Lucayan Farms
Eluthera, Bahamas
Class
Community Design
Year
2022
Over the course of the semester, my studio and I worked with the One Eleuthera Foundation to develop design plans for the Centre for Training and Innovation on Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas. The project began with comprehensive research and analysis of character and conditions on the site itself as well as the island as a whole. Environmental conditions and factors, geographic location and setting, and island culture were all major components of analysis that strongly informed my design. As a studio, we sought to develop site specific design and master planning solutions for CTI and the community as a whole. My portion of the site consisted of approximately 6 acres of the agriculture area on the south east portion of the site.
Site Plan
Lucayan Farms is designed with the intention of creating an environment that is community oriented with education, sustainability, and growth at the forefront. The design promotes a sense of community and connectivity while fostering continued education. Through this design, CTI has the tools to become a self-sufficient educational hub while staying true to its island character and Eleutheran charm.
Design strategies included improving existing circulation while implementing new circulation throughout the site, creating spaces where community members are welcomed and encouraged, integrating education and sustainability into the programming, and building a campus that will thrive now and in the future.
Food Forest
The food forest is designed with the intent to maximize the production of materials through a permiculture - style approach. Think vertical agriculture. Each layer of the forest boasts an element of productivity. The diverse planting of edible species mimics the patterns found in nature. Each plant takes its place in a layer where it thrives in conditions created by the plants around it. In addition to the food and materials
produced by the forest, this design harnesses the benefits of micro-climate control and the shaded environments produced by the dense vegetation. Adjacent to the forest is an open-air, mixed-use building where classes can be held, meetings can take place, and events can be hosted.
Community Garden
The Eleuthera Family Garden is designed to be a space for the community and by the community. The integration of the compost hub with the vegetable garden is intended to make recycling organic matter and growing your own food accessible, inviting, and convenient for everybody to be involved with. Here, community members can learn how to grow their own food, participate in sustainable practices like recycling organic waste, and spend time with family and friends. West of the vegetable garden is a medicinal garden where traditional bush medicine plants can be grown.
Pollinator Garden
The Yellow Elder Pollinator Garden is designed with education and preservation at the forefront. This botanical garden offers an interactive, educational experience for visitors of all ages. The goal of this design is to inform visitors about native plants, native pollinator species, and how to protect both of them. From learning what plants are best for native pollinators, to experiencing the process of honey production, visitors will leave with the knowledge and power to protect the longevity of their environment.
