LOCAL HOMEMADE HEALTHY RICHMOND PURE FARM FRESH ORGANIC NATURAL SWEETS FRESH BAKERY COMMUNITY SUSTAINABLE

Chelsea Kirk Senior Thesis Proposal Fall 2008

PROPOSAL . . . . . . . Why did I choose to design an organic local bakery?

RESEARCH . . . . . . . The facts on eating local, organic food.

PRECEDENTS . . . . . .Richmond is lacking in the organic bakery department.

PROGRAMMING . . . . What kind of spaces are needed in a bakery?

BUILDING ANALYSIS . . The future home of fresh, local sweets.

REFERENCES . . . . . . Sources for information

and photos.

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baking pan out of the oven realizing, I made this with a bit of flour and some hard work.

This love of baking has carried into my adult life, and I spend many a nights in the kitchen with my Kitchenaid mixer trying out new rec-ipes that I’ve created. Having been raised vegetarian and vegan for 4 years, every-thing I make is free of all animal ingredients. I also try to use local organic ingredients to make my baked goods as healthy and sustainable as possible. This belief in using pure, organic ingredients to make treats and delicious indulgences is what inspired me to design the Richmond Organic Bakery.

I believe that there has been a huge discon-nect in our culture when it comes to food. What used to be small family farms growing crops to be turned into food has now be-come a huge industrialization of agriculture that produces low quality, genetically modi-fied food to be shipped to all corners of the world. With the change in family life, home-

made meals have been replaced with TV dinners and cheap, over processed snack cakes. The impacts of this change can be seen in the environment, our health, and our local communities.

The pendulum has swung so far in this di-rection of low quality processed foods and I believe with the organic farming and local, “100 mile diet” movements becoming stron-ger and stronger, the pendulum is beginning to swing back to a healthier, more sustain-able way of eating.

The Richmond Organic Bakery will be a warm, intimate space that will showcase the prod-ucts and invite its customers to stay and unwind. Using local, organic ingredients, the bakery will serve the city of Richmond the best quality baked goods possible. After all, we should all be able to have our cake and eat it too.

What inspired the Richmond Organic Bakery?

There is something truly special about bakeries that can only be experienced by being inside one. The smell of vanilla and warm sugar permeate the air, inviting you in to gaze at the rows of baked treats ready for your choosing. Swirls of sweet icing top cupcakes, powdered sugar dusts cookies and brownies, and suddenly you feel like you’re five years old all over again.

I have a long, personal history with bakeries. My mother worked at a bakery when she was pregnant with me; she even got the idea for my name because of a cake that read, “Happy Birthday, Chelsea!” I have fond memories of going into our local bakery with my dad and giving lollipops to the women behind the counters in exchange for a cook-ie. My mother always let my sister and I help when she was baking, and I will never forget the satisfying feeling when we pulled the

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RESEARCH

Why organic?

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Organic farming is a method of growing vegetables and fruits without using pesticides, fertilizers, and genetically modified organisms that are used in traditional farming methods. Utilizing more natural forms of agriculture, organ-ic farms use composting, green manure, crop rotation, and other environmentally sustainable practices to produce the highest quality and best tasting crops.

Traditional agriculture currently uses up to 300 different kinds of pesticides to grow the foods available in our local supermarkets. These pesticides are proven to cause se-rious health issues, including infertility, birth defects, and even more serious issues such as cancer.

Pesticides and fertilizers also pose a major threat to the environment. When pesticides are regularly sprayed onto our crops, they eventually end up in our soil, rivers, ground water, and eventually our plates. In fact, US consumers can experience up to 70 daily exposures to pesticide residues on the food we eat.

Organic farming eliminates these hazards by utilizing more natural forms of agriculture. Organic farms use compost-ing, green manure, crop rotation, and other environmental-ly sustainable practices to produce the highest quality and best tasting crops.

2,763miles

811miles

785 miles

2,668

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miles2,763miles

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In the United States, produce travels an average of 1,500 miles from the farm in which it is grown to our refrigera-tors. This transportation of food across great distances, using refrigerated trucks, planes, ships and airplanes, burns an enormous amount of fossil fuels that contrib-utes to global warming.

Eating food that is grown within a 100 mile radius of where you live is a great way to curb these emissions. The less distance the food needs to travel means less fossil fuels, little to no preservatives, and it keeps the food dollars in the local community.

The United States has lost over 650,000 family farms in the past decade. When family farms go out of business, rural communities begin to deteriorate. Supporting local farms boosts the community’s economy by protecting local jobs, shops, and farm stands.

This chart shows how many miles these items travel from the farms they are grown in to be sold in Virginia. Most of our produce comes from the opposite side of the country and beyond, even though all of these items can be found within a 100 mile radius of Richmond, Virginia.

= 100 miles

ApplesAsparagusBlackberriesBlueberriesBroccoliCantaloupesCucumbers GrapesGreen BeansGreen Peppers SpinachNectarinesPeachesPumpkins RaspberriesSquashStrawberriesSweet CornTomatoesWatermelon

Produce grown in Virginia

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Where will the bakery get its food from?

