstered by its history of lake drying, an infinite string of blunders, and disastrous environmental policies that have contributed to the extinction of its population.

Water management is one of the most urgent environmental concerns facing the planet today.

In the case of Mexico City, the transformations are dramatic. From the Spanish colony to the modern era, the timeline at the top emphasizes the most dramatic changes; Mexico City lost its water-based culture. The following map illustrates the disappearance and reappearance of lakes.

Five hundred years of history have seen the residents of the water lose their culture as a result of decisions made by the Spanish monarchs and the deception and ignorance of the ancient Mexicas who ruled the hydraulic topic of the now metropolitan zone’s basin.

Period of independence 1810 - 1821

Period of the Porfiriato 1876 - 1911

Modern Mexico and Present Time 1876 - 2021

25 Figure 9 Map(by Author, 2022) with INEGI data (Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía)

Hernán Córtes arrival in Tenochtitlan

27 Figure 10 (Amado, 2019) Arrival of Hernán Cortés to Tenochtitlán Hernán. Amazon Prime Video.

Urban Agriculture

A

“So, over the next 40 years you might have three more billion people to feed. And you look around for the land where that´s going to come from in terms of traditional farms and you don’t find it. It isn’t there.”

(Despommier, 2011)

Figure 11 (Wido, 2018) IAMGreen pyramids

Why Urban Agriculture Food Technology Development Startup To ensure our food security, the nutritional worth of our food, and to close the loops of our food consumption behaviors.

Urban agriculture increases community access to nutritious, inexpensive, fresh produce and provides locals with educational opportunities on nutrition and food production. It educates the community about food’s origins, how it is farmed, and how to connect with those who grow it.

• Why: Food security refers to the availability of sufficient sustainable food; this is a major problem for a large number of households globally. Urban agriculture, on the other hand, is a feasible answer to this problem. Producing food locally and producing vegetables and herbs on leftover or unoccupied municipal space is one option for urban dwellers to supplement their income.

Indeed, urban farmers may trade their crop while maintaining sufficient productivity for self-sufficiency.

• How: Urban agriculture is a means for making locally grown food available in urban settings. Whereas this may have seemed unattainable in the past, owing to advancements in technology, it now appears to be a viable option.

They also serve as a reminder to individuals of the many qualities of food that have been lost as a result of our contemporary lifestyle. Seasonal and regional food availability, as well as critical lessons, assist urban consumers in making better educated consumption decisions.

• What: Locally produced fresh food may be sold directly from the producer to the customer, avoiding the need of fossil fuels. To construct a community-based urban agricultural infrastructure, local mechanisms for growing, processing, and delivering food from farmer to consumer must be established.

29

HPA (High-pressure aeroponics) & IAMgreen startup company This study incorporates a prototype developed by an established, awardwinning startup firm in Mexico called IAMgreen. IAMgreen creates technology for high-pressure aeroponics vegetable production methods that target urban farming and technology. (Iamgreen, 2017) In collaboration with Mauricio Wido Garcia, a BA in Finance from Universidad Panamericana and a Specialist in Stock Market Analysis from the Institute of Stock Market Studies in Madrid, Spain, and Victor Manuel Wido Garcia, a BA in Economics from Universidad Autonoma de Mexico, who has four years of experience working on agriculture issues and high-tech urban farming.

All antecedents cited in this work that pertain to Iamgreen prototypes and technologies are protected by Iamgreen intellectual property and may not be replicated or used without Iamgreen’s consent.

Aeroponics at High Pressure Disperses nutritional solution into minute and floatable droplets. Maximum oxygen exposure and nutrient efficiency result in increased yields and quicker development. (Bifarm, 2021) Aeroponic growth methods hang the roots in the air, allowing them to absorb more oxygen than soil or hydroponic growing methods. Increased oxygen exposure to roots promotes root development, which results in increased plant growth. Growers are often attracted to this abbreviated growth cycle because it allows them to increase their turnover rates and the total number of plants they may cultivate each year. This development cycle will reduce the time required to produce the same amount of fruits and vegetables, resulting in long-term cost savings. The high-pressure aeroponics technology has been demonstrated to triple the time required for crops to develop.

High-pressure aeroponics systems deliver nutrients to the roots via atomized fluids. By using this unique nutrition delivery system, nutrients are more quickly absorbed and root strength is increased. Additionally, in comparison to hydroponics, which requires constant supply of water and nutrients, timed

spray intervals preserve water and nutrients (up to 80 percent ).

Aeroponic growing’s key benefit is that it integrates all of the advantages of indoor growing: improved temperature, light, and space management. As urban farming gains traction, it may become a popular choice for farmers interested in growing foods in areas with inhospitable growing conditions.

Aerated Roots, roots hanging in the air are exposed to more oxygen, which promotes root growth and so helps plants to grow more quickly.

Fine Mists Sprayed on Roots The nozzles are a cutting-edge means of delivering water and nutrients. When solution droplets reach a specific size, roots absorb nutrients more effectively, contributing to the rapid growth observed in aeroponics.

Consistent Pressure.

The integrated pressure regulator, which is equipped with an air tank and sensors, maintains a constant misting power and provides consistent nutrition delivery.

Figure 12 (Bifarm, 2021) Aerated Roots Figure 13 (Bifarm, 2021) Roots Sprayed by Fine Mists

31

HPA (High pressure Aeroponics) vs Traditional farming

33 Figure 14 (by Author, 2022)

Growth Cycle HPA (High Pressure Aeroponics) The pump transformer takes 120 volts alternating current from the wall and transforms it to a direct current, commonly 24 volts. Off the grid, individuals use batteries to operate the solenoids and a manual pump to pressurize the accumulator tanks.

The pressure switch regulates the power provided to the diaphragm water pump; the switch permits the pump to be activated and the system pressurized.

