Revitalising old factories and warehouses (Part 2)

Tassafaronga Village, Oakland, the US

TASSAFARONGA Village is a sustainable and affordable green development. It is one of the first projects to receive a LEED for Neighbourhood Development Gold Plan rating.

The 7½-acre development has lots of open and green spaces in the form of pathways and pockets parks. In addition, the homes use electricity and hot water generated from the sun.

Part of this affordable housing scheme in Oakland used to be a defunct pasta factory. The factory, along with some unused industrial land, was transformed into affordable housing and a community clinic.

The homes were built in partnership with Habitat for Humanity, whereby deserving families pitch in 500 hours to build the homes in return for a very low interest mortgage to buy these homes. There are also three-storey apartments that are available for very low rent.

Value Farm, Shenzhen, China

INSPIRED by Hong Kong’s rooftop farms, Value Farm is designed to create value by cultivating the land through a collective effort, says its architect Thomas Chung.

“Besides creating a green oasis above the urban chaos, reconnecting city dwellers with nature and the therapeutic hands-on experience of growing crops, urban farming offers a more sustainable, secure and accessible food supply as well as pointing to an attitude and lifestyle change,” Chung said in a statement.

Value Farm is part of Value Factory, which used to be the Shekou Former Guangdong Glass Factory that has undergone rapid rejuvenation.

The old factory’s stairs cores were turned into platforms and open pavilions for future activities, while plots of varying depths were built for growing different types of produce.

An irrigation pond, integrated sprinkler system, nursery and projection room and exhibition facilities were added to the farm. Nowadays, markets and tasting sessions are held on site.

Watch out for Part 3 (Final)!

Related story:
Revitalising old factories and warehouses (Part 1)

This article first appeared in the “Sustainable living” focus of property, a section of the digitaledge WEEKLY, on Aug 31, 2015. Subscribe here.