by Jeff Serbin | Mar 25, 2014 | Architecture, Blog, Planning, Uncategorized
Continued from “Is Vertical Farming Feasible? : (Click for part 1)
Several factors play into the economical feasibility. First you have to look at the building or structure required. As an architect, I am a bit more knowledgeable about that piece of the puzzle. Skyscrapers are one of the most expensive “land” in the world. Some quick math below.
Lets assume that land is worth $1.00/s.f. (conservative number). The owner of a skyscraper can expect to pay more than 200(x) that per s.f. for his building. Add the costs of electricity to pump the water up the vertical rise and keep the plants bathed in artificial sunlight all day. The concept appears to be an inefficient mess. Looking at those numbers, you need one thing to happen, prices of food to increase significantly. Lets not all chant that at the same time.
So if building structures are not economically feasible, what about adaptive reuse? This is the process of reusing an old site or building for purpose other than which it was built or designed for. This is happening right here in Mesa where Apple is reusing a building created by First Solar. For more info, click here. The idea is to purchase a building for cents on the dollar to make it economically viable.
Vertical Farm Adaptive Reuse Example
Recently a vertical farm opened in a suburb of Chicago. It is not as vertical as a high rise, but sits upon 2 floors of an existing structure. It is within an abandoned warehouse of 90,000 s.f. It is called FARMED HERE. It allows this facility to grow plants within an existing structure indoors, away from bugs, diseases, pesticides and weather impacts. It uses an aquaponic system and can operate discharging virtually no water. The water is recirculated and also raises fish. It’s products are sold in some familiar stores such as Whole Foods. This supports many local grocers within the Chicago area.
Vertical Farming Big Ideas
So with the economic crisis that has left so many abandoned buildings and empty malls in its wake, is this a viable solution?
Could this be a support for local farming close to home with minimal transportation costs? With the stats that by the year 2050, nearly 80% of the earth’s population will reside in urban centers have an impact on our farm land?
If we are living within cities, can we bring the farming of food, not feed, with us in a more economical footprint?
So What buildings in Maricopa County, Arizona would be ideal to develop a vertical Farm?
I believe its worth DOODLING about.
by Lara Serbin | Mar 21, 2014 | Architecture, Blog, Collaboration, Uncategorized
A business friend of mine Julie Sullivan with Dominion Real Estate Partners started Tomorrow’s Winners a youth empowerment program 5 years ago. She invited me to tell my story on how I became an architect at this event today at Buckeye High School.
Heith Reade
Heith Reade with BMO Harris Bank spoke first. All the girls loved his organized and confident message. He had a power point and he connected well with the young women.
Lydia Evanson
Next up was Lydia Evanson with LME Creative Human Resources. The cool thing about her presentation is how she invited the students to come up to the stage and do a career shout out. Lydia and Heith are both business friends from the Buckeye Valley Chamber and The Rotary Club of Buckeye.
Lara Serbin
I was the last speaker today. I felt really relaxed with the huge power point behind me. Forget the need for a laser pointer. I just pointed with my arm. I was impressed with the questions they asked at the end. Most of the questions were regarding why I chose architecture and some of the challenges along the way. I had about 10 questions! A record for me. I have the privilege of speaking again to Youngker High School in Buckeye tomorrow.
A special thanks to Julie Sullivan for giving me this great opportunity and Pat Rovey of the Buckeye Women’s Club for saying those nice things about the cook book cover I designed.
Lara Serbin
by Jeff Serbin | Mar 18, 2014 | Architectural Planning, Architecture, Blog, Graphics, Planning, Uncategorized
I came across a competition from Google that caught my eye. Google Doodles is an art form which uses the Google logo and modifies it to signify a holiday or highlight a known person’s birthday or achievements.
Doodle, Professor Doug MacNeil, University of Arizona
The competition theme this year was ……
“If I could invent one thing to make the world a better place …..” Before there was an airplane, there were doodles of cool flying machines. And before there was a submarine, there were doodles of magical underwater sea explorers. Since the beginning of time, ideas big and small, practical and playful, have started out as doodles. And we are ready for more.
By the time you read this, the competition may be over and beside that, you would need to be a young artist (grades K-12). As I was driving my 7th grader to the Luke Air Force Base Show in Glendale, Arizona (how apropo is that – flying machines), we were having a discussion about what invention could make the world a better place.
So my first thought was about living in the desert of Arizona and the lack of water. A growing theme (no pun intended) throughout the Southwest United States. Just this year, we went for 2 months without rain, yet our taps still delivered water and the farmlands still grew. It’s like magic.
Buckeye Canal
Living in the West Valley of Phoenix Metropolitan area, especially amongst the farmland, one thinks about food or feed depending on what mouth it may be going in.
Feed
INTERESTING WATER FACT – I learned this year that Palo Verde Nuclear Plant uses 100% effluent water (yes cleaned toilet water) to cool their reactors, about 20 billion gallons per year or 40-50,000 gallons a minute at full operating power to cool their reactors and create steam. Steam is what generates the energy. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! For more Nuclear info, click here!
So with all the land that is dedicated to farmland and all the water that is spread out over that land evaporating to the heavens, it made me think of an idea called vertical farming. I saw this idea some while back in a Popular Science and Wired Magazine.
A Very Brief History of Vertical Farming
The term was first coined in a book in 1915 called “vertical farming,” by Gilbert Ellis Bailey. It is still available on Amazon Books, but probably will need to be dusted off once you get it. This book was written after the skyscraper was invented in the middle 1800’s. Just for some historical reference, the Flatiron building, one of the first skyscrapers in New York City was built in 1902. It is 285′ tall and 22 stories.
