Ilana Steenkamp URBAN DESIGN + PLANNING + ARCHITECTURE
Agricultural Research Centre, UCT campus,
Cape Town
Agricultural Research Centre, UCT campus,
Cape Town
This project incorporates research, education and production of food in a multifunctional building. The vacant brown-field site lies on Mowbray Main Road, making it highly accessible.
Within close proximity to the University of Cape Town,and on university owned property, the proposed building fits into an existing network of food trade, as well as other research and education facilities in the area.
The building functions as an Agricultural Research Centre with the focus on urban food security and urban agriculture. The building fronts onto the street with entrance to the restaurant + exhibition spaces at ground level. The north, east and west façades serve as green production areas consisting of walkways.
The building is comprised of flexible public, contained private & green production spaces. The flexible public spaces allow the circulation to the upper floors, articulating the movement of people and produce within the building. In contrast to this fluidity, 3 cores for more specialised uses were developed. These contain laboratories, learning spaces and a larger lecture hall. These more specialised areas provide spaces of containment and concentration, whilst retaining a relationship with the rest of the building through visual connections & circulation.
Structural System
The structure consists of 3 concrete frame cores, with masonry infil. This is then surrounded by a steel frame structure, composite slab walkways and roof trusses supporting an over-sailing roof.
Technical drawings (plans, sections & elevations) were produced, along with detailing of the façade. The green façade wraps around the building, serving as a functional planting area. Excessive solar radiation is prevented as planters create a filter protecting the building from direct light and aid in moderating the temperature within the building through evaporative cooling as air filters through the planted areas. A thin composite slab with screed to fall and a removable grate was chosen as the balcony would need to withstand unknown weight from the trafficking of soil and
vegetable produce.