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: a productive urban landscape and food logistics hub in dujiangyan, sichuan, china
edible city book 1
table of contents
agriculture + architecture = agritecture...................................................................................01
dujiangyan, sichuan, china...................................................................................................03
context
place
people
a pattern language..............................................................................................................07
summary of the language
patterns
edible urbanism.................................................................................................................15
the market building.............................................................................................................19
the project language...........................................................................................................33
works consulted.................................................................................................................45
contact..............................................................................................................................47
A R C H I T E C T U R EA G R I C U L T U R E
China’s western province of Sichuan, rocked by the devastating Wenchuan earthquake in 2008, is undergoing
large scale transformation, giving testimony to China’s speedy, often “devil-may-care” attitude regarding urban
and rural development. Dujiangyan, neighbor to Sichuan’s largest city of Chengdu, is a city with a stunning
landscape which, despite centuries of urban growth, has continued to seep into the urban fabric. The Edible
City project is an attempt to stabilize a rapidly changing landscape at both the urban and rural level. The city,
as well as the region at large, has a rich connection to water, the landscape, a world-renowned gastronomic
heritage, and a colorful multi-ethnic community which this project hopes to inspire and regenerate.
01
“The most startling changes are taking place
in China, where 400 million people are
expected to urbanise in the next 25 years...
as the Chinese abandon the countryside, it
seems they are abandoning their rural diets
too.”
Caroyln Steel, Hungry City
02
c o n t e x t
The city of Dujiangyan is located in China’s Sichuan province in the foothills of the Tibetan plateau. A network of rivers and aqueducts funnels fresh
mountain spring water to agricultural lands of the Chengdu plain surrounding the metropolis of Chengdu. For centuries, Dujiangyan City has served
as a lifeline to the millions of people relying on this water network for food and livelihood. Dujiangyan City sits at the base of a series of large hills with
several temples and monasteries hidden away in the foliage. The network of waterways originates at the Northwestern part of the city and fans out
across Dujiangyan and out into the Chengdu Plain. The neighborhood where the project site is located is in the heart of the city near the government
buildings and within walking distance to many of the cultural sites of the city. This site is also positioned just off of the main thoroughfare of the city
which originates at the gate of a large temple.
p l a c e
A food hub is a place where the complete cycle of food production is to take place from production through consumption. This building type will help build
livelihoods for urban dwellers of Dujiangyan and reconnect them to their agrarian heritage. Because many Chinese have migrated from the countryside
into the urban areas of the country, many people are still familiar with rural living and agricultural methods. Food security will be heightened due to greater
local acess to nutritious, fresh produce. Surpluses of food can be stored in the event of future disaster, not unlike that of the 2008 earthquake which
devastated the region.
04
p e o p l e
The Great Leap Forward brought many Han Chinese, the ethnic majority of China, Westward into the relatively undeveloped provinces of Tibet and
Qinghai. In the wake of this migration of people, many ethnic tensions arose creating a divide between the two Chinese halves. Because of Dujiangyan’s
position at the edge of China’s rugged Western region, the city has many physical and cultural connections to the Tibetan and Qiang autonomous ethnic
regions. At a city level, many of these communities have a siginifcant presence in urban life. Like the Han Chinese who moved West to develop this
rugged region, many ethnic minorities moved from their remote villages to the cities in search of opportunity and economic prosperity for their families.
Dujiangyan is home to many of these peoples who have migrated East and continue to celebrate that which sets them apart from other communities of
Chinese people. A center for cultural exchange would provide an opportunity for these communities to come together and share what sets them apart
from one another easing the tensions that have been created throughout the last few decades.
