ReFood: The Seed Project symbolizes the transformation of food waste into new opportunities for life and community, planting the foundations for a more conscious and regenerative future
Participatory Architecture of Medium Complexity
Tecnológico de Monterrey Campus Qro.
School of Architecture, Art and Design
February - June 2025
Location
Querétaro, Qro, Mexico
Work by
Nicole Abril López Chávez
Mildred Yamilet Martínez Pérez
Professors
MSc. Urb. Diana García Cejudo
M.Arch. Psj. Rodrigo Pantoja Calderón
Ph.D. Viviana M. Barquero Díaz Barriga
Ph.D. Andrea María Parga Vazquez
MSc. Miguel Anaya Díaz
Arch. Pedro Mendoza Hernández
Arch. Daniela Cruz Naranjo
Arch. Yetzi Verónica Tafoya Torres
GLOBAL CONTEXT
In the context of the current environmental crisis, organic waste represents one of the most underestimated yet significant sources of climate pollution.
Methane is a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 25 times greater than CO₂. Its release due to the poor management of organic waste in landfills and open dumps significantly contributes to climate change and results in the loss of valuable nutrients that could be recovered through composting or biodigestion, closing ecological and food cycles. According to the IPCC (2021), in order to avoid exceeding the critical threshold of 1.5 °C of global warming, it is necessary to reduce greenhouse gas emissions immediately, rapidly, and at a large scale including methane from organic waste.
Local Problem
According to the State Program for the Prevention and Comprehensive Management of Waste in the State of Querétaro, organic waste accounts for approximately 38% of the total urban solid waste generated in the state (SEDEA Querétaro, n.d.). In Querétaro, the waste management model remains predominantly linear: the current model breaks the natural food cycle and turns it into a source of pollution instead of a regenerative opportunity. Not only are valuable nutrients lost that could return to the soil as compost, but the energy potential of biogas is also wasted, contributing to the climate crisis.
PRODUCE CONSUME DISPOSE
Querétaro generates more than 1,300 tons of municipal solid waste per day.
Of which at least 450 tons are organic waste. Generating methane gas, as they decompose without oxygen in landfills.
There is no adequate city-wide infrastructure for their separation and treatment.
SITE
The site is located in a disused area owned by the Gerber company, situated on Prolongación Tecnológico Norte in Santiago de Querétaro. This space is surrounded by various land uses, including residential, commercial, industrial, and service areas. Its strategic location within the city, along with its proximity to major roads, grants it great potential for revitalization and transformation.
Prolongación Tecnológico Norte, Gerber, 76150
Santiago de Querétaro, Qro.
Urban Image
Physical Context Natural Environment
Site
Industry
Housing
Tec de Monterrey
Businesses
Site
Flood zone Trees Canal
Physical Barriers Mobility
Site
Physical barriers
Acces to spaces
Acces to housing
Constraints
Site
Conflict nodes
Public transportation routes
Secundary roads
Odors and Noises Sun Path
Site
Gerber Context
Gerber’s history in Querétaro began in 1967, when the U.S. company chose the state to establish its first production plant in Mexico, thanks to its strategic location, infrastructure, and access to local raw materials. Since then, Gerber has been a key player in the food industry, producing infant food products distributed nationally and internationally, while maintaining a continuous commitment to quality, sustainability, and support for local producers.
Site
Maneuvering area
Unused reserve area
Parking lot
Water treatment plant
A STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITY
Organic waste management in the study area shows significant shortcomings in both institutions and households. The Tecnológico de Monterrey generates between 100 and 200 tons of organic waste per year, Gerber produces between 300 and 500 kg daily, and the 878 households considered generate between 3.5 and 7 tons daily. However, there is no source separation or adequate infrastructure, so the waste ends up in landfills. This wastes 90% of its potential for recovery, which could be turned into compost and energy. As a result, the food cycle is broken, valuable nutrients are lost, and the climate crisis is exacerbated. In addition, the release of methane represents an environmental and safety risk.
FOODSCAPES AND CIRCULAR ECONOMY AS CONCEPTUAL PILLARS
Manifesto Strategies
The diagram illustrates how the strategies align with the central manifesto, which aims to close the resource loop and reduce waste. Each strategy connects to the core idea of “Close the loop: waste less, support local, build resilience,” addressing different dimensions: creating green and regenerative spaces in urban voids, reducing the carbon footprint by optimizing land use, reusing underutilized infrastructure to enable production strategies and circular economy initiatives, and minimizing food waste through shorter and more decentralized supply circuits. These strategies work together to strengthen sustainability, social cohesion, and self-sufficiency.
Reuse underutilized infrastructure
Reuse underutilized infrastructure
CLOSE THE LOOP: WASTE LESS, SUPPORT, LOCAL, BUILD RESILIENCE
Create green and regenerative public spaces
Minimize food waste
Broken Linear Cycle
The circular economy is a production and consumption model that aims to keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract maximum value from them while they are in use, and recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of their lifecycle. Unlike the traditional linear model, the circular economy proposes to close the loops in both technical and biological systems.