Flatiron Building in New York City
Many concepts in history have been dreamed up. Even as early as 1909, Life Magazine published a building that cultivated food. In 1922, Le Corbusier’s, one of the great architects of the 20th century, proposed vertical farming. Le Courbusier’s phrase was “Vertical Garden City” which came from a sketch developed in 1937.
The technology precedents that make vertical farming possible can be traced back to horticultural history through the development of greenhouse technology. Hydroponics have also made it possible to grow plants without dirt. The use of hydroponics dates back to 1627. Fore more info, click here.
Even Walmart has a kit one can buy to do you own hydroponics at home.
Walmart Hydroponic Kit for sale on website
Science fiction books also reference these concepts. A recent read “Dust” by Hugh Howey has references to vertical farming within underground silos. The characters inhabited silos after the earth was created un-inhabitable. It has grow lights and water systems like today’s vertical farms.
by Jeff Serbin | Feb 19, 2014 | Architectural Planning, Architecture, Blog, Planning
Creating an office building is about designing an environment that creates a place for the workforce to perform their tasks efficiently while enabling the building owners to maintain their assets easily.
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This 60,000+ square foot office building was designed to create that comfortable work environment. This sustainable facility utilizes low energy building components by incorporating the latest technologies. The building is designed with an efficient rentable to common space ratio, high performance exterior skin, low water use fixtures, energy efficient mechanical and electrical systems and environmental sensitive materials. It was designed with LEED GOLD in mind.
Some interesting facts about latest technologies.
The shell of the building is just the beginning. Once tenants begin to occupy the floors, the real magic begins with space planning to create unique micro environments that satisfy the users needs while being efficient with space. The more wasted space there is, the more rent they need to pay and space to maintain.
Space after tenant improvement
SEE ALSO: Tailor Your Office Tenant Improvements
by Jeff Serbin | Feb 6, 2014 | Architectural Planning, Architecture, Blog, Collaboration, Planning
Have you heard the term “He is a wise old owl?” You can find many wise owls at Wickenburg’s local senior center, Wise Owl Senior Center, located just south of the Santa Fe Railroad tracks. It’s facility was founded in 1979 and has been wisely used over the years.
The existing 6,500 square foot facility has seen many card games (hopefully no strip poker), bingo games (I22), musical bands (I heard the Grateful Dead played there), billiard games (part of Color of Money was filmed there) that have been played in its facility over the years. The center has outgrown its use and the Foundation for Senior Living who operate it, are looking to revitalize the establishment, once it can gather enough gold nuggets from the local mines in and around Wickenburg within its talons.
Serbin Studio first task was a ‘programming session’ or fact gathering, working with the facility managers and users to get a grasp on how the facility operates within the existing building and how it operates. The current building lies outside the historic downtown core of Wickenburg and is camouflaged, like an owl, into the surrounding neighborhoods. Like an Owl who can turn its head as much as 270 degrees, Serbin Studio took its design a step further and designed a facility which looks a full 360 degrees.
The design is two stories and 14,000+ square feet, reflecting on the historic fabric of Wickenburg which is influenced by many things: mining, railroad and the ranch lifestyle. As an owl flys silently, the building pleasantly surprise its users once they step foot into the private courtyard. It’s amenities include a full service Dining Room and associated Kitchen and food distribution on its first floor. The second floor contains meeting rooms, a game room, computer center to email the grandchildren, offices and conference rooms to manage all the programs they offer. The second floor also offers and outdoor patio with views to the local mountain ranges so you can keep your eyes on those claims you may have in them mountains. It’s also a great place to watch the summer monsoon’s roll in from the North.
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The project is only in the conceptual phases, however we hope the design will provide momentum to allow the facility to expand.
by Jeff Serbin | Jan 23, 2014 | Architectural Planning, Architecture, Blog, Graphics, Interiors, Planning
Leasing a commercial office space is one of the largest expenses incurred by new or expanding businesses, so it is important to do your due diligence. As an architect, I am usually called in when the lease is about to be signed and the business is trying to determine the cost and time involved in preparing a design for permitting and construction. From a designer’s viewpoint, this tends to raise a flag because it is important to look at the options in a space earlier in its selection.
Location can be driving many factors on where that space is located, but fitting your business within an existing building or space with its multitude of factors can affect its layout.
1) Square footage of space. Will it fit?
2) Orientation within the complex. Is it easily found, is it visible?
3) Orientation to parking and availability. Is there enough?
4) Restroom facilities. Are existing provided and to code? New bathrooms add significant costs.
5) Condition of existing mechanical / electrical systems. Depending on the type of business and its intended use, existing systems may be inadequate or not meeting current building codes.
6) Does it portray your business image or philosophy?
A well trained architect can look at a space to determine what may need to be addressed. We can look at the variety of options that are presented to you typically by a real estate agent. An architect can come up with a variety of layouts within the confines of a space to determine if it will fit with your needs before you sign the lease.
When you sign that lease and then hire a architect, it’s like buying a custom business suit without having it fitted first. Since its custom, it’s not returnable and you will be wearing an ill fitted suite for many years. It’s not really a custom suit, is it?
So next time your are looking to expand or update your current facility or lease in a new location, and your working with a real estate agent, hire an architect to help you with those design issues to make that space well fitted.
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