05
2008: after Wenchuan earthquake 2010: post-development
08
City Country Fingers (3)
Common Land (67)
Life Cycle (26)Soft River Edges
Culturally-Relevant Development
Edible City
Silent Pockets Dining On the Doorstep
Cascading Terraces
Double EavesClean Water Source
Dancing in the Street (63)
Old People Everywhere (40)
Eating Atmosphere (182)
Something Roughly in the Middle (126)Activity Pockets (124)
Food Stands (93)
Individually Owned Shops (87)
Opening to the Street (165)
Path Shape (121)
Public Outdoor Room (69)
Seat Spots (241)
Mosaic of Subcultures (8)
Identifiable Neighborhood (14)
Small Public Squares (61)
pattern network
Mosaic of Subcultures (8)
Identifiable Neighborhood (14)
Life Cycle (26)
Old People Everywhere (40)
Small Public Squares (61)
Public Outdoor Room (69)
Dancing In the Street (63)
Individually Owned Shops (87)
Food Stands (93)
Path Shape (121)
Activity Pockets (124)
Opening To the Street (165)
Eating Atmosphere (182)
Seat Spots (241)
Soft River Edges
Culturally-Relevant Development
Edible City
Silent Pockets
Dining On the Doorstep
Cascading Terraces
Double Eaves
The Three-Eyed WellS
ELE
CTE
D P
ATTE
RN
SN
EW
PATTE
RN
S0 9
LIFE CYCLE (26)
“‘All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They
have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many
parts, His acts being seven ages.’ Make certain that the full cycle of life is
represented and balanced in each community. Set the ideal of a blanaced
life cycle as a principal guide for the evolution of communities.”
DANCING IN THE STREET (63)
“Why is it that people don’t dance in the streets today? Along promenades
in squares and evening centers, make a slightly raised platform to form a
bandstand, where street musicians and local bands can play. Cover it,
and perhaps build in at ground level tiny stalls for refreshment. Surround
the bandstand with paved surface for dancing - no admission charge.”
FOOD STANDS (93)
“Many of our habits and institutions are bolsered by the fact that we can
get simple, inexpensive food on the street, on the way to shopping, work,
and friends. Concentrate food stands where cars and paths meet - either
portable stands or small huts, or built into the fronts of buildings, half-open
to the street.”
EATING ATMOSPHERE (182)
“When people eat together, they may actually be together in spirit - or
they may be far apart. Some rooms invite people to eat leisurely and
comfortably and feel together, while others force people to eat as quickly
as possible so they can go somewhere else to relax. Put a heavy table
in the center of the eating space - large enough for the whole family or
the group of people using it. Put a light over the table to create a pool of
light over the group and enclose the space with walls or with contrasting
darkness. Make the space large enough so the chairs can be pulled back
comfortably, and provide shelves and counters lose at hand for things
related to the meal.”
from a pattern language by christopher alexander,
et. al
selected patterns
10
THE THREE-EYED WELL
The well is an integral piece of the Chinese community. From the village
to the city, people congregate at the well to draw water and wash
dishes, clothes and food. It is important for people of China to have
a public space adequate for completing these daily tasks and rituals
that is also safe and sanitary. Often, villagers and urban dwellers alike
will practice all these activities in the same, still water increasing the
likelihood of illness. Water that is used for washing dishes, food and
clothing sometimes comes from the side of the road through the entire
city. A three-eyed well is an example of one way in which contemporary
Chinese architects have maintained the cultural center of community life
that is the well and made it safer and cleaner for people to use. The
source of running water flows from the top and can be boiled and used
as drinking water. The water flows into a second pool which is used to
wash clothes, then runs into the last pool which is used to wash dishes.
The three-eyed well is one method of implementing design to establish
a community center that also helps bring a solution to water safety.
11
EDIBLE CITY
While an overabundance of hard surfaces is not conducive to urban life,
without a place to sow new life in the city, “the gardener” is unable to thrive
and grow. Bringing an edible landscape into the city also brings a way for
urban dwellers to escape its severe nature. Many cities, especially those
in China, are over-paved, contributing to a serious Heat Island Effect in
urban areas. Though these areas are physiologically stifling, they are
also aesthetically and socially stifling as well. People need soft space to
rest, escape the chaos of urban life and activity, and to connect with the
natural environment. Gardens provide nutrients, contributing positively to
human life and also provide pockets of open space that are green and
healthy for cities. A network of urban gardens provides a place for people
to reconnect with, be distracted by and take solace in the comforts of
nature. Small spaces designated for gardening can be established in the
street fronts, becoming a barrier to traffic noise and pollution. Gardens
can also be created in public squares and in parks in an effort to bring
communities together and inject facets of rural life into the urban life of the
city. The responsibilities of managing these spaces, as well as the fruits
of which, can be shared and enjoyed communally.
