Agro-Housing Towards a more sustainable society

Dwelling
Wuhan, China
Conceptual approach
The City of 1000 Lakes
According to the UN report in 2010, about 50% of the Chinese population will reside
green building
in cities. This huge migration from rural regiones to new urban megalopolises will
Hybrid Tree
create a dramatic cultural and social crisis, a loss of existing cultural traditions and
Urban air Nature considerable unemployment. Massive urbanization will form random communities and

Agriculture will severely exhaust natural resources such as water and energy, will exhaust urban
Organic
infrastructures and transportation systems and will intensify air and soil pollution.

Rural The concept of Agro-Housing is a presentation of a new urban and social vision that
Wuhan urban grouth
will address problems of chaotic urbanization, by creating a new order in the city and
Culture
more specifically in the housing environment.
Sustainabilty
Agro-Housing is a program that combines high-rise apartments with a vertical
Urban Population
global worming
greenhouse within the same building.
Recycle The idea behind Agro-Housing is to create, a close to home space where families can
Future
produce their own food supply according to their abilities, tastes, and choices allowing
Environment
citizens more independence, freedom, and an additional income.
Land use

water
agriculture

City
Urbanize

field
The Agro-Housing assemblage

The Advantages of Agro-Housing:

Self-production of food for the tenants and the community.

3D Greenhouse Production of organic and healthy food free from diseases and
fertilizers
Landscape

Abundance of crops for self-consumption and sale to the neighbors.

Need no special skill set to operate a greenhouse.

Flexibility in work hours in the greenhouse and more independence.

Creation of extra income and new jobs for the inhabitants in the
building

Creation of a sense of community and softening the crisis of migration

to cities.

Preservation of a part of the rural traditions and social order.

Ve r t i c a l

Creation of sustainable housing conditions and the reduction of air and

soil pollution levels.

Improvment in the building’s microclimate and reduction in the use of

energy (cooling and heating)

Use water from the existing high water table and recycle the grey
water to gardening.

Agriculture Layered agriculture Urban dwelling Rural dwelling

Agro Housing

Page 1 Knafo Klimor Architects w w w. k k a r c . c o m

 Agro-Housing The New Agro-Urban Vision
The concept of Agro-Housing is a housing program that will allow the formation
of a new social and urban order and that can be replicated as it represents basic
human values lost in the process of modernization and progress. Agro-Housing will
reduce the need for commuting and the extra development of the transportation
system and it will replace the urban zoning strategy by more sustainable urban
conception.

The interests of cities to adopt the idea of Agro-Housing:

• Growth of cities with less investments in infrastructures and
transportation systems.
• Creation of new jobs within neighborhoods and independence
of citizens.
• Development of public awareness to sustainable ideas and
theirs benefits.
• Contribution to environment preservation.
• Reduction in water and energy consumption.
• Economic independence for cities and improvement of quality
of urban life.
• Less traffic and commercial spaces for moving and selling
agriculture products.

Agro-Housing is a place for dwelling, but it will create a new urbanity,

contributing to the preservation of traditions and community
values.
Agro-Housing will promote the idea of sustainability and will
dramatically reduce environment problems in an era of globalization
and urban migration.

SW View

Greenhouse Components

Irrigation
• Complete drip irrigation system.
• Advanced fertilizer dosing system
• Irrigation controller
• Water disinfection system
• Water recycling system
• Water treatment solution

Growing Methods
• Soil-less material: coco peat, rock
wool, volcanic ash, perlite, etc.
• Growing gutter system
• Trellis system

Control
• Full range of climate and irrigation
controllers, according to one’s needs.

Active Ventilation/Cooling
• Circulation fans Greenhouse view from patio
• Shading/thermal screens

Hanging system
• Versatile system fit for a variety of
crops and treatments.

The Greenhouse
The vertical agro-space
permits production of
fresh food for families
Dwelling and the community,
reducing commuting
and creating a harmonic
and holistic environment
of sustainable life in
urban realm.
Growing
Greenhouse: Soil-less agriculture Greenhouse view

7th floor greenhouse entrance NW view

Page 2 Knafo Klimor Architects w w w. k k a r c . c o m

 Agro-Housing Layered agriculture

Water collection from the roof

Roof solar collectors Summer shade

Gutter

Recreation roof garden

g

Wind Shutters

Intensive green roof Communal spsce

Roof

flr 11
Roof garden

flr 10
Intensive vegetated roof

flr 09
Ventilated atrium

flr 08
Summer
Climate Control

flr 07

Manually operable windows

flr 06 create a 'thermal chimney.'
This causes pressure
Vertical greenhouse differences and therefore
enables air circulation in the
flr 05 apartments and public
areas, sucking the hot air
out of the building and
flr 04 Collectors for forced
allowing cooler fresh air inside
solar system

flr 03
Natura
a on
flr 02

flr 01

Air
ot A
Thermal rhimney

Interior garden Fresh Air

Kindergarten
th-East wind
Manually operable
windows to
reduce electricity
usage
ot Air
A

Axonometric scheme
Hot

Fresh
Agro-Housing and Sustainability
The Agro-Housing is a combination of housing and urban agriculture. The building is composed of
two parts: the apartment’s tower and the vertical greenhouse.
The greenhouse is a multi-level structure for cultivation of agriculture crops such as vegetables,
fruits, flowers and spices, equipped with a drip irrigation system and natural ventilation and Winter
heating system. Climate Control
The Agro-Housing project offers spaces for communal activities. The greenhouse can serve as
a place of casual and professional meetings. The roof garden offers an open air green space
for recreation and informal gatherings. The roof’s sky club is designed to host social gatherings
and celebrations, and the kindergarten on ground floor welcomes children close to home and
their parents. The Agro-Housing project provides a diversity of spaces for the benefit of its
inhabitants.
D
ir
ec
t
R
ad
Forced solar
Sealed glass collector system
keeps the hot air
inside the building