Begin with a reservoir of nutrient water; the pump will absorb and pressurize the nutrients before transferring them to an accumulator tank.

The Accumulator tank is vital to the system’s functionality. It saves the pump’s passive energy and ensures that the solenoid has a continual supply of nutrients prior reaching the misters.

A bladder requiring air within the tank is on the lookout for a tire valve. With the pressure switch in the off position, fill to a pressure of 3 psi. It is typically between 80 and 100 psi, which means the tank bladder’s air pressure must be 77 psi.

Because air compresses, the bladder contracts when the liquid tank is filled by the pump. The pump automatically shuts off when the necessary pressure is attained. The bladder is straining to release the liquid now that it has been squeezed. After removing an adequate amount of liquid and lowering the pressure sufficiently, the pump is engaged and the procedure is repeated.

The whole pressurized liquid is prevented from spraying continually via the misters by an electronic solenoid. Furthermore, this solenoid is connected to a recycling timer. By opening and shutting the solenoid, this timer permits pressurized fluids to reach the misters and root chamber.

Either recycle the extra nutrients or let them to drain to waste.

35 Figure 15 (Top) (by Wido, 2018) Figure 16 (Bottom left) (Wido, 2018) IAMGreen pyramids Figure 17 (Bottom Right) (Wido, 2018) IAMGreen pyramids

Site parameters

B

“For us, the existing is the building material of today” (Lacaton, 2019)

Figure 18 (Edificio Canada, n.d.)

The oversupply of office space The Vacancy According to Solili’s latest National Office Real Estate Report, during the first quarter of 2021 (1Q2021), the oversupply that characterized the corporate market in 2020 was accentuated, especially in Mexico City Monterrey, Querétaro, and Puebla. (Solili, 2020) The vacancy rate in the Mexican capital exceeded 2.3 million square meters (sqm), representing an increase of 1.6 percentage points concerning 1Q2020.

Half of the availability is concentrated in the North, Insurgentes, and Santa Fe corridors, where each of them has more than 380,000 sqm of vacant office space. There are 4 million square meters of vacant space (between construction and vacant offices) within the Mexico City metropolitan area.

Urban agriculture can benefit from having an area in the space equivalent to 800 professional football fields, which can be used for various purposes.

Sophisticated interventions in the transformation process can be accomplished by constructing scaffolding from existing office space. Office space dividers are typically made of lightweight materials that can be easily removed, which is another advantage of renting office space.

For example, in the case of Insurgentes #300, the object study of this Thesis, A building of brutalist dimensions built according to the concepts of the international style of architecture, was investigated for the possibility of being vacant and partially abandoned. It was conceived initially as an office building.

It merged for a mere few people’s houses; since the building started to be hard to maintain, people started to abandon their offices and houses inside the building.

37

Site finding parametters

Due to: Economic Crisis COVID19 Home office phenomenon

Infraestructure Places to implement Urban faming in Mexico City

Urban Equipment

Multi-familiar

Private Space

Office

Public Space

Commercial/retail

Over supply of 2,400,000 m2 and +1,600,000 m2 being built = 4,000,000 m2

Green Areas Protected Areas

Equal to the surface of x800 football fields

Potential of use

Conditions for responding

Subutilized

Show case example of how to intervine

Insurgentes 300

partially abandoned

39 Figure 19 (by Author, 2022)

Insurgentes #300 The actual state

1958 Opened, it was one of the first high-rise condominiums in Mexico, with an elevator bank and a heliport.

1985 An earthquake shook Mexico City and destroyed several buildings, although Insurgentes #300 remained standing; however, its splendor and majesty also meant its decadence. Many of its inhabitants abandoned the building due to fear of its destruction.

1995

Former Attorn Magistrate, Abra had been shot head in his office

ney General and aham Polo Uscanga in the back of the e on the ninth floor.

2012 The building was evicted and closed by Civil Protection, but not for fear of a collapse, but because it was one of the conflictive corners of the area and a place where

2017

Earthquake magnitude of 7.1 Mw

2021 - 2030?

Time frame work

drugs were sold.

41 Figure 20-24 (Edificio Canada, n.d.-b)

Site analysis

Lat:

19.414752°

Log: -99.164956° Altitude: 2,250m 750

1500km

10km

Mexico

20

750

Mexico City & metropolitan zone

Insurgentes 300

Created by Sumit Saengthong from the Noun Project

Created by Sumit Saengthong from the Noun Project

Roma Market 100m

Roma Vegetable Garden 750m

Created by Diego Naive from the Noun Project

Created by Sumit Saengthong from the Noun Project

Created by Sumit Saengthong from the Noun Project

2 1

Created by Sumit Saengthong from the Noun Project

Close by synergies of sustainable projects Roma Vegetable Garden 750m

Strategic location Near by 5 local food markets

1500m

1 Roma Market 80m 2 Medellin Market 500m 3 Colima Market 900m 4 Michoacan Market 1400m 5 Juarez Market 2400m

Created by Diego Naive from the Noun Project

Created by Sumit Saengthong from the Noun Project

Insurgentes, the largest car avenue in Mexico Public transportation multi accesibility Metro Bus Metro Public Space: parks: 1 Parque México 2 parque España

2

1

43 Figure 26 (by Author, 2022)

Documentation and drone capture For this process, utilizing a drone to capture the planimetry of the context where Insurgentes 300 arises yields exact data to calculate the measurements, topography, and relief of the context. The facade has it has been reconstructed as accurately as possible.

The interior reconstruction was made possible by a site visit and photographs, with a series of youtube videos and contrasting actual measurements from the drone.