12
CASCADING TERRACES
In the case of China, where much of the urban environment is already
incredibly dense, a balance in density must be introduced. While
public squares are quite frequent in many Chinese cities, the jump in
scale between vast, flat squares and the towering urban buildings is
not appropriate for human scale. Cascading terraces bleed the exterior
urban space into the interior. This type of space is prevalent in traditional
architecture of the Tibetan peoples who reside in the Western reaches of
Sichuan. In these types of dwellings, terraces provide places for social
gathering between families. In the urban context, cascading terraces blur
the lines between interior and exterior as well as elevation off the ground.
These spaces provide public spaces for people to gather and also those
for more private meetings between smaller groups.
13
DOUBLE EAVES
Climate becomes an issue for many regions within China and more
specifically in China’s expansive, concrete-covered urban areas.
People require shade from the sun as well as cover from downpours
which occur on an almost daily basis in China’s tropical areas. Intense
and inclement weather becomes a serious problem for many Chinese
urban dwellers as contemporary Chinese architects and developers
do not always consider climatic issues in architectural designs. Many
buildings do little to protect the interior from the harsh tropical sun or the
streetscape from a sudden downpoor. Traditionally, Chinese vernacular
architects designed double eaves to protect inhabitants from the
unpredictable climate. A second eave shoots out from the main roof
to provide a covered arcade for people to move through or rest under.
A return to this traditional architectural practice connects future Chinese
architecture to its past legacy as well as tuning into the needs of users
in regards to environmental control systems.
14
continuous
productive
urban
landscapes
(cpuls)
: strategy for the coherent integration of urban agriculture into urban space and planning.
:considers urban agriculture to be an essential element of sustainable infrastructure
photos of a CPUL model in Cuba ; Viljoen and Bohn.
[From Continuous Productive Urban Landscapes: Designing Urban Agriculture for Sustainable Cities by André Viljoen and Katrin Bohn.]
16
permaculture per·ma·cul·ture: the development of agricultural ecosystems intended to be sustainable and self-sufficient.
This agricultural practice of human settlement built in a way that mimics nature and promotes land stewardship, community well-being, personal health, and local economy. At the Maru a Pula School in Botswana, youth learn farming methods and develop a permaculture system for their village. Produce is collected and distributed to hungry families in the local area. Permaculture systems like this one in Botswana bolster community life, instill a deeper connection to food, and provide a viable means of economic stimulus.
17
urban forest parklondon, united kingdom
precedent 02south central farmlos angeles, california, usa14 acres
precedent 01
18
“The shopping centre which can do more than fulfil practical shopping needs, the one
that will afford an opportunity for cultural, social, civic and recreational activities will reap
the greatest benefits.”
-Victor Gruen
the
market
building
19
In his Master of Architecture thesis project, Nathaniel Wooten explores the middle ground between
food production and consumption. Food city is a distribution center serving the greater New York City
metropolitan area of almost 19 million people.
New York City has a humid subtropical climate with warm, balmy summers and cool, wet winters. Given the
projects adjacency to the New Jersey Turnpike, train lines and the transitory nature of the site, engagement
with a large commuter public was an essential part to the development of the design.
22
Wooten’s project program is primarily composed of cold storage
facilites with a large amount of office, market and dock space.
Because of the large amount of employee and customer traffic, the
food city project also requires service spaces such as restrooms,
restaurants, a barber and a convenience store.
23
Steel-frame towers rise up from the main distribution space. In the
section above, an outdoor auditorium allows passersby to observe the
goings on of the interior. Similarly, a pedestrian corridor wraps the vertical
architecture and hovers over the dock allowing for a connection between
the built and social space of the project.
24
Wooten divides his program into two distinct
landscapes: the public landscape and
the logistic landscape. Similarly, horizontal
programmatic elements are pushed across
the lower levels while vertical elements rise up
from below.
25
Located near Rotterdam’s historic St. Laurens
Church, the MVRDV market hall is a public
building that literally emerges from housing
spaces.
The building’s distinctive form is sparked from
traditional market hall typology and meshed with
contemporary housing form. The interior bustles
with activity while the exterior features private
apartment balconies.
