1881 W I N D L E R FA R M PA R K Book Two | A Regenerative Future Aurora, Colorado
October 2021
1881 WINDLER FARM PARK A Regenerative Future Concept design by Superbloom | Landscape Architecture with Shape Architecture Studio | Sustainable Architecture
Copyright © 2021 Superbloom Book created for the Windler Public Improvements Authority. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the prior written permission of the copyright owner, except for the use of brief quotions in a book review. To request permissions, contact hello@superbloom.net First digital edition October 2021. Edited by Superbloom Book Design and Layout by Superbloom Cover Photo by Rouxby Photography Photographs except where noted by Superbloom. Illustrations by Superbloom, DB Ink and Shape Architecture Studio. Superbloom 23 Lincoln St, #200 Denver, CO 80203
www.superbloom.net
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
Contents: 12 15 29 77 93 Superbloom
Principles for a Regenerative Farm Park
The Windler Story
The Design Vision
Architecture + Historic Preservation
Fieldwork + Interviews
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to Ft. Collins
B to ou r lde
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DENVER
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1. 1881 Farm Park 2. Altius Farms 3. Grow + Gather 4. Chatfeild Farms 5. Heirloom Tomato Farm 6. Mile High Farm
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to Colorado Springs
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ENGLEWOOD
Highways Rivers Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
Growing a community built on sustainability and connectivity. The new 1881 Farm Park at Windler has the unique opportunity to redefine the relationship between people and the land and to reconnect us to the delicate systems that allow us to bring food to our tables in the High Plains desert of Colorado. Located on the former homestead of Henry and Anna Windler, this park site offers a chance to connect users to the extraordinary history of Euro-American farming and settlement in the West. In the current context of growing global climate instability, drought, soil erosion, and loss of biodiversity, such a project also entreats us to imagine a new future for dryland agriculture, one that is intimately connected to the surrounding ecosystem. The great naturalist Aldo Leopold advised us to “think like a mountain” in order to truly appreciate the interconnected web of nature. The 1881 Windler Farm Park brings this mantra to life. Envisioned as an educational model and a training grounds for regenerative agricultural practices, the Park will serve as a new standard in sustainable design and as a focal point of connection in the new Windler community. Leveraging ancient holistic practices with new sustainable technologies, 1881 Farm Park will be a dynamic ecosystem of people, plants and animals that work in harmony to build healthy soil, healthy food and a healthy community.
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As a Colorado Centennial Farm, Windler Farm is one of Aurora’s few remaining examples of vernacular dryland agriculture. The park presents the opportunity to honor the history, challenges and opportunities of the American West.
1881 Farm Park imagines a unique experience that reconnects our community to the land that provides for it.
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Gathering in the Fields
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
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What is a Farm Park?
Windler Design Principles The 1881 Farm Park at Windler is founded on simple principles that inform all design interventions and proposals. Rooted in the fundamentals of permaculture design, these principles integrate seamlessly with the mission and brand of the larger Windler community .
1. Connect people to the land. 2. Work with nature. 3. Seek inspiration from the past. 4. Design for a resilient future. 5. Nurture biodiversity. 6. Regenerate the soil and restore water systems. 7. Educate and feed the community. 8. Develop symbiotic partnerships for a sustainable park.
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
A Center for Education harvest hubs education community events energy production enjoying/harvest composting
Manging Water in a Dry Land irrigation infiltration resourceful
A Permaculture System ecology rotation biodiversity biodynamic
Community Connections accessible inclusive multimodal
Regenerative Soil Systems building healthy soils native planting no till landforming
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A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
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The Windler Story The Windler Homestead is a Centennial Farm and a relic of dryland farming on the high prairie. Prior to the fire that ravaged the historic homestead, it was one of the few remaining artifacts of agricultural heritage in the region.
The Windler Farm, established between 1883 and 1902, is a Colorado Centennial Farm and one of Aurora’s last remaining vernacular farms. At its height in the early twentieth century, the Windler Farm measured some 800 acres, functioning as a dairy farm and cattle ranch. Over time, segments of the farm have been sold off, and its buildings left in disrepair. However, its location on the high prairie and the remaining buildings continue to convey the story of the Windler family and represent early Euro-American settlement and dry farming in eastern Colorado. Henry Windler purchased 80 acres from Detlef Moller at $25 an acre. The land was not irrigated, featuring a dry drainage from First Creek. The Kansas Pacific Railroad was located two miles north. Several agricultural uses are recorded, including livestock grazing, dry farming, dairy production (milk & cheese), egg/chicken production, and cattle ranching.