45 Figure 26 (by Author, 2022) Figure 27(by Author, 2022)

The existing Program Office/Housing

18 floors x 1232.4 m2

________ 22183.2 m2

Vertical Circulations

+

21 floors x 173 m2

________ 3633m2

36354.8 m2 Figure 28 (by Author, 2022)

trade and commerce

+

3 floors x 3512 m2

________ 10538.68m2

Law figures

Cadastral Account 010_082_01 Selected Property Street and Number: INSURGENTES 300 Neighborhood: ROMA NORTE Postal Code: 06700 Surface of the property: 2907 m2

Standard

Name & Description 26 Norm to encourage the production of sustainable, social interest and popular housing. SUSPENSION RATIFIED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PUBLICATION OF THE OFFICIAL GAZETTE OF THE CITY OF MEXICO DATED 21 AUGUST 2020.

26_CU

Ordinance Regulation Number 26, suspended according to the publication of the Official Gazette of the Federal District dated August 19, 2013 and the suspension is ratified according to the publication of the Official Gazette of Mexico City dated August 21, 2020. "SECOND.- It is ratified that the present temporary suspension does not apply to promotion projects and/or programmes whose purpose is the construction of sustainable housing, of social and popular interest and which are developed by the Housing Institute of Mexico City or other Public Bodies."

47 Figure 29 (by Author, 2022) with input from SEDUVI

Reusing the structure

Three meter cantilever beams

three-tier canopy

Retaining walls pillars 15 meters deep to firm subsoil

Figure 30 (by Author, 2022)

Upcycle Concrete Concrete kg´s

3125.9 m3 7,522,572 kg

CO2 Emissions How many trees to buffer

844,000 kg 26,794 Trees

*Kritische analyse van calculators voor CO2-compensatie Figure 31 (by Author, 2022)

49

Chinampa Vertical

C

“...And I will say that at that time it was a very large town and that half of the houses were populated on land and the other half in the water, and now at this time it is all dry and they sow where it used to be a lagoon. It has changed in such a way that if I had not seen it before, I would say that it was not possible that what was full of water is now sown with cornfields...”. (del Castillo, 1632) Figure 32 (by Author, 2022)

The Atom, the Cell, the Tissue, and the Organism.

The concept to approach the understanding of the project is very similar to thinking of an organism; for example: the Atom, the cell, the tissue or organ, and the organism, the proposal is based on the Atom as the starting point, in this case, the high-pressure aeroponic cultivation shelves can be extrapolated to multiple scales so that it can be proposed from micro to macro intervention.

The following chapter describes four proposals Atom: shelf and pyramid IAMgreen, cell: Insurgentes building #300, tissue or organ: metropolitan area of Mexico City, organism: planet earth.

The proposal is based on how through lightweight elements, can be achieved a reoccupation of space, in this case, the offices in Mexico City, which as mentioned above there are approximately four million square meters unoccupied if only 23% of this space is occupied could be achieved to become autonomous in its production and consumption of sprouts and vegetables to Mexico City, ensuring food security, promoting social inclusion, increasing employment and reducing the devastation of the regions on which the Metropolis depends.

The water issue is critical, so it is proposed that the sites transform the vocation of their underground parking lots into water reservoirs. The first floors that have access to the City can be transformed into public space and markets where products can be purchased locally.

On the energy issue, vertical solar panels are proposed, using a diamond pattern based on the research of (Hofer et al., 2016), and tested in the ETH house on natural resources.

The proposal seeks parallel axes and similarities to respond to the UNESCO SDGs AND the 2030 agenda.

51

Indoor shelf system “The atom.”

High pressure Aeroponic modular system The design of the shelves offers the maximum possible efficiency through a system of rails, thus achieving that the corridors are configured according to the crop’s needs. The load on the structure responds to the plants’ weight; the design is proposed to support the load of 16,000 plants per module of two axes between four columns and consider other weights, such as their materials, the people who occupy the space.

Detailed data are shown in the tables below. However, in general terms, the total production of the building being transformed into an urban farm is 2,568,000 spaces to grow vegetables, microgreens, sprouts, and even other varieties of vegetables.

Ten vegetables were considered for this study, with which a study was made of calories produced, how many people it can feed, how much energy and water it consumes.

Figure 33 (by Author, 2022)

0 0.35 0 0.35 0 0.35 0 0.35 0 0.35

2.50m

0 0.35 0 0.35 0 0.35 0 0.35 0 0.35

2.50m

2.70m

2.70m

53

Figure 34 (by Author, 2022)

Shelf Indoor farming table of production data 10 Vegtable List (Calories)

Basilicum

Endives

Concept

Quantity

Concept

# of Shelfs

1284

Plant capacity

width

2.7

M

length

0.65

M

Area

2,253

m2

Hight

2.6

m3

Volume

5,859

m3

Quantity 2568000

*Calculation made with a ra

calories out of 1928 the avg.

Calories from vegtables (h

10 Vegtable List (Calories) Concept

Lettuce

Kale

Arugula

Oregano

Spinach

Parsley

g Calories 22

24

days

100

g

Lettuce

30

days

100

g

15

Kale

27

days

100

g

49

Swiss chard

55

days

100

g

35

Spinach

40

days

100

g

23

Endives

60

days

100

g

17

Arugula

40

days

100

g

25

Oregano

45

days

100

g

265

Coriander

30

days

100

g

23

Parsley

70

days

100

g

36

Concept

Coriander

Grams

Basilicum

Feeding capability #of people

Swiss chard

Unit

Growth period

CO 2 fixed O 2 Released

People fed per

kg

year

Ton

fixed CO 2

Basilicum

198

35,952

36

2,517

Lettuce

361

77,040

77

5,393

Kale

1,237

89,880

90

6,292

Swiss chard

1,543

77,040

77

5,393

Spinach

738

77,040

77

5,393

endives

1,363

128,400

128

8,988 3,595

Arugula

534

51,360

51

Oregano

2,326

18,746

19

1,312

Coriander

461

64,200

64

4,494

Parsley

1,279

48,792

49

3,415

Total

10,040

668,450

668

46,792

Energy Consumption Day Cal.

