Modern homestead : the elemental farmer and the subversion of the agrarian grid

America's Heartland is nearing a state of cardiac arrest. The practice of Industrial agriculture has caused the Central Plains to fail not only environmentally, but socially and economically as well. The problem is not an intrinsically architectural one; but can design, through its practice of rethinking relationships, provide a solution? This thesis is situated on the boundary between Jeffersonian ideals and those of Sustainability. It proposes a linear architecture of synthesis. The final design is a farming infrastructure with the sole purpose of harvesting 'atmospheric crops' such as wind energy, fog, dew and precipitation. Furthermore, new type of farmer is introduced: the Elemental Farmer. His products are precious commodities, and his territory is not bounded by The Grid.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Architecture.

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Phillips, Adele D

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• J. Meejin Yoon.

• Architecture.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/46801

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/46801