2018 The Lab at Urban Farm

The Design Workshop team worked with the Trust for Governors Island to create an environmental learning center on the island. The site is adjacent to three of Governors Island's sustainability and environmental stewardship programs: GrowNYC, Earth Matters, and the Billion Oyster Project. The Lab provides a space to deliver learning experiences aligned with these programs, as well as other environmental and sustainability related initiatives.

The team of graduate students designed an indoor classroom and workspace for up to 30 people, as well as an outdoor event space that extends from the classroom for larger talks and gatherings. The structure had to meet rigorous code and engineering standards due to the challenges of building on an island in NYC and the increasing likelihood of flood and hurricane events. The foundation comprised helical piles, and the wood structure used many sustainable and healthy materials, including natural cork exterior insulation, interior insulation made from natural materials, low VOC finishes, sustainably harvested wood plywood products, and natural bark wood paneling.

I led the construction portion of the project and guided the students through all aspects of budgeting, procurement, timeline, and construction. The project had additional complexity since the only access is by ferry. All material deliveries had size and weight restrictions and required a high level of coordination.