10%

Kw/ hr : energy expenditure 4 booster pump + 4 selenoid

1000

HPA

514

Month Cal.

LED

6,420

Kw/hr 2.5 watt-hours per plant

6,934

*Per month

256800

Total

31000

ange of 1000

Water consumption

Year Cal.

. Mexican diet

3,287,040

HPA

372000

hybrid Diet)

c

Concept

3287.04

Per indiviudal plant

%

L 80 liters initial tank + 20 liters per day per crop cycle: m3

*Per month

Cal # of plants Month calories

Year Calories

c

140

g

30.8

c

10%

7,909,440

6,123,437

73,481,249

c

300

g

45

c

10%

11,556,000

11,183,226

134,198,710

c

350

g

171.5

c

10%

44,041,200

38,358,465

460,301,574

c

300

g

105

c

10%

26,964,000

47,839,355

574,072,258

c

300

g

69

c

10%

17,719,200

22,863,484

274,361,806

c

500

g

85

c

10%

21,828,000

42,247,742

506,972,903

c

200

g

50

c

10%

12,840,000

16,567,742

198,812,903

c

73

g

193.45

c

10%

49,677,960

72,113,168

865,358,013

c

250

g

57.5

c

10%

14,766,000

14,289,677

171,476,129

c

190

g

68.4

c

10%

17,565,120

39,663,174

475,958,090

224,866,920

311,249,470

3,734,993,636

Total

fixed

Released O2

CO 2

HPA Shelf structural calculation

Released

10,980 kg

Concrete

slab

4.038

m3

37

m2

O2

Frame

Wood

0.926

m3

820

kg / m3

759 kg

Tray

plastic

2.32

m3

960

kg / m3

2,227 kg

kg

3

T

2,668

kg

3

Base

Aluminium

0.07

m3

2,699

kg / m3

189 kg

kg

5

T

5,716

kg

6

spray

Pipe

0.008

m3

1,300

kg / m3

10 kg

kg

6

T

6,669

kg

7

Water

tank

1.93

m3

1,000

kg / m3

1,930 kg

kg

5

T

5,716

kg

6

Plants

per seed

0.3

kg avg

16,000

plants

4,800 kg

kg

5

T

5,716

kg

6

kg

9

T

9,527

kg

10

kg

4

T

3,811

kg

4

kg

1

T

1,391

kg

1

kg

4

T

4,764

kg

5

kg

3

T

3,620

kg

4

kg

47

T

49,599

kg

50

9,916 kg

A lightened slab with a thickness of 20 cm supports in 1 m2 , a weight of approximately 300 kg.

1,064 kg

Figure 35 (by Author, 2022) microgreens pictures from input (Nicepng, 2022) information of CO2 and O2 gathered by a conversation with Bruno M. Chávez Vergara Senior A Researcher of Department of Environmental and Soil Sciences Institute of Geology, UNAM.

55

57 Figure 36 (by Author, 2022) human scale input from (Escalatina - Escalas humanas en vías de desarrollo, 2015)

IAMgreen pyramid “The atom.”

High pressure Aeroponic rooftop greenhouse system Iamgreen pyramids Utilize a high-pressure aeroponics technique (highly resource-efficient), combined with verticality and climate control, can create a higher production density, opening a commercially viable urban agriculture possibility.

High-pressure aeroponics generates droplets smaller than 50 microns, developing filaments in the root system that can absorb nutrients and water more efficiently than traditional agriculture, as well as other cultivation techniques such as hydroponics and conventional aeroponics. (Iamgreen, 2017)

Figure 37 (by Author, 2022)

59 Figure 38 (by Author, 2022)

IAMGreen HPA rooftop greenhouse farming table of production data 5 Microgreens List (Calories)

Sunflower

Concept

Quantity

Concept

# of Shelfs

24

Plant capacity

width

2.6

M

length

5.52

M

Area

344

m2

Hight

2.6

m3

Volume

896

m3

Quantity 10080

*Calculation made with a

calories out of 1928 the av

Calories from vegtables

5 Microgreens List (Calories) Concept

Pea

14

days

100

g

27

Pea

12

days

100

g

40 43

Radish

9

days

100

g

Broccoli

12

days

100

g

31

Crest

10

days

100

g

30

Concept

Broccoli

CO 2 fixed O 2 Released

People fed per

kg

year

fixed

Ton

CO 2

Sunflower

1

282

0.28

20

Pea

3

605

0.6

42

Radish

3

706

0.7

49

Broccoli

2

605

0.6

42

Crest

2

605

0.6

42

Total

11

2,802

2.8

196

HPA Iamgreen Pyramid structural calculation slab Concrete Wood Frame plastic Tray

Base Aluminium

Crest

g Calories

Sunflower

Feeding capability #of people

Radish

Grams

Unit

Growth period

4.038 0 0.85

m3 m3 m3

37 820 960

m2 kg / m3 kg / m3

10,980 816 8,583

3.18

m3

2,699

kg / m3

spray

Pipe

0.008

m3

1,300

kg / m3

10

Water

tank

1.03

m3

1,000

kg / m3

1,030

Plants

per seed

0.3

kg avg

840

plants

252 10,691

Energy Consumption Concept

Day Cal.

20%

HPA

1000

2016

Month Cal.

