RE-UTILITY

CORN-ER

CONCEPT

The concept behind the project began to form after the analysis of the area around the site in Osage City. That city is located in Kansas which is commonly associated with agriculture production including vastly farmed corn. Therefore whole project is inspired with morphology of corn plant.

IDEA

The idea of the grain bins urban layout refers to the projection of cross-sectioned corn. The core of the cob consists of three silos connected to one main building, accessible to all guests of the lodging center. Around the previously mentioned core of the cob, housing units are located in the form resembling dispersed corn kernels. Each of the buildings has a small, roofed terrace at the main entrance, in the shape that resembles a combination of grains with the core of a corn cob. The entire urban layout of the buildings is connected by a paved path around the main building.

ORGANIZATION OF ELEMENTS

In the main building there is a reception, administration, public toilets and learning center which will be used by guests to study or occasionally for workshops held by experts. The learning room does not have any permanently fixed  elements of equipment so that it can be freely furnished for the needs of workshop. Each of the living units have their own living room, kitchenette, toilet and bedroom. Ground floor is the place of social interaction but the first floor is for private rooms. One of the living units is adapted for a disabled person therefore the design is safe and accommodated to all users. All the rooms that a person who is using a wheelchair could need are available and they are located in the ground floor of the adapted apartment. The apartment on the first floor above the adapted apartment could be occupied by the guardian of a disabled person.

CONSTRUCTION

In this project compound construction is used in a way that the existing form of the grain bin is a self-supporting structure. It is made of a corrugated sheet, a conical roof made of thin metal sheet. Living units are equipped with an inner structure that is independent of grain bins’ body structure. That inner structure is meant to provide a support for the inter-story ceiling, and a substructure for thermal insulation, and finishing of external walls and the roof from the inside of the building. The internal structure of the housing units on the ground floor consists of a centrally located steel column and six columns located in the outer wall. Between the central column and the columns in the outer wall, steel beams supporting the ceiling are stretched.

INNOVATIVE ELEMENTS

An innovative, future-oriented element in this project is mini vertical farm located in the top floors of two of the grain bins. Mini vertical farms are light and designed to optimize exposure to sunlight on its four levels on which crops grow. It connects two types of crop cultivation cultures which complement each other that is a traditional allotment garden and a greenhouse.

SUMMARISE

Grain bins were used as a storage units for years and this project repurposes them in a modern way. Moreover innovative solutions such as mini vertical farms are becoming more popular and required in city agglomerations.