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High Plains/Prairie: short grass such as buffalo grass and blue grama grass are native to the area, along with small riparian forests that consisted of cottonwoods, box elders, shrubs, and willows. (Research text from the Aurora History Museum Archival Report on Windler Farm.) A Existing Barn, 2021 B Karl and Ardyce Windler at Windler Farm in 1933. Source: Library of Congress. C Tractor, 2021 D Existing Silos, 2021 E The homestead today, subject to arson in 2005. F Originally constructed in 1883, photographed in 1933. Source: Library of Congress, Historic American Buildings Survey G Farmhouse Kitchen at Windler Farm. Photographed in 1933 Source: Library of Congress, Historic American Buildings Survey H Deer at Windler Farm in 2020. Wildlife in Aurora consists of Coyotes, Red Foxes, Rattlesnakes, Cotton Tails, Bats, Beavers, Prairie Dogs, Geese, Mountain Lions, Pronghorn, White Tailed Deer. I Cattle drinking at the farm in 2021.
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2021 | Windler Barn, with the Silos beyond (Photo: Claire Roeth)
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
2021 | Existing rangeland at the Windler Homestead (Photo: Claire Roeth)
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“A farm is more than land and crops, it’s a family’s heritage and future.”. Windler Family and cattle in 2018. (Image Source: Windler Homestead Facebook Page, viewed June 2021)
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
In the face of increased drought, loss of bioversity and growing climatic instability, how can the 1881 Windler Farm Park imagine a better future for our food and for our community?
2021 | Windler Farm today. Windmill, Milk House and Farmhouse from main drive (Credit: Claire Roeth)
1933 | Windler Farm, Vicinity of East Forty-ighth Avenue & Picadilly Road, Aurora, Adams County, CO (Source: Historic American Buildings Survey, Library of Congress)
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
2021 | The former Windler Farmhouse structure today, subject to arson in 2005 and structurally deteriorated. (Credit: Claire Roeth)
1933 | Windler Farm, Farmhouse, Vicinity of East Forty-eighth Avenue & Picadilly Road, Aurora, Adams County, CO (Source: Historic American Buildings Survey (Library of Congress)
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Photographs of the existing Windler Homestead from September 2021
Windler Barn and Silos
A family of barn owls lives in the rafters of the Barn
The existing Milk House, Silos and Cottonwood Trees at the yard
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
Reuse of materials throughout the site
The damaged Windmill
Existing Concrete Silos and Tractor (All photos pages 24 & 25 by Claire Roeth, September 2021)
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Windler Homestead
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Existing Site Inventory
Windler Farmhouse was built in 1883, and is a late Victorian style, built of brick, wood, shingle gabled roof. Originally, the roof was insulated with sod and the brick was added in 1894. The home was victim to arson in 2005 and a charred brick shell remains today.
E D
48th Street
B First
k
Cree
Windmill
Pasture
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Barn Grain Silos
Cattle Yard Cottonwood
Milk House
Cottonwood
Crab Apple Tree
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
B
C A
The Silos were originally wood, and rebuilt from cement blocks in the late 1930s. The wood was reused to construct the chicken house/tool shed.
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The Milk House dates to the late 1800s. Water was pumped into the building by a windmill to cool the milk. Honey bees have established a hive in the exterior wall of the structure.
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The Barn is cross gabled with a metal roof, vertical board siding. It was used as dairy barn and stable and remains in good condition today.
A family of barn owls (Tyto alba) currently nest in the barn attic, and the other birds such as magpies, swallows, and hawks, enjoy the standing dead cottonwoods.
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A Sketch Map of Windler Farm, 1988 Source: Aurora Historic Museum
Hay Bins
Abandoned Brick Well
Cottonwood Chicken House/ Machine Shop
Former Outhouse Location built by the WPA during the Great Depression.