Total

Kw/ hr : energy expenditure 4 booster pump + 4 selenoid *Per month

Kw/hr

61,440

L 80 liters initial tank + 20 liters per day per crop cycle:

31000

a range of 1000

Water consumption

Year Cal.

vg. Mexican diet

HPA

372000

s (hybrid Diet)

3287.04

Per indiviudal plant

c

1,920 59,520

%

m3

*Per month

Cal # of plants Month calories

Year Calories

c

140

g

37.8

c

20%

76,205

34,415

412,981

c

300

g

120

c

20%

241,920

93,646

1,123,757 1,057,034

c

350

g

150.5

c

20%

303,408

88,086

c

300

g

93

c

20%

187,488

72,576

870,912

c

300

g

90

c

20%

181,440

58,529

702,348

990,461

347,253

4,167,033

Total

fixed

Released

Released

CO 2

O2

O2

kg

0.02

T

21

kg

kg

0.04

T

45

kg

0.02 0.04

kg

0.05

T

52

kg

0.05

kg

0.04

T

45

kg

0.04

kg

0.04

T

45

kg

0.04

kg

0.20

T

208

kg

0.21

kg kg kg

A lightened slab with a thickness of 20 cm

kg

supports in 1 m2 , a weight of approximately 300

kg

kg.

kg kg kg

289 kg

*free weight for movment

Figure 39 (by Author, 2022) microgreens pictures from input (Nicepng, 2022) information of CO2 and O2 gathered by a conversation with Bruno M. Chávez Vergara Senior A Researcher of Department of Environmental and Soil Sciences Institute of Geology, UNAM.

61

63 Figure 40 (by Author, 2022 human scale input from (Escalatina - Escalas humanas en vías de desarrollo, 2015) and (PNGWing - imágenes png transparentes descarga gratuita, n.d.)

Insurgentes 300 “The cell.”

Architectural intervention The project’s development focuses on leaving all the critical load-bearing structural elements of the building, removing the facades and dividing walls to free up the space in which the atomic production modules can be installed.

The architectural intervention program includes a water reservoir, a public plaza, a market, facilities, and services for employees, indoor and outdoor high-pressure aeroponic production centers, and an urban agricultural research laboratory.

The plant capacity was based on not overloading the existing structure with a weight that could compromise its structural failure. A lightened slab with a thickness of 20 cm supports in 1 M2, a weight of approximately 300 kg.

The proposed materiality is oriented to temporality; everything is disassembled and assembled so that its cycle can be used until it is necessary within the next years. Even until its dismantling, it is considered that all the material can be recycled.

The façade is designed modularly with aluminum and PMMA polycarbonate sheets, as it is considered an environmentally friendly material, it is proposed to leave the concrete in apparent condition, restoring its appearance and use, the market modules, facilities for workers are designed to be built with wood, the planters of the facades are designed to be built with oxidized steel.

The use of the building is proposed as a device, through the public plaza, to the private laboratory. Based on respecting the laws and figures of the local government, it is proposed to be aligned to the norms as a sustainable project that does not intend to build more square meters but occupy them.

Architectural program

65 Figure 41 (by Author, 2022)

67 Figure 42 (by Author, 2022) with input of UNESCO SDG’s

Assemblable architecture Cycle planning The architecture was conceived as part of the integration to an existing structure, similar to the idea of removing, is the idea of adding with the premise that if at some point it is necessary to unfurnish, it can be done more quickly if in the future the vocation of the building needs another architectural program based on the needs of society.

The design process follows a premise of minimum intervention and adaptation to the space, optimizing elements.

The PMMA facade is designed with a sliding window system to allow proper ventilation, having two different positions in the cross facades, in the facade facing the insurgents avenue, the facades ventilate from the bottom, and in the rear parallel, facades ventilate from the top.

The idea is to reduce and avoid the need to integrate artificial ventilation mechanisms, seeking a passive architecture, that between the freshness of the plants and the shade the building allows the free passage of wind, it is worth mentioning that in Mexico City, the climate is temperate, even in winter temperatures do not reduce considerably so that would justify isolating the interior spaces.

A mechanism to capture solar radiation in the form of a displaced diamond is the last layer on the facades where energy can be captured; based on a study of solar incidence, it is sought to integrate the most considerable amount of surface to capture it without affecting the horizontal views of the users and workers of the building.

69 Figure 43 (by Author, 2022)

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

A' 1

3

2

4

5

7

6

B

7

1

2

3

5

4

3

2

1

7

6

5

4

6

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

B'

7 6 5 4 3 2 1

7 6 5 4 3 2 1

A

Level +-0

Figure 44 (by Author, 2022)

20m

15

10

5 2.5 1 0

A'

B

B'

A

Level 1(+3m), 2(+6m)

20m

15

10

5 2.5 1 0

71 Figure 45 (by Author, 2022)

A'

B

B'

A

Level 3(+9m), 10(+30m), 16(+48m)

Figure 46 (by Author, 2022)

20m

15

10

5 2.5 1 0

A'

B

B'

A

Level 4-9 (+12m/+27m) & 11-15 (+33m/+45m)

20m

15

10

5 2.5 1 0

73 Figure 47 (by Author, 2022)

A'

B

1

2

7 6 5 4 3

B'

A

Level 17 (51m)

Figure 48 (by Author, 2022)

20m

15

10

5 2.5 1 0

A'

B

121 1110 1312 109 1413 14 9 15

1

2

8 7 6 5 4 3

B'

A

Level 18 (54m)

20m

15

10

5 2.5 1 0

75 Figure 49 (by Author, 2022)

Section A

Figure 50 (by Author, 2022)

20m

15

10

5 2.5 1 0

Section B

20m

15

10

77

5 2.5 1 0

Figure 51 (by Author, 2022)

79 Figure 52 (by Author, 2022)

Solar analysis Energy capture The decision of the vertical placement of the solar panels is based on this façade analysis. It shows which sections of the façade receive the most solar radiance by placing a diamond pattern row system that allows that their shadow is not cast, affecting its performance.