Richmond Organic Bakery will buy only local, organic produce from farms within a 100 mile radius of Rich-mond, Virginia. This will support local Virginia farms while providing the freshest and healthiest ingredients for our baked goods.

The bakery will have a composting system to allow for all food waste, from the kitchen to the dining area, to be broken down into organic matter. The compost material will then be returned back to the farms for use in farm-ing and planting. Most food products go from farm, to grocery store, to refrigerator, to food, to landfill. Com-posting will reduce the volume of food waste sent to the landfill and close the circle between the farm and the food products.

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Why vegan?

So far we’ve learned about eating organic and locally grown food and how truly ben-eficial it is to our bodies and the Earth. The Richmond Organic Bakery is dedicated to providing the most healthy and environ-mentally sustainable food products possi-ble. This is why it is not only a local and or-ganic bakery but a vegan bakery as well.

Veganism is a lifestyle that chooses not to use or consume animal products and by-products. The reasons for adopting a vegan diet vary from personal health, en-vironmental, and ethical concerns, all of which are backed by extensive evidence to support each and every issue.

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HEALTHAnimal-free diets support a lifetime of good health and pro-vides protection against numerous diseases, including our nation’s biggest killers; cancer, heart disease, and stroke. People who chose an animal-free diet are 50% less likely to develop heart disease, 40% less likely to develop can-cer, and on average live to be 6-10 years longer than those who eat meat. A vegan diet provides us with all the nec-essary nutrients without all the cholesterol, saturated fat, and contaminants found in animal products.

ENVIRONMENTAnimal agriculture and production is a major contributor to land degradation, water shortages, climate change, and air and water pollution. A 2006 United Nations report conclud-ed that the meat industry produces more greenhouse gas-es than all the SUV’s, trucks, cars, planes, and ships in the world combined. Every single stage of the meat and dairy industry involves heavy pollution and massive amounts of greenhouse gases and energy consumption; all of which can be drastically improved just be adopting a vegan diet and lifestyle.

ETHICALModern factory farming jam packs innocent animals in tiny cages or sheds to live a short, torturous life that ends in a gruesome and violent slaughter. The horrors of the meat and dairy industry are impossible to sum up in a few sen-tences, but there are thousands of videos and resources available that shows a glimpse into the unnecessary suf-fering that so many people are unaware of. This is why the ethical and animal rights reasons for becoming vegan are sometimes paramount to all others.

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PRECEDENTS

PATIESSIER CHOCOLATIERClaudio Colucci Design

Tokyo, Japan

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Can a design be inspired by the product being sold?

Frederic Scailteur wanted the design of his chocolatier to reflect his use of 100% natural ingredients in his chocolates and pastries. Matcha, or green tea powder, and olives were the inspiration behind Claudio Colucci’s design for his store.

Specializing in decadent chocolates, the chocolatier’s cool shades of green showcase the delicacies on display.

I feel Colucci achieved his goal in creating a warm, sophisticated space by gaining inspiration from the product being sold; natural, hand crafted confections.

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MX Steve Leung, Alan Chan

Hong Kong, China

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Can a restaurant that serves cheap, fast food look like a million bucks?

Interior architect Steve Leung joined with graphic designer Alan Chan to re-brand this fast food chain in Hong Kong, China. White fiberglass furniture defines the dining area creating a relaxed, retro look to the space.

In this case the food wasn’t the inspira-tion for the design. Instead the new logo for the restaurant, a “blooming heart,”

and an emphasis on bold graphics lead the design for the space. 16 custom pieces of art by various artists line the walls of the restaurant, with each piece intending to embody the thoughts and emotions of the employees and cus-tomers who use the space.

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PINKBERRYYoung Lee Designs

California and New York

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Can stores that sell healthy ver-sions of popular treats be sought after?

Pinkberry is an up-scale, frozen yogurt chain with 61 locations in California and New York. It’s low-sugar, low-fat take on frozen yogurt have become all the rage with Hollywood stars and those who seek healthy treats.

Young Lee designed the interior for Pinkberry stores. He wanted the space to feel like “a hot summer day where you are rewarded with ice cream at the end of the day.” He went with a retro-modern look with Philippe Stark’s Ghost Chairs and Le Klint Lamps that reminded him of frozen yogurt swirls.

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NOOCHX NOODLE BARKarim Rashid, Inc.

Singapore

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How can the design reflect the product that is sold in the space?

The fast food version of an estab-lished restaurant chain, Noochx is one of many food stations inside a shopping mall’s food court. Karim Rashid’s concept was to bring a more conceptual and human-centered de-sign into the world of standard food

court restaurants. He chose bright technical colors and curvilinear forms to create a high-energy space that emphasizes the speed and move-ment of a fast food cafe.

His design proves that the restau-rant’s location, a shopping mall, does not have to dictate it’s design.

