logan osborn

the hub

The Hub on Plank Road provides a space for locals to visit local businesses, learn about and obtain healthy food options, and come together as a community. The main demographics are employees of local businesses along Plank Road stopping on their lunch break or during their commute, families coming in the evening from the nearby neighborhoods, and students coming after school during the week.

The buildings use a space truss system with three main variations to create unique experiences tailored to each program. These truss systems frame the central green space that is used as an outdoor farmers’ market that draws everyone together.

The panelized façade system allows for specialization for each business that inhabits each space. For example, in retail areas shelving units are built into the panels while in restaurant serving areas the lower panels can become counter seating with serving windows above. These variations allow the space to be customized to the businesses renting the space at the time while making it easy to change out tenants.

The greenhouse trusses allow for large curtainwalls on the south and east sides without much structure blocking sunlight from entering. Adjustable growing pods suspended from the truss are used for the growth of herbs and vegetables for the market and for the restaurants renting space in the building. Each pod can be individually adjusted to raise and lower depending on the time of day and the angle of the sunlight in order to optimize growth and allow for the greenhouse to become a destination that visitors can inhabit.

Rooftop farming bays are located on the large truss system to provide a more public farming space that locals can access all day for free. The structure of the trusses form walkways between them and then growing shelves are placed on the south side of each truss to get the most daylight.