81 Figure 53 (by Author, 2022)

83 Figure 54 (by Author, 2022)

85 Figure 55 (by Author, 2022)

87 Figure 56 (by Author, 2022)

89 Figure 57 (by Author, 2022)

91 Figure 58 (by Author, 2022)

Regional Strategy “The Tissue/organ.”

The metropolitan area of Mexico city The regional strategy contemplates two thesis works, Hydroponcture hydric sensitive strategies for the metropolitan area of Mexico city by Carlos Vazquez and Agrotecture strategies for urban agriculture in the metropolitan area of Mexico City is the point where they converge in terms of using water as the main thread to sanitize and reintroduce the culture of water in an urban environment.

On the food production side, the thesis answer is that by using 23% of the residual office space, or 250 times the cultivation area of the intervention in Insurgentes #300, Mexico City could become self-sufficient in the production of vegetables and microgreens.

As for the Hydrponcture thesis, the answer is to locate vulnerable points in the surface water system and restore them for greater efficiency and an integral contribution to water security and access to potable and quality water. The proposal contemplates reintegrating the urban water culture while providing public spaces, green areas, and cultivable zones to take advantage of the remaining space of the water infrastructure.

By combining these two strategies that focus on the metropolitan area of Mexico City, it is possible to ensure food and access to water, resources that are becoming increasingly scarce in the City.

They aim to close the cycles, taking inputs from the residual and generating food and cultural outputs.

60KM

50KM

40KM

30KM

20KM

40KM

30KM

20KM

10KM

10KM

2500m 250

Buildings to feed the Mexico City Metropolitan Area: 5954 km² caloric ingestion of leaf, Area boundary Inhabitants: 22,830 population density: 2560nh/km² micro and germ greens Figure 59 A (by Author, 2022)

93

Inhabitants of Mexico City

21,919,000 1,928

Average consumption of calories a mexican Diet 1kg of vegtables

650

Mexico City km2

Units

Quantity

1,485 Unit

cal to kg

1

calorie

Bulk Density - average vegtable Products

600

kg/m3

Concept

Time

Quantity

How many calories/Ton mexico city consumes?

Day

42,259,832,000

How many calories/Ton mexico city consumes?

Month

1,310,054,792,000

How many calories/Ton mexico city consumes?

Year

15,720,657,504,000

How many cubic meters of food mexico city consumes?

Day

3,286

How many cubic meters of food mexico city consumes?

Month

101,868

How many cubic meters of food mexico city consumes?

Year

1,222,418

Concept

Unit

Quantity

Insurgentes #300 food production Performance 3,608 m2

Footprint of the Building

87,500 Inhabitants

Production Capacity for 400g vegtable consumption

#of buildings such as insurgentes 300 to meet calorie demand Inhabitants of Mexico City

21,919,000

Production Capacity / # Inhabitants

250

Sqm in footprint

902,000

m2

Office Vacant Space

4,000,000

m2

Inhabitants Buildings

Percentage of office space to make Mexico City selfindependent from Vegetable, Microgreens & Germ production

23%

of Current Office space

0

Inh Cal/day cal/kg km²

https://www.macrotrends.net/cities/21853/mexico-city/population https://thefoodtech.com/tendencias-de-consumo/consumidor-promedio-compra-765-calorias-diarias/ https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/

Source

Quantity

Unit

0.000129598

kg

0.6

ton/m3

Food Products - Bulk Densities (engineeringtoolbox.com)

Unit

Quantity

Unit

Quantity

Unit

cal

5,476,782

kg

5,477

Ton

cal

169,780,245

kg

169,780

Ton

cal

2,037,362,941

kg

2,037,363

Ton

https://www.inchcalculator.com/convert/calorie-burned-to-kilogram/

m3 m3 m3

95 Figure 59 B (by Author, 2022)

Epilog

D

To my dear Aunt and Uncle who passed away within this last year, Teresa Guzzy Arredondo and Juan Guzzy Arredondo; biologists and botanical scientists by passion and vocation who always inspired in me the love and respect for nature. May they rest in peace.

Figure 60 (by Gabriela Guzzy Arredondo, 2021)

Energy, food, shelter, and water.

Conclusion In the end, all our basic needs are energy, food, shelter, and water. However, it is not as simple as that. Our needs are constantly evolving; this is materialized in our cities, with an agenda that presses us in multiple dimensions: political, economic, social, and environmental. Architecture can be a tool for change and reflection.

The history of agriculture can be briefly summarized in how humans moved it away from the cores of their cities due to the growing surplus-value of the city lots until it was displaced to the provinces where it began excessive exploitation. However, urban agriculture is proposed from the point of return to have what we eat near us, thus avoiding unnecessary transportation and reintroducing the seasons in which vegetables and fresh food are consumed.

Besides the fact that we live in a new industrial, informatics, a political and economic revolution where we have more data and statistics available, architecture can be enriched by multiple fields and professions.

Bringing a process of understanding and evolution to change the original ideas of architecture could be the key for the architect to be an agent of change in a very complex multi-platform board.

From the data analyzed in this thesis, it can be concluded that the numbers are very favorable for the outlook of urban agriculture, if we take into account that the new high-pressure aeroponics systems can be as efficient as using only 2% of water, 1/10 of the cultivable area and up to 3 times greater crop capacity by the rotation and planting process, in contrast to traditional agricultural irrigation systems.

Moreover, in the particular case of the Mexico City metropolitan area, thinking that if 23% of the office space was transformed, it could become self-sufficient in the production of vegetables and microgreens is a figure that does not seem pharaonic to achieve.

97

The building begins to function as a device, providing public space, a sense of community, a source of jobs, and closing the loops of food-producing and consuming.

Due to the CO2 absorption capacity of the plants in the vertical chinampa, this building is an effective mitigation measure to capture CO2 emissions in cities.

It also provides an environmental service in O2 production and climate.