28
Due to new hygenic constraints of Dutch law, open air markets must
be covered. A conglomeration of community-supporting uses such as
food, leisure, living and parking direct the form of the building, which
becomes an arc and shelters the interior market.
246 apartments,
100 market stalls,
3,000 sqm of shops and restaurants
1,600sqm catering area on the ground level and first floor
1,100 parking spaces
1,800sqm underground supermarket
29
The MVRDV Rotterdam Market Hall becomes a new urban
typology in the process of regenerating Rotterdam’s pre-war
center.
32
the
project
language
“When ‘anything goes’ in the gastronomic mix,
food loses one of its greatest gifts - its cultural
identity.”
Carolyn Steel, Hungry City
33
Sichuan’s southwestern city of Dujiangyan lies in between the vast Chengdu Plain and the rugged region of Western
China. On a brutally humid, summer’s day, it is hard to escape the sounds of screeching cicadas, the chaotic
honking of vehicle traffic and passersby speaking in loud “Sichuanhua”. Walking across the city’s ornate covered
bridge and then down one of Dujiangyan’s main roads, one is able to catch a glimpse of a nearby alleyway
overgrown by tall grass. Just steps away from the main street lies a pathway through the city. An array of crops line
the narrow path. Corn, Chinese eggplant, and melon plants poke out from the adjacent soil. At the other side of
this pathway, entrepreneurs open their storefronts. Screaming hot woks sizzle and boast an assortment of colorful
vegetables and meats as a cloud of steam hovers over the gastronomic thoroughfare and chokes those not familiar
with its devastatingly hot Sichuan Pepper. Patrons dine on the paved, stepped storefronts, scooping rice and fresh
vegetables into their mouths.
Upon futher investigation of this passage through the city, the pathway opens up to a clearing. People hover over
their crops, preparing the soil for planting and harvesting ripe produce that they will later take to the public market. A
canvas covering provides a place for rest and shade from the sun. Apartments and business line the edges of the
clearing and the pedestrian pathways mark the boundaries of agricultural plots. Passing through the clearing, the
pathway narrows once again. Chickens scurry through the bean plots back to their coops to lay fresh eggs that
might later be hard-boiled, soaked in salt and tea and then sold with fluffy, steamed bao zi for breakfast.
The path takes a jog and directs pedestrians to a large bustling expanse of walkways and agricultural terraces.
Urbanites sample the food sold on the dining terrace and walk beneath a rice paddy system into a market hall.
Vendors sell fresh produce and meat from local livestock owners. People scour the baskets for the best ingredients.
Overhead, workers take part in the parts of the food cycle. Food is collected from the various farmers, processed
and then distributed to other areas in and around Dujiangyan. Waste too, is collected and prepared as compost
for urban farmers who will cultivate an edible landscape in the Chinese city. . .
vision
34
values
constant accessibility to food
meshing food systems with livelihoods
healthy, local food
prizing gastronomy and agrarianism
ruralizing the city
completing the food cycle
a lasting Chinese heritage
culturally-connected design
SAFETY
ECONOMIC
HUMAN
CULTURAL
ENVIRONMENTAL
TECHNOLOGICAL
TEMPORAL
AESTHETIC
VALUEAREA
35
constant accessibility to food
meshing food systems with livelihoods
healthy, local food
prizing gastronomy and agrarianism
ruralizing the city
completing the food cycle
a lasting Chinese heritage
culturally-connected design
PRIORITYGOAL
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
support accessibility to healthy, local food at all times, especially in disaster
foster livelihoods connected to food systems
build a framework for community around food as a necessary resource
strengthen ties to a gastronomic culture and agrarian hertiage
bring an existing productive landscape into the city
integrate technological systems as a means of completing the food cycle
nurturing a lifestyle connected to the Chinese culture and landscape for future generations
maintain cultural ties to Chinese vernacular building culture
36
building program (qualitative)
URBAN AGRICULTURE (COMMERCIAL SCALE)
Farmers wander through rows of crops which weave through both the urban and building fabric. Produce from these crops
is brought to the processing facility of the building to be processed, packaged, and distributed. Stormwater and waste will
be treated on site in this project via this network of productive green space.
