This award-winning urban farm transformed a seven-acre tree nursery into an agriculture center for a culturally diverse area of Seattle. It inspires and educates people to safeguard our natural resources while developing an equitable and sustainable food system. 

Local food production for a neighborhood abundant with immigrant culture means refugees, who were forced to flee their homeland farms, now pass down food, farming traditions, and identity to the next generation through RBUFW. 

At the heart of the farm is the new Classroom Building. The building program was a result of a community-driven process that led to the design of a flexible gathering space and a commercial kitchen for meals and cooking demonstrations. Through kid’s summer camps, and a pay-what-you-can farmstand, RBUFW hosts fresh food-related programs for community-supported agriculture, gardening, beekeeping, and food production. 

The cantilever classroom canopy creates a protected porch for gathering regardless of the weather. Situating the classroom on a slope between two groves of trees at the edge of the site maximizes the arable land in front of the building and minimizes the building profile for the neighbors. An original garden shed was renovated to create space for administration, restrooms, and a conference room.