Catherine Bergeron - Urban Sprout

Urban Sprout is an indoor vertical farm and urban nature education center striving to bring fresh, nutritious produce to the residents living in a food desert and drought-stricken area. Located in the heart of Oakland, CA, Urban Sprout promotes sustainability and connection with open indoor vertical farming exhibition spaces, produce market, indoor growing supplies, cafe, and interactive learning opportunities. Along with creating a food source that is sustainable and guaranteed healthy, Urban Sprout aims to educate its surrounding community about hydroponic and aeroponic gardening, how to care for different types of plants, and the benefits of growing your own food at home.

Urban Sprout’s crop yield helps to combat issues creating food insecurities, such as climate change, natural disasters, and the rising costs of nutritious foods and fresh produce, by creating a sustainable indoor urban farm in a food desert. Hydroponic farming creates a new source of fresh food while also using up to 95% less water than conventional farming practices. Urban Sprout strives to strengthen people’s relationship with plants and healthy foods, which are commonly not easily accessible to areas such as low-income communities and food deserts. Having the ability to feed the community is a goal that is just as important as educating and providing people with the supplies needed to begin their own indoor garden.

1918 Martin Luther King Jr Way

Oakland, CA 94612

Urban Sprout is located in central Oakland, California. Because hydroponic and aeroponic farms produce at such a fast rate, they can keep a constant flow of fresh produce to different locations in Oakland. The goal is to give families the resources to grow their food and not be dependent on grocery stores that sell no produce or are located miles away.

Site Analysis

Sun Diagram

Building Section Process

Retail Space Planning

Indoor Growing Area Space Planning

Cafe Space Planning

Urban Sprout is a hybrid building including an indoor farm, cafe, retail, and education and interactive learning opportunities. Upon entering, guests have the choice to shop in the produce market and retail space or travel up the central monumental stair to Urban Sprout’s other amenities. The first floor retail area offers fresh produce grown in the facility, like vegetables and herbs as well as small hydroponic systems and planting supplies for people to grow their produce at home. The indoor vertical farming systems create an exhibition experience, as it can be viewed from several different levels. Offices and employee spaces are located on the second level. Additionally, the basement houses a lab for research and observations as well as washing and packaging stations for the produce. The third level classroom provides a space for educational opportunities to learn about hydroponic planting, how to care for different types of plants, and the benefits of growing your own food at home. Along with creating a food source that is sustainable and healthy, the fourth level acts as Urban Sprout’s cafe, which serves foods and juices made from their produce. Interior and storefront design created a space suitable for events and market opportunities open to the public to give out produce and encourage others to come back to Urban Sprout.

The process begins below the building's first floor with seed germination and plant propagation in a controlled environment. The lab provides a space for continuous observations and research.

When the crops are ready to harvest, they return to the basement, where they are cleaned and packaged.

Urban Sprout grows several varieties of produce, including:

Romaine Lettuce, Iceberg Lettuce, Butterhead Lettuce, Lolla Rossa Lettuce, Arugula, Kale, Spinach, Cabbage, Tomato, Cucumber, Yellow Squash, Zucchini, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Bell Pepper, Strawberry, Basil, Parsley, Cilantro, Oregano, Chives, Rosemary, Dill, and Micro Greens

Entrance & Reception

Employee Offices & Micro Growing Space

Urban Sprout's central monumental staircase allows people to experience the processes and inner workings of an indoor farm as they ascend from the first level to the fourth level.

The classroom and interactive learning space have an overlooking view of the main hydroponic growing area. The learning space presents many different buttons- one representing each crop. When pressed, the screens project information about each crop's specific indoor environmental growing needs.

Interactive Learning Space

Interactive Learning Space Elevation

Indoor Growing Space and Control Area

Hydroponic Growing Systems

The staircase leads up to the cafe, which serves fresh-grown produce and juices. The cafe has a direct view of the indoor growing space below, as well as the growing systems on the top level.