Peri-Urban Aquaponic Infrastructure
Patrick Fryer

Description:
The aquaponic infrastructure aims to reduce food milage, fertiliser and pesticide use and activate a low energy food industry in a peri-urban district of Xiamen; Tong’An. A detailed spatial analysis of the district’s expanding industrial land and shrinking agricultural land pinpoints the location for the intervention. The prototype forms a series of veins of aquaponic greenhouses which form physical links between developed and rural typologies. Perpendicular to these veins there is a complex system of nutrient flow which fertilises both the aquaponics and conventional agriculture on surrounding lands organically. The infrastructure forms a boundary within which other typologies are input; food processing industries, housing, community amenities and aquaponic retrofit workshops. The retrofit workshops produce the aquaponic harware with which to retrofit the expansive facades of existing factories in the area. This combination of new aquaponic crop production, refrofitted productive facades and organically converted agriculture forms a low energy agrocentric district Co-Operative.

Branding:
The scheme will be highly profitable and must appeal to many groups; current farming, existing local industries, developers and planners. Branding is paramount to ensure all groups are willing to form the Co-Operative

Earth:
Spatial analysis is important in correctly placing the prototype’s veins. The aquaponic infrastructure is flexible as are the other typology inputs to deal with different locations sensitively.

Flow:
Nutrient flow is key to the entire concept and must be carefully balanced in a symbiosis between fish, aquaponic food production, conventional agriculture and the food processing industries that service these.

Incorporation:
Flow in negotiations and management of the Co-Op are central to the PT working in all of its operational fields efficiently.