AppHarvest — Kupcho

CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE

Various Locations

2021 - 2023

Role: Project Architect

Collaborating Partners: MEP/FP, Structural, Process Engineers & Greenhouse Manufacturers

Design-Build Partnership with Clayco Construction

AppHarvest was in need of an architect to provide a “front door” for their 25 acre grow facilities in Richmond, Kentucky; and Berea, Kentucky. Working closely with the contractor as well as the process engineering team, we were quickly able to design and build the facilities shown below. The first is the flagship location at Richmond, Kentucky. This project faces local highway and serves to provide a more aesthetically welcoming view of the otherwise massive, imposing structure. The exterior is insulated metal panel with glass storefront throughout. The large overhang were provided to ensure employees would have exterior space to congregate during their breaks, shielded from the hot southern sun.

View of from employee entrance to site.

Front elevation of office and employee break building.

AppHarvest was focused on keeping branding visible from the passing highway.

Future development will turn the front lawn into a plaza for the AppHarvest employees.

Employee Break Room with view of front lawn.

Employee entry into the workspace including full washdown capability.

3D section through break space into future front plaza space.

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Bright Farms contracted LJC and Clayco as design-builders for a series of large scale grow facilities and packaging houses. The two projects featured here, in Yorkville, IL; and Macon, GA, were the first two of a five that were anticipated to be built throughout the country. Each project was expected to blend the functional requirements of the facilities, while also providing their own distinct aesthetic that the company was hoping could aid in their rebranding efforts. The facility in GA, in particular, was expected to be more prominent as this was to be the client’s eventual headquarters. The projects also required close collaboration between architects, interior designers, landscape designers, builders, and process engineers.

Unfortunately, the projects were eventually put on hold while the client reconfigured their financial expectations.

Entry into BrightFarms, Yorkville

Each project was anticipated to have room to grow. The initial builds were to consist of one headhouse for packaging and one module containing two 25-acre greenhouses.

Module 1 alongside the packaging house.

Program layout for day one to occupy roughly half the footprint of the packaging house. This build was to include a layout for the office space with a break room looking out over the front lawn.

The future construction of module 2 would require added packaging capacity within the headhouse, so the program was scaled to provide space for future expansion.

In all manufacturing project, the flow of people, goods, and services is paramount to the space’s ultimate form.

For their flagship development in Macon, Georgia, we attempted to create a stylish, modern version of the traditional industrial building.

We sought to use materials in unexpected ways, such as a wood framed storefront beneath a panels precast concrete. And of course, the Bright Farms green to be used as a framing element for the entries.

The client was very interested in developing the exterior spaces- had the project ultimately proceeded we would have fully fleshed out and programed this space.

Project to project it was critical to continue to revise the base functionality of the headhouse.

Unique to the facility in Macon was the expectation that they be able to bring tour groups through. The program here included a “horticenter,” intended as a small gallery space to showcase the company history.