envisioning the power station as a productive landscape
others| agri-food hub | nus | y3s1 | 2020
producing fresh locally grown food to consumers, advocating closed-loop systems, and a model for a food sustainable city of the future
In the eyes of many, Singapore is a food paradise. Over the island, affordable food is readily available anywhere and at any time. With such an abundance of food, food security is probably the last thing on Singaporeans' minds. But are we Singaporeans taking food for granted? Singapore currently imported over 90% of our food supply, and we produce less than 10% of food locally. What happens if non-domestic importers are unable to supply us with food due to unforeseeable circumstances like global tensions, or natural disasters like floods or droughts that would destroy crops? Could we then reduce our reliance on imported food produce while meeting the demands of a growing nation? Could we be self-sufficient?
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Envisioning the power station as a productive landscape, the project aims to explore ways of being an agri-food hub to produce fresh locally grown food to serve to consumers in the Pasir Panjang Precinct, and how it could possibly act as a model for a future food sustainable city of the future with the focus on developing Singapore's three main food baskets - eggs, vegetables, and fish. The project also aims to advocate a healthy and efficient closed-loop system for the precinct.
In a move targeted to improve food security, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has set the target of producing 30% of Singapore's nutritional needs by 2030. The targets for self-production of eggs are 33%, vegetables 10%, and fish 15%. The amount of area needed to grow these produce was calculated, and the site at Pasir Panjang was estimated to have sufficient area to grow these amount of food and in fact, will exceed the targets set by the SFA, being able to provide for the entire population of Singapore.
The site is zoned into three main production zones - eggs, vegetables, and fish. The power station is located in the middle and is turned into a biogas generator. The warehouse, designed for packing, storage, and delivery, is located near the road for easy access. An educational facility is proposed to be located next to the agri-food hub for future generations to contribute and learn more about the future of food in Singapore. The once linear park has been redesigned with weaving paths to better integrate into the site and engage with the public.
A closed-loop system is encouraged for operations within the compound - the site will produce food, the food is then delivered to consumers, consumers produce leftovers, food waste is collected and turned into bio-gas, the gas produced is then used in the process of producing food, and the entire cycle repeats, creating a sustainable closed-loop system.
