dekalb market /
pop-up farm /
madison ave apt /
30 rock /
5th st slope / t + h /
little theater / pour / greenstop / homefree / porto /
5th st slope / t + h /
little theater / pour / greenstop / homefree / porto /
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An uncommon oasis, the 15,000 square foot Riverpark Farm joins a growing movement in urban agriculture, using unconventional spaces and technologies for crop harvesting within a densely populated environment.
Riverpark restaurant owners Tom Colicchio, Sisha Ortuzar and Jeffrey Zurofsky approached ORE with the challenge of creating a farm at 29th St. and 1st Ave. in Manhattan to provide their kitchen with fresh produce not readily available in the city. The location, a stalled construction site adjacent to the restaurant, would be available until construction resumes on a new tower. It was thereby determined it would be crucial for the farm to be portable.
The design of the milk crate has evolved, independently, over hundreds of years to be lightweight, portable by one person, strong, durable, and stackable. Furthermore, milk crates come in standard dimensions, meaning that the construction of the farm wasn't tied to any one manufacturer. Rather than starting from scratch, the milk crate presented a ready-made design solution for Riverpark's needs.
ORE's design uses cubic-foot milk crates as individual planters, keeping weight low and planting density high so all 3,000 plants can be moved in as little as one day, as they were in preparation for Hurricane Irene. The milk crates are lined with landscape fabric and filled with top soil, peat moss, and perlite soil, creating an air pocket that allows for air and water transfer with limited soil erosion. They are placed on top of empty crates, creating a space for aeration and drainage. The modular nature of the milk crate permits easy, rapid movement of individual plants, enabling the farmers to rotate them in and out of the sun as needed. It also affords simple soil replacement, maximizing the efficiency of the farm as a whole. The mobile design allowed for planting before the project's construction began, ensuring this year's growing season would not be missed.
ORE sourced all the farm's materials from local growers and manufacturers. ORE also designed a dining area that is integrated into the farm. Guests to Riverpark can now actually dine among the very plants from which their meal comes, providing a one of a kind culinary experience.
Riverpark restaurant owners Tom Colicchio, Sisha Ortuzar and Jeffrey Zurofsky approached ORE with the challenge of creating a farm at 29th St. and 1st Ave. in Manhattan to provide their kitchen with fresh produce not readily available in the city. The location, a stalled construction site adjacent to the restaurant, would be available until construction resumes on a new tower. It was thereby determined it would be crucial for the farm to be portable.
The design of the milk crate has evolved, independently, over hundreds of years to be lightweight, portable by one person, strong, durable, and stackable. Furthermore, milk crates come in standard dimensions, meaning that the construction of the farm wasn't tied to any one manufacturer. Rather than starting from scratch, the milk crate presented a ready-made design solution for Riverpark's needs.
ORE's design uses cubic-foot milk crates as individual planters, keeping weight low and planting density high so all 3,000 plants can be moved in as little as one day, as they were in preparation for Hurricane Irene. The milk crates are lined with landscape fabric and filled with top soil, peat moss, and perlite soil, creating an air pocket that allows for air and water transfer with limited soil erosion. They are placed on top of empty crates, creating a space for aeration and drainage. The modular nature of the milk crate permits easy, rapid movement of individual plants, enabling the farmers to rotate them in and out of the sun as needed. It also affords simple soil replacement, maximizing the efficiency of the farm as a whole. The mobile design allowed for planting before the project's construction began, ensuring this year's growing season would not be missed.
ORE sourced all the farm's materials from local growers and manufacturers. ORE also designed a dining area that is integrated into the farm. Guests to Riverpark can now actually dine among the very plants from which their meal comes, providing a one of a kind culinary experience.