lopez food center
Located on Lopez Island in the San Juan Islands, the Lopez Food Center will become home to both the local Food Share (currently already serving 1,200 individuals on island) and the San Juan Food Hub (an inter-island local food distributor). The organization’s goal goes beyond providing food security to local residents and includes pop-ups and food events, as well as a variety of services and opportunities for local food producers from grant writing to small business courses, equipment co-ops and revolving loan funds.
After holding 6 community forums and meeting one-on-one with community members, the programmatic needs of the building were identified. The Center will include space for food storage, processing, sales and distribution, as well as a community gathering space, and room for training and support.
The site, located near a central cluster of businesses called “the village” on the island, is partly encumbered by a nearby wetland and wetland buffers. The design and engineering team’s challenge was to create an enduring structure that is respectful to the site and maintains the native ecology. For example, the stormwater approach will replenish adjacent site hydrogeology, while rainwater catchment will be utilized for stormwater flow attenuation, in addition to site irrigation and non-potable water reuse.
An overarching design goal was to match the building scale, given the large programmatic need, to a size that would feel appropriate to the scale of the island structures, and the Village in particular, while providing ample accessible outdoor spaces and highlighting the beautiful site.
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Lopez Island, WA
Quantum Construction
Isbell Consulting Engineers
FSi Engineer
Bennett Engineering
Archecology
Ets Architecture