Ekins suggests that the circular economy is not only an environmental issue but also a complete redesign of the production system, which involves:
-Rethinking how we design products.
-Transforming waste into resources.
-Closing material and energy loops to reduce pressure on ecosystems.
Food production Consumption Generation of organic waste Disposal in landfill End of cycle (no return to soil)
Restored Circular Model
Applied to the urban environment, the foodscape also involves the flows of food waste, making it essential to rethink its entire cycle, from origin to final disposal or reuse. As Morgan (2015) suggests, a sustainable city needs “both a food policy and a waste policy.”
Importance in the Urban Context
Foodscapes reflect the food culture of a community, but they also highlight inequalities, waste, and the disconnection between production and consumption.
Meanwhile, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2021) identifies three fundamental principles of the circular economy:
-Design out waste and pollution.
-Keep products and materials in use.
-Regenerate natural systems.
Soil regeneration
Application in urban soils
Food production
Consumption
Reception of organic waste Composting
Generation of organic waste
CREATIVE PROCESS
STUDY CASES
The Plant
Location: Chicago, USA
Year: 2010
Author: John Edel
The Plant is the transformation of a former meatpacking plant into a circular and self-sufficient ecosystem.
In this space, organic waste is converted into energy, fertilizers, and food through aquaponics. Both projects integrate the management of organic waste to transform it into valuable resources, demonstrating that waste can become part of a sustainable food system.
Eco-cycle Pavilion
Location: Hanoi, Vietnam
Year: 2022
Author: Takashi Niwa Architects
A sustainable restaurant that combines design, architecture, and responsible environmental practices. It incorporates a composting cycle, herb gardens, and recycled furniture to educate diners about sustainability. Just like the project, it promotes waste utilization and environmental awareness through food and design.
Waste to Energy Campus
Location: Jamnagar, India
Year: 2021
Author: INI Design Studio
A campus that converts municipal solid waste into clean energy and offers educational and recreational spaces for the community. The plant transforms waste to energy, integrating ecological landscaping and learning areas. Like the project, it demonstrates that waste can generate energy and social value, engaging the community and promoting environmental education, accompanied by ecological landscaping.
RE FOOD PROJECT
What is ReFood?
The project consists of a community center aimed at fostering transformation through awareness, creating a space that encourages people to reflect on their eating habits and the impact of their waste. We seek to make organic recycling a conscious and collective act, promoting active community participation
Waste Areas: 1359 m2
Administrative areas: 199m2
Bathroom and Changing
Room Area: 161 M2
Waste Area
Administrative Area
Bathroom and Changing
Room Area
Green areas and circulation paths: 5522 m2
Social area: 1800 m2
Mater Plan
ProlongaciónTecnológico A
External Users
People who will use the facilities
Students
Upper Primary Middle School
Workers from Geber Residents
High School College
Childrens 7-12 years old
Families
Families residing in the neighborhoods Families of Gerber workers
Internal Users
Plant administrators
People who work inside the facilities
Organic waste providers
Operators and technical staff
Collectors and transporters
What do we mean by community?
Site Households
Tecnológico de Monterrey
Gerber Shops
Los Girasoles
Prados del Tecnológico
Real del Parque
Departamental Parques
Conjunto Parques
Operators and technical staff
Plant administrators
Collectors and transporters
Organic waste providers
Workers from Geber
Childrens
Students
Residents
Families
Section A
What do we bring about foodscapes?
Organic Wate Process
Facade
To improve pedestrian accessibility, we propose reclaiming one lane from each side and part of the median strip, adapting them to optimize pedestrian circulation and reduce car usage. Additionally, interventions are made in the median, incorporating rain gardens to mitigate flooding on the site and seating areas that encourage lingering and promote the social use of public space.
Electrical Installations
In the project, in addition to treating organic waste and producing compost, electricity is generated from biogas, making it a self-sufficient, sustainable, and scalable system.
The anaerobic digestion of organic waste in the biodigester produces biogas (mainly methane CH₄), which is directed to an electric generator.
Technical data:
1 ton of organic waste → 100–200 m³ of biogas
1 m³ of usable biogas → 2 kWh of electricity (FAO, 2013)
Plant calculations:
Processes 150–200 kg/day of waste → 22.5–30 m³ of biogas/day
Generates 45–60 kWh/day, enough to power the entire plant.
Water Facilities
The project has multiple water harvesting strategies that allow us to collect rainwater and reuse it for irrigating the project’s vegetation. Additionally, this system will be complemented with treated water from the Gerber treatment plant, reinforcing our commitment to sustainability and the responsible use of water resources.
Umbrella
2” PVC pipe
2” PVC pipe Filter
Rain Garden
Gutter
Natural filtration
Cistern
Construction Details and Materiality
Materiality
Blue and Green Strategies
Blue Strategies:
• Use of treated water from Gerber.
• Implementation of water harvesting systems (gutters and umbrellas).
• Rain gardens to reduce flooding on the site.
Blue Strategies:
• Use of treated water from Gerber.
• Implementation of water harvesting systems (gutters and umbrellas).
