Team 1

AG R I T E C T U R E W O R K S H O P
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
SEP 25 , 2015

Team Members
Barry Thoele

Grower

liveaqua@msn.com

Joshua Bergeron

Architect

josh@commontablemn.org

Justine Oesterle

Student

jsoesterle@comcast.net

Karlie Cole

Marketing Professional

karliecole@gmail.com

Nicolas Seguy

Entrepreneur

nicolas@seguycrew.com

Ross Cameron

Business and Sales

ross@rtseastrategies.com

Jill Rook

Student

Ryan Lefers

Engineer

ryan.lefers@kaust.edu.sa

Timothy Nolan

Sustainability Manager

tim.nolan@state.mn.us

Concept & values

Modular design (designing in hopes to expand and move on in the future)
Flexibility & Adaptability (changing crops catered to the demand of the area)
Resource Consciousness (energy use, water use, reducing waste)
Multilayer cooperative strategy (education, food justice, community
engagement)
Food justice/security accessibility and healthy food systems

Location & Context (1)

Private - Fortune 500 companies
Non-Profit
University of Minnesota
USDA Grant Programs

Location & Context (2)

Sustainability Value Proposition

and Design Principles
Create a community collaboration for healthy food access
Establish local living wage jobs (Est. 60)
Optimize resource productivity
Design for adaptability
Apply restorative design approach
Demonstrate a commercial scale living laboratory
Create a replicable model for urban food production

Technology to meet food needs in

urban environments in a
conservatory model
Advanced vertical agriculture production
Passive solar collection and building
sustainable design features
Co-generation system (NG or Biogas)
Low impact development landscaping

Conservatory Site a City Gateway

FOOTPRINT VIEW

Geodesic Dome Design for Visual Effect

PLAN VIEWS

PLACE HOLDER FOR IMAGE

Publically Accessible Learning Lab

PLAN VIEW

ATRIUM DOME

Elevation Under Current Code

SOUTH ELEVATION

NORTH ELEVATION

Potential for Modular Expansion

WEST ELEVATION

SECTION ELEVATION

Outdoor

Mood Board (indoor

spaces)

Mood Board (indoor

spaces)

Business model (1)

Key Activities

Growing Produce
Farmer Services
Added value Food Processing
Aggregation & Distribution
Education
Waste Recovery
Marketing & Sales

Aquaponics

Approximately 20,000 sq. of micro-greens at 180,000lbs per year

at $5 a pound = $900,000 in sales at avg. pricing
Three 3,500 gallon tanks
Rainbow trout and other cold water species provides variety
Approximately 420 fish 9 months to maturity at 14 oz.
Sell at $8 dollars at pound
Work with Pentair and UMN aquaponics research to develop full
plan.
Two trained employees
3-4 harvesters/ helpers
Educational component

Yields & Financials

Marketing plan (1)

New Landmark
Iconic building visible for visitors landing or taking off from Airport
Makes 1st/Last memory for visitors
Urban Conservatory
Building itself is a marketing strategy for products & educational offerings
Building engages community on multiple strategies for our food future

Marketing plan (2)

Educational Engagement
Primary & Secondary School visits create awareness of new growing
technologies, sustainability and food security
Professional courses to teach & stimulate new ventures and support
entrepreneurship (ripple effect for job creation, Train the Trainer)
Share growing data and use the Lab to cooperate with regional post
graduate research programs

Marketing plan (3)

Food & Beverage Market Engagement
Fresh market using the retail area which invites local small farmers and
artisans to sell in vendor hive area creating a spirit of partnership, educating
them on conversion opportunity to vertical farming
Food Court (concept inspired by Asian versions) offering free space rental to
micro restaurant operators, promote plurality of food concepts and only
charge a commission on Sales of Food.
This model will encourage more local farmers, artisans and chefs to join and
allow reasonable consumer pricing.
Special chef contest will be organized to attract consumers and push cross
trade Events between the farm and the Food & Beverage area

Applicable AVF Typology

Marketing Visual