Studio Project Fall 2023
Urban Farm-To-Table
In this transformative restoration project, new life is brought back into an old building by reimagining it as an urban farm-to-table restaurant. This design integrates an on-site greenhouse, where the restaurant cultivates its own produce, fostering a sustainable and locally sourced dining experience. A central courtyard, bridging the restaurant and greenhouse encourages community engagement. The greater intention is to educate the community on healthy living through regular events, sharing knowledge on cultivating and cooking with fresh produce. The restaurant’s open kitchen, visible from both inside and outside, enhances transparency and invites intrigue. Embracing the arid surroundings, the courtyard becomes a lush oasis, featuring a distinctive diamond-shaped bar surrounding a large desert tree.
Located on the cross roads of the well known diagonal Grand Avenue and Polk St. in downtown Phoenix Arizona. This history timeline shows the site and surrounding area as it changed over the past decade.
A site visit allowed us to fully measure the extent of the building and property. It also provided the opportunity to engage with the local community to discuss wants and needs for the future of the property.
Main Level
The remodeled original building is the main restaurant portion of the design. The kitchen is in the front of the building on the corner of Polk St. and Grand Ave. where it provides a direct line of sight into the workings of the kitchen to those walking or driving by. The kitchen is also connected to the interior ordering area where large windows allow community members to peer inside.
A greenhouse building was added to the south to provide essentially all produce to the restaurant as well as act as a teaching area to introduce the community to a more hands-on experience.
A connecting courtyard between the two buildings acts as an oasis in the city away from the heat, full of greenery and vegetation to engage with. The courtyard also houses a bartop that surrounds a large tree. Events (such as cooking classes, gardening classes, and wellness/nutrition classes) can also be held in the courtyard to invite the community to engage with one another as well as with the greenhouse and the kitchen chefs.
Lower Level
Upper Level
The lower level of the original building acts as an oversized conversation pit pointing back to its early days in the 1950s. This space is also intended to be rentable and reserved for private events.
An upper level was added to the original building to hang above the conversation pit to provide extra seating.
I implemented several sustainability concepts into the project. First, a rainwater harvesting system was introduced to make use of any potential rainfall in the desert. Second, I incorporated a greywater filtration system to reuse greywater for the greenhouse systems and for watering the property landscaping. Third, I utilized vertical hydroponic planters, which save space, create more surface growing area, and allow for the reuse and circulation of water.
In the final design, the original roof, main structure, and framework of the building were preserved. A gravel parking lot, soft landscaping, abundant vegetation, and a courtyard covering for vine growth and shading were integrated to minimize heat-related issues. The windows into the main building and the greenhouse invite curiosity, while the wall surrounding the courtyard enhances this sense of mystery, providing safety for the restaurant and a quiet atmosphere despite its proximity to the nearby main street, contributing to the imagery of a desert oasis.