The challenge of creating an urban center that combines agriculture, commercial, and civic program prompted me to create a type of gateway that would provide the community with public indoor and outdoor spaces.  The southwest corner of the site is a main street entrance into Weinland Park; I used this to form a diagonal axis across the site connecting the main street to the neighborhood.  On the axis I established two sets of program; one as the commercial program and settlement house, and the other as a continuous farmer’s market.  These two bars connect to form the building; the bar’s points of intersection become essential locations for circulation and public space.

    I created another axis connecting the opposite corners of the site creating a large public walkway.  Where the two axis intersect becomes a large public space formed from the surrounding agriculture.  The crops terrace downward to create the public space and other features like the amphitheater and circulation to access different parts of the site.  Together the building and agriculture form a public center and main gateway for Weinland Park.