Winter 2021: ARCS 5106

Project title

Urban Farming Cooperative

Authors

Claire Merrick and Shane Villeneuve

Instructors

Jenn Low and Quilian Riano

Course

ARCS 5106 – MArch Option Studio 2

Academic term

Winter 2021

Project Description

This project is focusing on enhancing, expanding, and integrating within the existing urban farming Network of Hough Cleveland, Ohio. Within the area, several people lack access to fresh fruits and vegetables and other resources to ensure their health, resulting in malnutrition. The urban farm is centered around gardening and beekeeping while using innovative techniques and emphasizing community engagement. The design is flexible and contains components that includes sitting areas, watering barrels, raised beds, planters, greenhouses, and bee trays. In this project, the bees are an important non-human actor that help the pollination of flowers, plants, crops, and trees. Therefore, it ensures stability and security in food production. Besides developing honey and wax which can be used in a variety of products, beekeeping can benefit the environment and economy, provide educational opportunities, and improve human health. The urban farming cooperative consists of seven zones going from production and distribution to farmer’s markets. The design invites community members, gardeners, youths and beekeepers to share, buy, learn and play throughout the zones. They finally meet in . the educational areas where lectures and workshops are held to emphasize the basics of farming, beekeeping, and carry the knowledge to the following generations in Hough