COOP CO OP

by Rukhsar Zahid

Name

Rukhsar Zahid

Course

MArch Architecture

Coop Co Op is a co-operative village that extrapolates traditions from the hutong typologies to bring the wild nature of the chickens into the urban landscape. The courtyards in this hum-hen desakota bring the farm closer to the home, create a humble exchange between chickens and humans, challenge conventional farming practices and alter our relationship with the food we consume. The villagers rescue ex layer hens from slaughter and breed chickens in Longford to meet Heathrow Airport’s increasing demand for eggs. In this protected environment, the chickens have the autonomy to roam freely fertilising the village landscapes whilst humans culture synthetic meat in a lab environment. The animals work together in the cooperative courtyard for the cultivation of potatoes to serve the food industry. Byproducts from humans and chickens help create sustainable bio-bricks and feather based insulation for the self built live-work courtyard dwellings. All waste produced is converted to energy to power the courtyards and the coop greenhouse benefits from the additional thermal mass gained from nesting and roosting chicken’s. The residents lifestyle adapts to the chicken’s circadian rhythm and consumers are offered a unique dining experience with chickens on the bridge extension above the motorway.