MARKET HALL
People bustle in the market hall of the food hub. Vendors sell the produce brought in from their emerging produce plots
and meats that are brought in from the local area surrounding the city.
RESTAURANT/VENDORS
Restauranteurs cook a variety of foods in a space that surrounds communal and individual tables.
PROCESSING / PACKING / DISTRIBUTION FACILITY
A large volume houses a facility where produce is brought in from the food hub’s agricultural system, processed, packaged
and shipped to customers in and around the city of Dujiangyan.
WORKFORCE HOUSING
Surrounding the food hub are apartments to be rented to the employees that work at the food hub. Housing that is in close
proximity to the work site elminates the need for transit and therefore pollution and emissions.
37
LOADING DOCK
Space must be given to an area for loading produce and supplies into and out of mid-size trucks.
CLASSROOMS
Classrooms for food education have a place in the food hub program. These spaces will be used by users of all ages to
learn about food security, local foods and culinary skills.
MEETING ROOMS/MULTIPURPOSE
Users can utilize meeting spaces to organize trips to surrounding farms in the region, discuss food cooparatives or for
community events that might take place.
RESTROOMS
CIRCULATION
SERVICE
38
site program (qualitative)
A public square opens up out of a narrow passage in the streetfront. People bustle
between rows of crops. The productive urban landscape that cuts through the city
directs itself into the project site. Surrounding the square, apartments peer into the
agricultural spaces below. Groups of people laugh and chat over bubbling vats of
hotpot and beer. Woks sizzle with the produce gathered from the market hall and
kids chase chickens into the emergent crops at the housing frontages.
39
COMMUNITY HOUSING
FOOD STREET
URBAN AGRICULTURE
PUBLIC SQUARE
Stout buildings of white stucco and tile roofs hover over a variety of uses. A woman hangs clothes out to dry on a
clotheslined balcony. A pair of elderly men smoke cigarettes and shout over a game of majong.
At the foot of the community housing, vendors advertise fresh fruit, household goods and clothing. Teenagers sit at tables
piled high with skewers of spice rubbed meats, vegetables, and steamy dumplings.
Lining the city streets are fruit trees heavy with lychee fruit and chestnuts. Women washing clothes kneel into the long grass that protects the
water running through the city. A child is sent by his mother to gather vegetables for the next meal. He plucks a string bean and fingers an
eggplant not quite ripe enough to pull from its vine.
In the muggy evening a group of women gather at the public square to practice tai chi. They flow like water in a synchronized rhythm. Children
chase eachother and young people meet to eat at a nearby restaurant.
40
building program (quantitative)
URBAN AGRICULTURE (COMMERCIAL SCALE)
MARKET HALL
RESTAURANT/VENDORS
PROCESSING / PACKING / DISTRIBUTION FACILITY
LOADING DOCK
OFFICES
RESTROOMS
CLASSROOMS
MEETING ROOMS
CIRCULATION
SERVICE
16%
7%
10%
20%
9%
6%
3%
6%
5%
9%
6%
-
-
100 STALLS
-
SPACE FOR 10 TRUCKS
25
16
2
2
-
-
16,000 S.F.
7,000 S.F.
10,000 S.F.
20,000 S.F.
9,000 S.F.
6,000 S.F
3,000 S.F.
6,000 S.F.
5,000 S.F.
9,000 S.F.
6,000 S.F.
100,000 S.F.
41
site program (quantitative)
WORKFORCE HOUSING
RESTAURANTS/VENDORS/RETAIL
URBAN AGRICULTURE (EMERGENT)
PUBLIC SQUARE
50%
20%
15%
15%
100,000 S.F.
20,000 S.F
15,000 S.F.
15,000S.F.
200,000 S.F.
200 UNITS (500 S.F.)
50 UNITS (400 S.F.)
100 PLOTS (150 S.F.)
1
16,000 S.F.
7,000 S.F.
10,000 S.F.
20,000 S.F.
9,000 S.F.
6,000 S.F
3,000 S.F.
6,000 S.F.
5,000 S.F.
9,000 S.F.
6,000 S.F.
100,000 S.F.
