Kluang A. G. T Creative Hub | Urban Farming Centre
Undergraduate | Year 03 Sem 01 | Workbase Dr. Aiman Rashid | Speculative Studio
01 SITE
The proposed site, Kluang is one of the early town in Johor. It is located at the centre region of Johor, where it can be easily accessible from every direction via the main roads and railways. Kluang is well-known for its KTM railway station, coffee shop and a variety of cuisine. Zooming into the selected site, the site is a car park with 3 sides surrounded by the back lanes and facades of the shop houses with only one main road along the longer edge of the site.
02 ISSUES
In the history, Kluang town is developed by the British during the colonial period to be used as agriculture land for rubber trees plantation, while the railways were built to ease the transportation of goods and man power. However, agriculture sector had no longer be the main sector in Kluang today, but the tertiary. As Kluang is a township of agriculture, the development of this sector should not be neglected. Referring to Rancangan Tempatan Daerah Kluang 2030, there are a lots of land outside of the town area which are being utilized as agriculture land. However, the land used for the plantation of foods and vegetables is less than 1% of the overall land.
Agriculture is one of the basic and important sector as it produces raw materials for our daily usage as well as food, which is the basic necessity for all forms of life. As a human, a system from planting to consuming had been established since human civilazation existed for the sake of surviving. However, this reason is no longer valid after human civilization comes to a more comfortable environment. We started to demand more from the quality of food in all forms. Therefore, it is important for us to pay attention on the source of food, as well as the development of agriculture sector to secure the quantity and quality of food. In global context, food security issues had always been one of the most discussed topic due to the rapidly increasing population where people are looking for ways to increase food productivity, security as well as alternative food source.
People moves into city
Increasing population
Long transport supply chain
Food security
Along with the increasing world population, more and more people are moving into the city. This increases the demand for food in the city while the production power by the agriculture activity operated at the rural areas remained the same. This lead to the issue where less sources will need to supply to a wider area, creating long transport supply chain which result in the increase in carbon footprint as well as the price of raw food materials. As the result, food security might happens due to high demand but low production. Being as the township of agriculture, Kluang is having the potential to be developed in its agriculture sector, especially in the plantation of fruits and vegetables (food) to aware the public on the food security issues. Therefore, a call had made to design an urban farming centre in the town area of Kluang.
Urban Farming Manifesto
Aim: To make Kluang as a starting point in dealing with possible food security issues in the future.
Objectives:
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To spread awareness and agriculture knowledge by establishing urban farming centre which integrates with gastronomy and tourism.
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To take care farmers’ welfare, allow strong social connection and knowledge transfer with urban society.
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To cut off current unsustainable transport supply chain by embracing farm-to-table concept and organic agriculture.
Integration of agriculture with various necessity programs in town allows social connections between farmers and the town community, which is lacking in the past. These social connections able to boost the exposure of agriculture knowledge and awareness among town community, due to the fact that farmers had become a part of the town instead of staying far away in rural area.
03 CONCEPT
A. G. T PROGRAM INTEGRATION
SITE ANALYSIS
BUILDING PLANNING
In general, Kluang A.G.T Creative Hub is designed as a 5 storeys building to accommodate the programs of market, community and event, workshop, urban farming, research and development, and lastly management.
Starting from ground floor is the public space such as lobby and market place which allows the visitor to buy the organic food and vegetables produced in the building from the farmers to cut off long transport supply chain by eliminating middle man.
First floor accommodate the community and event space such as multipurpose hall to allow the organization of community event to attract more visitors and expose them with the idea of urban farming. Cafe is located in this floor as well.
Starting from second floor, the building program is getting more private where it is the management level. This floor function to manage the operation of building, as well as space for the discussion with client to start urban farming business.
Third floor is designed as the workshop area to provide knowledges on urban farming, where only people guided by authority person will be allowed to access.
Fourth floor is a completely private area for the farmers to carry out urban farming as well as research and development programs.
PLANTING MODULAR
Throughout the building, planting modular is designed and located at the north and south of every floor except ground floor to maximize the plantation area which uses natural sunlight. Besides, by having these planting modular throughout the building, it also act as exhibits to showcase the public and users of the building on how urban farming works, exposing them with relevant knowledges.
04 BOARDS
05 VIDEO