BCIT Student - Capstone project- Designing greenhouse community centre

Discussion in 'HortForum' started by Mindie, Oct 3, 2020.

  1. Mindie

    Mindie New Member

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    Hello this is my first time posting to this forum. I am a BCIT student in my graduate year for my interior Design degree. This year we will be focusing on our graduate capstone project. Each of us has the freedom to conceptualize a project that identifies and addresses a need that through design, will positively impact the community.

    I have chosen to design an indoor greenhouse and floriculture community centre. The design will provide the community with year round access to plants and their healing properties; gardening space and masters with knowledge; and also creates a social hub for connecting to others.

    This is a self-directed project that includes intense research, case studies, conceptual designs and drawings, structural interior planning, construction drawings, building code analysis, visual renderings, presentations and much more.

    I am required to find a mentor in the architectural field and also a topic advisor in the horticultural community to help guide my project along. I am reaching out to your form to see if anyone has any tips or advice that may give a little direction. Any advice is appreciated.

    Thank you very much!

    Mindie – (a budding patio gardener fighting earwigs in my dahlias!)
     
  2. Georgia Strait

    Georgia Strait Generous Contributor

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    What an interesting senior project

    I notice you said « indoor »

    In this day and age - I would also be curious about adapting outdoor areas so people can still meet and greet and do community neighbourhood projects out of the rain or hot sun

    I know a coast neighborhood got together recently to build houses for bats - for eg.

    For mentors and input - i imagine you already have some « model » projects in mind?

    And for expertise - I say ask the maintenance persons where you are citing as successful examples — so often plants are specified by design team and installed by landscape contractor — then left to fend on their own with people backing up too fast in car or locking bikes to trees (cuz no proper bike racks in the right spots) — road salt and dog walkers and happy power trimmer owners etc.

    It might help if you clarify the climate and geographic region you are proposing your thesis for. Then someone with expertise can reply more specifically.

    A very interesting project - I look fwd to updates.
     
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  3. Margot

    Margot Renowned Contributor 10 Years

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    Why not contact landscape architectural companies to see if someone might like to mentor you?
     
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  4. Georgia Strait

    Georgia Strait Generous Contributor

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    If your project is a Cdn location - Edmonton is very good at their system of neighbourhoods (community leagues) with outdoor spaces and outdoor activities

    I happened to notice on the news about the opening of a beautiful new OUTDOOR pavilion the other day (I will post link below) to celebrate 100 yrs of Community Leagues in Edmonton.
    Ribbon cut at Edmonton’s newest pavilion built to celebrate a century of community leagues

    ———-
    As Well here is an article about the pavilions in some of the other community parks in Edmonton - the process and the hurdles and working with various users of the park - video interviews.

    https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.1063738

    PS - the Forks in Winnipeg is popular outdoor indoor community place as well
     
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  5. Daniel Mosquin

    Daniel Mosquin Paragon of Plants UBC Botanical Garden Forums Administrator Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    Contact Taylor Scriber at UBC Greenhouses for advice on who to discuss this with: Contact Us | Plant Care Services

    Your topic advisor should be someone who works in greenhouses full-time.

    Another option is Vancouver's Sunset Nursery, which supplies plants for Vancouver's parks: July is harvest time at the Park Board’s Sunset Nursery (mostly annuals, so mostly glasshouse plants for a time). I don't know if the person who I tangentially know is still there, so it may be best to contact the City of Vancouver directly and ask to be put in touch with the nursery supervisor there.
     
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  6. Mindie

    Mindie New Member

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    Thank you for the input Georgia Straight. Clarifying the climate and geographic regions is certainly a great tip and something I will look into! Updates to come...
     
  7. Mindie

    Mindie New Member

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    Yes! Great idea. Thank you.
     
  8. Mindie

    Mindie New Member

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    The Forks in Winnipeg is a great community space. Thank you for the suggestion. I have passed it on to another student who is designing a Makers Lab Centre. Edmonton seems to have good community engagement. I was also looking at the Muttart Conservatory which combines an indoor nursery element with community space. Unfortunately they are closed for renovations.
     
  9. Mindie

    Mindie New Member

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    Thank you very much Daniel Mosquin! I will certainly contact Taylor Scriber and look into Sunset Nursery.
     
  10. Georgia Strait

    Georgia Strait Generous Contributor

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    Reply to Mindie - I wonder if the new St Paul’s Hospital could be a suggested project for a safe visit, clean, pet friendly, peaceful creative space — that is Vancouver weather smart!

    I say suggested because I realize, as your instructor would, of course there’s a formal design process w all the formal stakeholders (Providence Health and VCH etc) however you or your class colleagues could use as an example of healing design interior meets exterior ... there is nothing worse than institutional design disconnect betw interior and exterior

    Thé New St Paul’s — It is to be built next to the historic Pacific Central Stn on Main St / Terminal - 1st Ave ... on thé site of the former Great Northern train stn (look up old pix)

    I suggest this as example project because the U of A Edmonton Hospital has (or had) a lovely and relevant art gallery in the lobby area (I saw old prairie quilts on display - a way of life gone by - and it meant a lot to us and other patients and visitors)

    What I like about your training choice is what a positive and relevant difference good functional indoor outdoor design can make to our shared futures at any age

    And it need not be complicated and expensive. In my amateur opinion :)
    The winter ice path for skaters at the forks in Winnipeg is amazing and very western!
     
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