42
I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII
2.46 2.64 3.04 3.82 4.18 3.94 4.04 3.78 2.94 2.42 2.38 2.32
0.44 0.38 0.35 0.38 0.38 0.35 0.36 0.36 0.32 0.32 0.39 0.44
-1.73 -0.01 4.26 10.42 15.20 18.16 20.30 19.61 15.86 10.42 5.46 0.17
5.10 5.32 5.61 5.79 5.55 5.29 4.52 4.33 4.96 5.06 5.04 5.02
8 12 23 51 89 107 232 223 137 46 20 6
VARIABLE
INSOLATION,kWh/m2/day
CLEARNESS,0-1
TEMPERATURE,ºC
WINDSPEED,m/s
PRECIPITATION,mm
climate data
43
square
urbanagric.
logistics
distribution
housing
vendors
urbanag.
(emergent)
urbanag.
(commercial)
markethall
distribution
foodlogistics
multipurpose
rooms
service
circulationsquare
housing
markethall
adjacencies
44
works consulted
Alexander, Christopher, Sara Ishikawa, and Murray Silverstein. A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction. N.p.: Oxford University
Press, 1977.
Brown, Denise S and Christina Crane. Asia Beyond Growth: Urbanization in the World’s Fastest-changing Continent. Ed. AECOM. Berkeley,
California: ORO editions, 2010.
• Filled with graphics and images of the ever-expanding metropolises of the East, Asia Beyond Growth analyzes the impact
of the Asian city on social, natural and built environments. Brown, Crane and contributors describe “an emerging world’s
urban moment“ which is a fitting way of expressing the quick and recent explosion in development and urban population.
In response to this rapid change, there is an genuine moral urgency of changing the current patterns of development and
attempting to remedy the issues of urban morphologies throughout Asia.
Darden, Prentiss. Designing Our Way Our of Disaster. n.d. 19 Jan. 2012 <http://prentissdarden.wordpress.com/category/maru-a-pula-
school-botswana/>
Mostafavi, Mohsen and Gareth Doherty. ed. Ecological Urbanism. Baden, Switzerland: Lars Müller Publishers, 2010.
Nordahl, Darrin. Public Produce. Washington, D.C.: Island Press, 2009.
• In his book, Public Produce, Darrin Nordahl illustrates the need for food that is cheaper, nutritious, more secure and more
accessible to people of all demographics. More specifically, Nordahl explains that public space should be productive and
that municipalities should provide opportunities for food production methods within the city. Nordahl argues that public
produce builds a sense of place, provides economic assistance, promotes food literacy and good health, and allows for
“serendiptious sustenance,“ returning the public to a more primitive, albeit human, gastronomic experience.
Song, Yan and Chengri Ding. ed. Cambridge, Massachussets: Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, 2007.
• Song, Ding, and contributors present an indepth, policy-based analysis of China’s urbanization and the land use planning
methods across this era of rapid growh. Significant information in the context of agriculture and urban-rural devlepment can
be found in topics relating to urban migration, arable land resources, and farmland protection.
45
Steel, Carolyn. Hungry City. London: Chatto & Windus, 2008.
• From food waste to sustainable farming, Steel investigates the incredibly close relationship between cities and
the food it takes to fuel them. Hungry City is essentially about how cities eat and the impact food production
has on all facets of the environment. Steel discusses food culture and the art of eating in the context of
urbanism. More importantly, Steel illustrates ways in which cities can be designed smarter and more efficiently.
Viljoen, André, Katrin Bohn, and Joe Howe. Continuous Productive Urban Landscapes: Designing Urban Agriculture For Sustainable Cities.
Ed. Amsterdam: Architectural Press, 2005.
• Continuous Productive Urban Landscapes provides an analysis and set of design tools for implementing an urban landscape
that is both productive and conducive to the social and economic contexts as well. While a genuine CPUL has yet to be
established, the evidence and methodology for doing so is provided in this book. Viljoen discusses the myriad benefits that
come with a CPUL and the future this type of planning and design has for sustainable urban-rural development to come.
Several case studies give a glimpse of how a CPUL can be integrated and scaled to the needs of a large urban context.
White, Mason and Maya Przybylksi. On Farming. N.p.: Infranet Lab, n.d.
46
jack thomas
regernerative design thesis studio 2011/2012
university of oregon
dr. hajo neis
contact:
jackhthomas.com
47