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PROGRAMMING

My first step in programming the Richmond Or-ganic Bakery was to establish how goods and services would move through the bakery. This allowed me to determine what kind of spaces would be needed and the equipment that would be required for the bakery.

How will items move through the space?

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DINING: Dine-in customers have tables and chairs as well as built in booths to stay and eat. A custom waste disposal station allows for both recycling and composting any scraps.

SALES: Bakery cases are needed to display the goods for sale. A cash wrap with a service counter for wrapping items and for customers to return their dishes.

PRODUCTION: Appliances such as mixers and ovens are required to make the goods, as well as work surfaces for kneading dough and other assembly jobs.

STORAGE: A space is needed for dry storage as well as refrigerators and freezers for produce and perishables. Shelving for equipment and racks for storing baked goods are also needed in the space.

DELIVERY: Fresh ingredients and supplies are delivered to the bakery.

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KITCHEN

STORAGE

DINING

RESTROOM

SERVICE

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How will the space be used?

Richmond Organic Bakery has three main spaces: the kitchen, service area, and din-ing area. In addition to the main spaces there will be a 100 square foot storage room for dry storage and supplies, and an ADA compliant restroom for customers and employees. The bakery’s kitchen will be fully equipped for baking organic breads, pastries, various types of cakes, muffins, and sweets such as cookies, brownies, and bars.

The service area will have three large refrig-erated cases for displaying the products as well as work space for making coffee and preparing orders.

Booths, four top, and two top tables will be provided in the dining area for customers who choose to stay and eat. This will be a cozy, informal space where customers can feel comfortable to stay and relax while en-joying their baked treats and coffee.

What are the needs for each space?

KITCHEN: • Refrigerator • Freezer • Oven • Range • Mixer • Sink • Dishwasher • Racks • Work surfaces

STORAGE: • Shelving • Storage bins

SERVICE: • Refrigerated display cases • Espresso machine • Coffee machine • Beverage case • Cabinets and shelving • Dishes and utensils • Cash wrap • Order/Pick-up counter • Work surfaces

DINING: • Booths • 4 top tables • 2 top tables • Chairs/seating • Coffee station • Waste disposal station

RESTROOM: • ADA toilet and sink • Storage cabinets

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BUILDING ANALYSIS

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Where will the bakery be located?

The site chosen for the Richmond Organic Bakery is 2820 West Cary Street in Rich-mond’s own historic Carytown.

Carytown is an urban retail district that lines Cary Street in the southern end of the Mu-seum District. The home of over 300 shops, restaurants, and offices, Carytown’s wide variety of eccentric shops and boutiques is not only a tourist attraction but also a place for Richmonder’s to shop and dine.

The site is located just a few doors down from Richmond’s historic Byrd Theatre, which draws hundreds of people every weekend for $2 movies. Local bars, coffee shops, and cafe’s attract people of all ages to Carytown.

Carytown is a busy part of town that brings in a lot of foot traffic as well as vehicle traf-fic, assuring that the bakery will be seen and attract customers. The building is right along the bus line as well. The site is close to many major roads in Richmond, including

Main Street, Boulevard, and the Downtown expressway. Other landmarks that are in close distance to the site are Byrd Park, Maymont, the James River, and many of Richmond’s museums including the Virginia Museum of Fine Art.

Ellwood Thompson’s, a local organic mar-ket, is only blocks away from the site. The market is Richmond’s only organic mar-ket, providing a wide array of local, organic products to health and environmentally con-scious customers. The store’s success has recently allowed them to expand their store, which proves that the location is suc-cessful for reaching its target customers.

With the appeal of Carytown’s shops and restaurants along with the great resource that is Ellwood Thompson’s, I believe that this site will be perfect for the Richmond Organic Bakery.

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First floor Second floor

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The building chosen for the Richmond Organic Bakery is a two story general retail space. The site used to be the home of one of Richmond’s most popular theatres, The Carillion. The space is currently being used for Cart-wheels and Coffee, a play place and coffee cafe for par-ents to take their infants and preschoolers.

BUILDING DOCUMENTATION

YEAR BUILT: 1935

SQUARE FOOTAGE: Total for building: 5,920Total for space: 2,016

NUMBER OF FLOORS: 2

ENTRANCES: 2

STAIRS: 1

DOORS: 9

WINDOWS: 10

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BUILDING ANALYSIS

OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION: A2

CONSTRUCTION TYPE: III

ALLOWABLE AREA: 14,000 SQ FT

ALLOWABLE NUMBER OF FLOORS: 3

OCCUPANT LOAD: 15 SQ FT PER PERSON

REQUIRED EXITS: 1

REQUIRED PLUMBING: 1 UNISEX RESTROOM, 1 SERVICE SINK

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REFERENCES

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Sustainable Table www.sustainabletable.org

100 Mile Diet www.100milediet.org

Claudio Colluci Design www.colluci-design.com

Architectural Record www.archrecord.com

Flickr www.flickr.com

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