Trapped hot air

circulation

Large thermal mass

Radiation is
accumulated during
daytime and released
during the night
Large thermal mass

Sealed glass
creates the Sealed glass
Greenhouse Effect

SW view

Page 3 Knafo Klimor Architects w w w. k k a r c . c o m

 Agro-Housing Agro-Living

Roof plan 1:200

apt. 3B apt. 3C apt. 4C apt. 4C apt. 3A apt. 4C

Roof View - Communal Space, Garden & Tai Chi

The gathering of four apartments around each core of staircase

and elevator will free land for rain harvesting and extra gardening
and contribute to the sustainability of the building.

The simple rectangular box represents a building with an

economic envelope that can achieve an efficient energy saving
and excellent thermal factors.

M² Floor
no.
Type No. of Net 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 SUM
bedrooms Floor
Area
3A 2 75 3 3 2 2 2 1 2 2 3 3 3 26
3B 2 78 2 2 2 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 17
3C 2 80 1 1 2
4A 3 89 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 22
4B 3 89 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 2 1 1 16
apt. 4A apt. 3A apt. 4A 4C 3 90 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7
7th floor plan 1:200 SUM 9 9 8 8 8 8 7 8 8 9 8 90

apt. 3B apt. 3c apt. 4B apt. 4C apt. 4C apt. 3B

apt. 4A apt. 3A apt. 4A

6th floor plan 1:200

apt. 3B apt. 3A apt. 4C apt. 4B apt. 4C apt. 3B Balcony - Greenhouse view

apt. 4A apt. 3A apt. 4A

3rd floor plan 1:200 South facade street level view

Agro-Housing + Site
The Agro-Housing project has a minimal footprint
in order to free maximum ground surface
for gardening and rainwater harvesting. The
materials used for paving are recycled ones and
Car parking on in limited surfaces. The parking area offers a
shaded side of large number of spaces for bicycles in shaded
building (0.5 for area. The garden vegetation uses a large part
one family) of the natural cycles of the local environment to
harmonize the landscape.

Accessible waste
storage for
recycling (25 m2
according to LEED)

Core A Core B

Bicycles parking Bicycles parking

in shaded area in shaded area
(2 for one family) (2 for one family)

Entrance A Entrance B Location

Grey water irrigation

Ground floor plan 1:200

Page 4 Knafo Klimor Architects w w w. k k a r c . c o m

 Agro-Housing Sustainability & Flexibillity

Natural resources
Climate Control

Forced solar
collector system

Hot water pipe from the

solar collectors to each
apartment's hot water
Cold water pipe tank

Forced circulation system

GASP

Ground Source Heat

GASP Pump System
SW roof view
Apartmental hot
water tank located
GASP
at the floor's shared
service area
GASP

Ground Source Heat

GASP Pumps (GASP)
Uses the natural heat
storage capacity of the
earth or ground water
to provide energy efficient
heating and cooling

GASP

GASP

Greenhouse / Atrium view

Water conservation & reuse

Climate Control

Rainwater basin
for domestic and
irrigation usage

Secondary rainwater tank

SW view
Greywater pipe system

Flexibility & Adaptability Rainwater pipe

In order to save expenses for new residents, apartments can market studios system

with open spaces, flexible for future changes. According to family needs and
budget, the tenants can transform their apartments, add more bedrooms
Rainwater pipe system
or working space, decide on size and quantity of bathrooms and openness
of kitchen. All the partitions will be made of light plaster panels that can be
moved and recycled easily and cost effective. There is an additional possibility Water-conserving
to integrate working spaces within the apartments if needed. drip irrigation system

4C type - Entrance floor Second floor 1:100

Greywater tank and

treatment system. Most
greywater is easily treated
and recycled due to its
lower levels of contamination

(optional)

4C type

3A type 1:100 3A -2 1:200 3B type 1:100 3B-2 1:200 4A type 1:100 4A-2 1:200

4A-3 1:200

3A-3 1:200 3B-3 1:200

Page 5 Knafo Klimor Architects w w w. k k a r c . c o m

 Agro-Housing Structure & Materials

Agro-Housing – Construction & Materials

Structure - The proposed structure of the building will be composed
of metal columns and beams on a grid of 10m x 9m. On top of the
corrugated steel sheets, a five centimeter concrete layer will be applied.
These lightweight steel sheets will be prefabricated and installed on
site. Additionally, the concrete staircase will stabilize the building’s
structure. This prefab steel system will create flexible spaces in the
building and will contribute to the sustainability of the project. In the
end the building’s life, it will be easily recycled.
Facade - The exterior panels will be prefabricated using a modular grid.
The glazed panels will have sliding shading in the same dimension. The
other panels on the façade will be covered with terracotta tiles, a sus-
tainable material.
Materiality - The choice of materials in the building will consider thermal
qualities and abilities to be recycled at the end of the building.
Insulation – Using structurally insulated panels to determine the energy
efficiency of the building and reduce future energy expenses.
End of life - A majority of the suggested building materials: steel, alu-
minum, and terracotta tiles are recyclable.

South elevation 1:200

Construction scheme

NW Balcony view SW Balcony view

organic flexibillity
vertical
bamboo

greenery
flow greenhouse

East elevation 1:200 North elevation 1:200

Page 6 Knafo Klimor Architects w w w. k k a r c . c o m