The amount of CO2 that a tree fixes and the production of O2 is variable, depending on species, size, conditions, and coordinates of the place where it lives. Therefore, for comparative purposes, we will take the apple tree as an example (Srivastava & Malhotra, n.d.).

One apple tree fixes O.7 T of CO2 from the air each year and produces 0.133 T of O2, So, given that in the project a fixation of 47 T CO2 is calculated, it would be equivalent to 67 apple trees, and in terms of O2 production 50 T, it is equivalent to 376 apple trees.

Looked at another way: the project can manage to resolve, in one building, the CO2 that is fixed in 2.35 acres of apple trees and produce the O2 that is produced in 3.33 acres of apple trees.

An acre is 4,046.86 m2, the vertical chinampa or Insurgentes is equivalent to 9,510.121 m2 of horizontal apple tree cultivation in terms of CO2 fixation and 13,476 m2 of horizontal apple tree cultivation in O2 production.

In this way, buildings can become devices that provide environmental services and a sense of community.

Definitions Urban Agriculture Urban agriculture, urban farming, or urban gardening is the practice of cultivating, processing, and distributing food in or around urban areas.

(Bailkey & Nasr, n.d.) Urban agriculture is also the term used for animal husbandry, aquaculture, urban beekeeping, and horticulture. These activities occur in peri-urban areas as well. Peri-urban agriculture may have different characteristics. (raushniabraham, 2018) High pressure Aeroponics (HPA) High pressure aeroponics (HPA) is one of two types of aeroponic growing systems. In a growing aeroponic system, plants are not grown in soil. Instead, they are grown with their roots hanging suspended in the air while a nutrient solution is delivered to the roots in the form of a fine mist.

High-pressure aeroponics systems deliver the mist to plant roots at high pressure, generally around 120 PSI. (MaximumYield, 2017) USDG (Unesco Sustainable development goals) The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or Global Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all” (UNESCO SDG’s, 2015) Food security “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life” (Food Security, n.d.)

99

Models

Model scale 1:200

Model scale 1:30

Model scale 1:100000

Model scale 1:1500

101 Figure 61 (by Author, 2022)

List of References Bailkey, M., & Nasr, J. (n.d.). From Brown fields. Foodsecurity.Org. Retrieved January 17, 2022, from http:// foodsecurity.org/uploads/BrownfieldsArticle-CFSNewsFallWinter1999.pdf Bifarm. (2021). 5 Tecnhologies 1 device. Bifarm. https://bifarm.com/pages/hardware de Saint-Exupéry, A. (1943). The ittle prince. del Castillo, B. D. (1632). True story of the conquest of New Spain.

Despommier, D. (2011). The Vertical Farm: Feeding the World in the 21st Century. Picador.

Edificio Canada. (n.d.-a). El Universal. https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/colaboracion/mochilazo-en-eltiempo/nacion/sociedad/era-edificio-de-lujo-en-la-roma-hoy-parece Edificio Canada. (n.d.-b). https://circarq.wordpress.com/2017/09/28/un-edificio-de-nadie/ FAO. (n.d.-a). Food and agriculture organization of the United Nations. FAO; FAO. Retrieved May 24, 2021, from http://www.fao.org/home/en/ FAO. (n.d.-b). Water. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved August 7, 2021, from https://www.fao.org/water/en/ Food Security. (n.d.). Fao.Org. Retrieved January 17, 2022, from https://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/ faoitaly/documents/pdf/pdf_Food_Security_Cocept_Note.pdf Hofer, J., Groenewolt, A., Jayathissa, P., Nagy, Z., & Schlueter, A. (2016). Parametric analysis and systems design of dynamic photovoltaic shading modules. Energy Science & Engineering, 4(2), 134–152. https://doi. org/10.1002/ese3.115 Iamgreen. (2017). IAMGREEN. Linkedin. https://mx.linkedin.com/company/iamgreen-hitech-urbanfarming Jackson, T. (2009). Prosperity without growth. Sustainable Development Commission.

Kimmerer, R. W. (2013). Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants. Milkweed Editions.

Lacaton, A. (2019). [Interview by Holcim Foundation]. https://www.holcimfoundation.org/media/ publications/forum-2019-re-materializing-construction-cairo MaximumYield. (2017, February 17). High Pressure Aeroponics (HPA). Maximumyield.Com; MaximumYield.

https://www.maximumyield.com/definition/2121/high-pressure-aeroponics-hpa Petrini, C. (2007). Slow Food Nation: Why Our Food Should Be Good, Clean, And Fair. Rizzoli Intl Pubns.

Polluted, W. (n.d.). Agricultural Production. Worst Polluted. Retrieved January 7, 2022, from http:// worstpolluted.org/projects_reports/display/85 raushniabraham. (2018, August 25). The role of urban agriculture in addressing household poverty and food security: The case of Zambia. Global Development Network. http://www.gdn.int/role-urbanagriculture-addressing-household-poverty-and-food-security-case-zambia Solili. (2020, April 5). Reporte inmobiliario. Solili. https://www.solili.mx/ Srivastava, A. K., & Malhotra, S. K. (n.d.). Nutrient Management in Fruit Crops. Researchgate.Net. Retrieved January 17, 2022, from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anoop-Srivastava/publication/277570367_ Nutrient_Management_in_Fruit_Crops_Issues_and_Strategies/links/556d7f6b08aec22683056995/ Nutrient-Management-in-Fruit-Crops-Issues-and-Strategies.pdf Stockholm Resilience Centre. (2015). Planetary boundaries. Stockholm Resilience Centre. https://www. stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries/the-nine-planetary-boundaries.html UN SYSTEM SDG IMPLEMENTATION. (n.d.). Sustainabledevelopment.Un.Org. Retrieved January 17, 2022, from https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/unsurvey/organization.html?org=UNESCO UNESCO. (2015). 17 Goals to Transform Our World. Unesco.Org. https://en.unesco.org/ sustainabledevelopmentgoals UNESCO SDG’s. (2015). Www.Un.Org. https://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/migration/ generalassembly/docs/globalcompact/A_RES_70_1_E.pdf World Health Organization. (n.d.). Food Safety. WHO. Retrieved June 8, 2021, from https://www.who.int/ health-topics/food-safety World Health Organization. (2018, February 19). Pesticide residues in food. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/pesticide-residues-in-food

