Urban Kibbutz: Integrating Vertical Farming and Collective Living in Jerusalem, Israel.

Abstract

This thesis is predicated around the critical question: how do we feed an exponentially growing world population? With 80% of the world population living in an urban context by the year 2050, it is crucial for us to explore the architectural potential of what city living can be like in combination with urban farming. Using the social typology of a kibbutz as a vehicle for investigation, this thesis analyzes the Israeli version of agricultural co-housing. Parallel to this analysis is a study on the technique of urban agriculture which can be applied to the site in the horizontal and vertical dimensions. The site, located in the cultural center of Jerusalem, Israel, is an underdeveloped parking lot adjacent to the famous shuk (farmers market), home to hundreds of vendors competitively selling their produce.

This thesis begins by researching and analyzing two different themes. The first theme focuses on various hydroponic techniques which would consist of a comprehensive study of the eco-design components of urban farming and its applications. The second theme will investigate the social characteristics of a kibbutz and how we can apply this collective community into an urban environment. The end result will be a synthesis of the two that will allow us to explore the potential of integrating collective living with urban agriculture. What would the product be like when people begin to take responsibility for the growing of their own food? Or when the separation between architecture and agriculture blends into a single entity?