Project Name: Food Desert Caravan
>> A proposal for a mobile fresh fruit and produce store, built in a retrofitted city transit bus, to restore
urban food access to low income communities. <<
Project Type:
6) architecture
Project Mission/Goal:
4) address humanitarian crises - using a re-purposed city transit bus to serve as a mobile grocery store to Chicago's food deserts.
Project Description:
The Food Desert Caravan is a proposal for a mobile store, built in a retrofitted city transit bus, to restore
urban food access. The Caravan will focus on providing fresh fruit and produce. A July 2006 study sheds light on a major facet of community disinvestment in Chicago’s African-American communities: the lack of grocery stores. The study examines the phenomenon of “food deserts," described as “communities with little or no access to grocery stores and quality, nutritious food choices." Roughly one in six Chicago residents lives in a food desert. The report demonstrated statistically significant relationships between food access and diet-related disease, including diabetes and obesity, and premature death. A significant part of the cost and risk in grocery retail lies in real estate. This involves tremendous cost, and is an irreversible decision once made. Minimizing the real estate aspect of the business could reduce start-up costs and lower risk for a new enterprise.
Parameters and Design Considerations:
- Chicago Transit Authority bus
- Four season operation
- Green, sustainable and energy efficient technologies (i.e., bio-diesel fuel, solar-powered sound
system, reused materials, etc.)
- Appropriate shelving, refrigeration and storage for produce
- Accessible/universal design
- Storage area for packaged pre-ordered produced boxes/bags
- Space for income generating signage/advertisements
- Easy loading and unloading produce
- Space for point of purchase area
- Area for educational and promotional materials
- Speedy Construction (easily replicated)
The Chicago Public Transit Authority has agreed to donate a bus to the project, helping to move forward with scheduling and the budget.
Links and Captions:
http://www.afh-chicago.org/
Project Details: (Per project detail form)
Location: Chicago, Illinois (United States)
Concept/Lead Architect(s)/Designer(s): Architecture for Humanity Chicago Chapter
Project Architect(s): Architecture for Humanity Chicago Chapter
Project Partner(s): Food Desert Action, Good City, Architecture for Humanity Chicago Chapter
Year (s): September 2009 - December 2010
Client: Food Desert Action
User Client: Chicago residents
Number of beneficiaries/users: Chicago's food desert residents
Project Phase: concept design / fund-raising
Major Funding: Chase Foundation, Polk Brothers, USGBC/Greenbuild, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago Transit Authority
Cost/Cost per unit: TBD
Area (if applicable): +/- 400 sq.ft.
Structural Engineers: N/A
Electrical/Mechanical Engineers: N/A
Contractor/Manufacturer: TBD
Additional Consultants: N/A
Other:
Nominated by: Frederika Zipp