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List of figures Figure 1 (by Author, 2022) Concept of the Vertical Chinampa Water color Pag. 10 Figure 2 (by Author, 2022) My mother working our Microgreen production shelf system. Pag. 12 Figure 3 Knickerbocker. (2009). concept of the urban vertical farm, which recycles water and grows crops using hydroponics. The New york times. Pag. 15 Figure 4 (by Author, 2022) with symbols from the noun project Pag. 20 Figure 5 FAO. (n.d.). Water. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Retrieved August 7, 2021, from https://www.fao.org/water/en/Pag. 21 Figure 6 FAO. (2020). Uso de la tierra en la agricultura según las cifras. FAO. https://www.fao.org/sustainability/news/detail/es/c/1279267/ Pag. 21 Figure 7 Gunstone y Nathan Donley, T. (2021). Los pesticidas están matando los suelos del mundo. BIODIVERSIDAD LA. https://www.biodiversidadla.org/Noticias/Los-pesticidas-estan-matando-los-suelos-del-mundo Pag. 21 Figure 8 Map (by Author, 2022) with INEGI data (Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía) Pag. 23 Figure 9 Map(by Author, 2022) with INEGI data (Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía) Pag. 25 Figure 10 Amado, N. L. (2019). Hernán. Amazon Prime Video.. Pag. 27 Figure 11 (Wido, 2018) IAMGreen pyramids Pag. 28 Figure 12 Bifarm. (2021). Aerated Roots. Bifarm. https://bifarm.com/pages/copy-of-bifarm-aeroponics Pag. 31 Figure 13 Bifarm. (2021). Aerated Roots. Bifarm. https://bifarm.com/pages/copy-of-bifarm-aeroponics Pag. 31 Figure 14 (by Author, 2022) Pag.33 Figure 15 (Top) (by Wido, 2018) Pag. 35 Figure 16 (Bottom left) Wido, V. (2018). IAMgreen Pyramids. Pag. 35 Figure 17 (Bottom Right)Wido, V. (2018). IAMgreen Pyramids. Pag. 35 Figure 18 Edificio Canada. (n.d.). El Universal. https://www.eluniversal.com.mx/colaboracion/mochilazo-en-el-tiempo/nacion/sociedad/era-edificio-de-lujo-en-la-roma-hoy-parece Pag. 36 Figure 19 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 39 Figure 20-24 (Edificio Canada, n.d.-b) Pag. 41 Figure 26 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 43 Figure 26 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 45 Figure 27(by Author, 2022) Pag. 45 Figure 28 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 46 Figure 29 (by Author, 2022) with input from SEDUVI Pag. 47 Figure 30 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 48 Figure 31 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 49 Figure 32 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 50 Figure 33 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 52 Figure 34 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 53 Figure 35 (by Author, 2022) Nicepng. (2022). Plants PNG format. Nicepng. https://www.nicepng.com/PNGWing - imágenes png transparentes descarga gratuita. (n.d.). Pngwing.com. Retrieved January 12, 2022,

from https://www.pngwing.com/es information of CO2 and O2 gathered by a conversation with Bruno M. Chávez Vergara Senior A Researcher of Department of Environmental and Soil Sciences Institute of Geology, UNAM. Pag. 55 Figure 36 (by Author, 2022) Escalatina - Escalas humanas en vías de desarrollo. (2015, September 29). escalalatina. https://escalalatina.com Pag. 57 Figure 37 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 58 Figure 38 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 59 Figure 39 (by Author, 2022) microgreens pictures from input (Nicepng, 2022) information of CO2 and O2 gathered by a conversation with Bruno M. Chávez Vergara Senior A Researcher of Department of Environmental and Soil Sciences Institute of Geology, UNAM. Pag. 61 Figure 40 (by Author, 2022 human scale input from (Escalatina - Escalas humanas en vías de desarrollo, 2015) and (PNGWing - imágenes png transparentes descarga gratuita, n.d.) Pag. 63 Figure 41 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 65 Figure 42 (by Author, 2022) with input of UNESCO SDG’s Pag. 67 Figure 43 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 69 Figure 44 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 70 Figure 45 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 71 Figure 46 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 72 Figure 47 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 73 Figure 48 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 74 Figure 49 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 75 Figure 50 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 76 Figure 51 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 77 Figure 52 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 79 Figure 53 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 81 Figure 54 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 83 Figure 55 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 85 Figure 56 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 87 Figure 57 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 89 Figure 58 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 91 Figure 59 A (by Author, 2022) Pag. 93 Figure 59 B (by Author, 2022) Pag. 93 Figure 60 (by Gabriela Guzzy Arredondo, 2021) Pag. 96 Figure 61 (by Author, 2022) Pag. 101

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Affidavit Agrotechture - Strategies for urban agriculture in Mexico City metropolitan area I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the present paper has been prepared independently by myself and without unpermitted aid. Anything that has been taken verbatim or paraphrased from other writings has been identified as such. This paper has hitherto been neither submitted to an examining body in the same or similar form, nor published.

I herewith confirm that my digitally submitted thesis book is identical to this printed version.

Vaduz, FL, 20.01.2022

Juan Manuel Name Guzzy

107

Agrotechture Strategies for urban agriculture in Mexico City metropolitan area

Juan Manuel Name Guzzy WS2021-2022