MArch Architectural Studies School of Architecture
Yangyu Zheng
The project takes Dalmarnock’s post-industrial context as its starting point, weaving together “urban agriculture—community revitalization—social cohesion” into a central theme: in an environment where vacant land and localized pollution coexist, and which is adjacent to the Clyde River and community networks, agricultural intervention is used to simultaneously advance soil remediation, local food supply, and green accessibility, while embedding everyday encounters and co-governance into residents’ lives.
Three distinct zoning types are designed: A) rooftop greenhouses integrated with residential units, accessible via barrier-free external elevators, extending the growing season and serving as a “greenhouse + leisure” community living space during non-growing periods; B) shared courtyards and community gardens featuring four-season ornamental plants, creating a “light social interface”; C) riverfront strip agriculture transforming vacant land into a continuous production-remediation corridor, with wetlands addressing flood periods and ecological habitats. The entire area is connected by a 5-minute green accessibility network.
In terms of crops and supply, Zone C prioritizes sunflowers, Indian mustard, ryegrass, clover, and other heavy metal-absorbing species; Zone A’s greenhouse focuses on leafy vegetables, herbs, and high-value fruits and vegetables; Zone B is equipped with root vegetables, legumes, and berries, and high-yield areas are planted with potatoes, carrots, sweet corn, etc. Output follows the “short-distance, short-chain” principle, directly supplying residents, neighborhood restaurants, and school/community canteens, with weighing and accounting at nodes for tracking purposes.
Operations follow a dual-track approach: resident-collaborative management and community operators + volunteers working together to maintain the shared courtyard and seasonal green belts. The annual cycle of space and activities is clearly defined as “plowing—seeding—irrigation—harvesting—removal/renewal—food sharing,” ultimately closing the loop of “regeneration—production—learning—sharing” as a sustainable daily routine for the community.
Growing social cohesion: urban agriculture at Dalmarnock, Glasgow
The project takes Dalmarnock’s post-industrial context as its starting point, weaving together “urban agriculture—community revitalization—social cohesion” into a central theme: in an environment where vacant land and localized pollution coexist, and which is adjacent to the Clyde River and community networks, agricultural intervention is used to simultaneously advance soil remediation, local food supply, and green accessibility, while embedding everyday encounters and co-governance into residents’ lives.
Three distinct zoning types are designed: A) rooftop greenhouses integrated with residential units, accessible via barrier-free external elevators, extending the growing season and serving as a “greenhouse + leisure” community living space during non-growing periods; B) shared courtyards and community gardens featuring four-season ornamental plants, creating a “light social interface”; C) riverfront strip agriculture transforming vacant land into a continuous production-remediation corridor, with wetlands addressing flood periods and ecological habitats. The entire area is connected by a 5-minute green accessibility network.
In terms of crops and supply, Zone C prioritizes sunflowers, Indian mustard, ryegrass, clover, and other heavy metal-absorbing species; Zone A’s greenhouse focuses on leafy vegetables, herbs, and high-value fruits and vegetables; Zone B is equipped with root vegetables, legumes, and berries, and high-yield areas are planted with potatoes, carrots, sweet corn, etc. Output follows the “short-distance, short-chain” principle, directly supplying residents, neighborhood restaurants, and school/community canteens, with weighing and accounting at nodes for tracking purposes.
Operations follow a dual-track approach: resident-collaborative management and community operators + volunteers working together to maintain the shared courtyard and seasonal green belts. The annual cycle of space and activities is clearly defined as “plowing—seeding—irrigation—harvesting—removal/renewal—food sharing,” ultimately closing the loop of “regeneration—production—learning—sharing” as a sustainable daily routine for the community.