Windler Farmhouse
Fence L
ine
Farm Equipment
Wood Pile
Shed Hog Shed (damaged)
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Wood Pile
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
Design Vision The design for 1881 Farm Park imagines both a center for education and a future park, acknowledging that agriculture and nature is the foundation of our lives. In developing the design, we asked: How can a hybrid farm/park juxtapose historic and future farming technologies while simultaneously supporting education, community development, biodiversity and environmental conservation? The principles of regenerative agriculture, permaculture design and soil conservation applied in our arid context provide a framework for a growing a community that can provide for itself.
The new Windler Homestead Farm Park aims to be an iconic agricultural exploratorium for the Windler community, the City of Aurora and the Denver Metropolitan region at large. The design imagines a regenerative landscape that incorporates restored prairie grasslands and pasture, agriculture, food production, greenhouses and permaculture. As a new center for communal and collaborative life, the community will experience history and nature through a direct connection to their food. They can see, taste and even participate in growing and harvesting an abundance of foods that are uniquely adapted to Colorado’s climate and seasons. The rich experience and deep connection with food production and the land becomes a lifestyle at Windler. The farm will serve as a living seed library, expanding
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access to diverse and exciting heritage varieties; an on-site market and farm-to-fork restaurant offer seasonally rotating produce, meats, cheeses and flowers. The park in turn will be a catalytic center for the new walkable and bikable neighborhoods at Windler. To ensure success of the farm park, water and soil conservation are essential. The design team continues to research additional ways to design site-appropriate sustainable resource systems for flexible, dynamic and porous spaces and surfaces that amplify the availability of especially water resources. The designs will synthesize closed-loop, water-optimized systems and rotational planting strategies based in best practices for dryland land management.
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Illustrative Plan 1881 Farm Park
CONNECTED green foraging networks connect regenerative systems to the neighborhood fabric
COMMUNITY celebrate connections to local and regional communities while expanding biodiversity
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
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Landscape Plan 1881 Farm Park
Farm-to-Fork Restaurant Full service restaurant
Regenerative Orchard
High Plains Desert-adapted species inter-planted in a managed native grass meadow
THE ORCHARD
Amphitheater
Outdoor classes, community demonstrations, and local theatre
Historic Windmills
THE FIELD
Sculptural Timeline
THE YARD
An interactive, living exhibit of the history of agriculture and energy production
Refurbished Windler Barn For horses, sheep, goats and cows
Commemorative Gardens in remaining historic building footprints
Existing Silos
Converted to Climbing and Play Structures
Greehouse, Seed & Tool Library
Permaculture Bands
MAIN
A biodynamic and biodiverse curvilinear planting including fruiting species for both people and wildlife
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ENTR
0 30
25’
50’
100’
200’ Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
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M
AC
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U LT
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N A B
D
S
Enhanced Stormwater Canal
DS
Event Center
Full service restaurant and flexible modern barn event space allow for separate event activities from farm operations
Children’s Playscape
THE MEADOW
THE WILDS
Wind Turbines
Modern windmills for generating energy
E ANC
Windler Center for Agriculture & Marketplace
Rehabilitation of existing brick shell from original homestead is expanded and enhanced building for workshops, CSA Market, growing & classes. Outdoor BBQ and patio seating.
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Biodymanic + Water Efficient Design 1881 Farm Park
4 acres 40%
0.5 acres 5%
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DRYLAND/NON IRRIGATED
he
THE CHANNEL
IRRIGATED CROPS
1 acre 10%
IRRIGATED PLANTING
3 acres 30%
MEADOW ORCHARD
THE YARD
FLOWER GARDENS
PERMEABLE PARKING
1.5 acres 15%
STORMWATER CHANNEL
With just over 14 inches of annual rainfall, the site is naturally dry with limited water resources. These conditions have only been exacerbated in recent years by climate change and increasing population. The design of 1881 Farm Park strives to balance irrigated farmland with innovative dryland agriculture approaches to keep water use low, retain as much precipitation on site as possible and augment groundwater table and soil resources.
Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
precipitation CO2 H2O
work with seasonal cycles of rainfall & precipitation
dryland farming methods native orchard - experiment with hardy varieties renewable energy adaptive reuse and preservation
local produce eat and drought tolerant varieties
slow and collect water on-site to use for crops
biodiverse plantings & heritage species for greater resilience
compost gravity-fed and solar pumped rainwater
rotate and integrate habitat with agriculture
increase living groundcover = sequester carbon + improve soil organic matter
store water near cultivated gardens with cisterns and ollas
rainwater catchments + swales
bank of soil/ ground moisture
DRYLAND FIELDS
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100’ 33
Regenerative Programs + Systems 1881 Farm Park
The 1881 Park incorporates best practices in dryland farming and regenerative agriculture with a focus producing crops using moisture stored in the soil between rainy seasons and minimizing irrigation. This can be achieved through crop rotation, working with weather cycles, enhancing soil health, careful species selection and the creation of microclimates with topography.
Orchard + Meadow Native Meadow Riparian Shrubland Riparian Grassland, type 1 Stormwater Channel Riparian Grassland, type 2 Native Short Grass Rotational Crop Field Rotational Crop Field Rotational Crop Field Cut Flower Planting Native Wildflower Planting Permaculture Linear Food Forest
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
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0’ 25’ 50’
100’ 35
Windler Farm Park User Types
A Historic Homestead & Community Agricultural Center
Saturday Young Family:
- Windler Residents - Transplants -Outdoorsy - Parents want sustainability-focused education
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11:30 am - Eat lunch at Farm-to-Table restaurant
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9 am - Walk to the Windler Park from Adjacent Neighborhood
10 am - Pick apples at the orchard
Wedding Guests:
- Out-of-towners visiting for a long weekend - Want “authentic Colorado experience” - Event focused 12 pm - Arrive 10 am - Hands on learning in the community gardens
Farm Camp Goers:
- From all over the Denver area - Middle school to High School - Interested in Sustainability and Technology
Professionals:
- Windler Residents - Work nearby OR travel a lot and need to be by airport - Tech -focused - Mix of transplants and Denver “natives” - Busy, value convenience
Foodies: - Live in Downtown Denver
8 am - Milk a cow
7 am - arrive at Historic Farm and eat breakfast from harvest
12 pm - Lunch from farm
7am - arrive at local coffee shop to do work
- Love Farm-to-Table Eating - Value Experiences - Event-focused
Retired Couple: - Windler Residents - Denver “natives”
- Seek an active and accessible lifestyle - Value history and culture
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12 - Home for Lunch 8 am - Take a walk 10 am - Farmers Market through the park
Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
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2 pm - Head home for nap
3 pm - Service
5 pm - Reception
8 pm - After-party at local bar
12 am - Guests head back to hotels
4 pm - Pickup
8 pm - Drinks with friends
12 pm - Work out in park
5pm - arrive early for drinks at local bar
7pm - F2T Dinner Series Starts
10 pm - Head back to Denver
Home 3 pm Fermentation Class
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6 pm - Film Series
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Windler Center for Agriculture Compost Hub
Vision: The Windler Center for Agriculture includes both the Greenhouse and and the Marketplace buildings. The Greenhouse includes an indoor farm and hydroponic growing towers as well as office and classroom space. The entry between the primary parking area and the buildings is designed with a series of flowing wave gardens that are inter-planted with flowers for cutting, native wildflowers and meadow grasses as well as edible plants. The two buildings create a gateway experience, with secondary paths for accessing the park. The gateway sets up a view of the Windler Yard.
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The former Windler Farmhouse will be preserved as a relic and rehabilitated as an outdoor classroom.
In general, this is the center of education and agriculture for the park and will inspire future farmers and community engagement with the farm. 38
PA R KIN G
OAD TIBET R
Programming opportunities include: • Marketplace • Tool Library • Seed Vault • Cheese Cave • Cooking classes and Food Lab • Ice cream and dairy workshop • Seedlings and starts • Plant nursery • Produce storage • Greens, lettuce, herbs both grown with hydroponics • Offices for farm staff • Viewing areas for visitors • Classrooms for learning about dryland farming, greenhouses & prairie ecosystems • Education about economic use of plants • Areas for post-production processing of plants for dyes, tinctures, body products etc.
Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
Outdoor Classroom
WI N DL ER GRE EN H OU S E WINDLER CENTER FOR AG R I C U LT U R E + MA R K E T PL AC E
Tool Library
Cooking Lab Seed Vault + Cheese Cave
P R AI RI E GARDE N S
Bus Drop Off
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Windler Center for Agriculture Acknowledging that agriculture and nature is the foundation of our lives, we asked how can a hybrid farm/park juxtapose historic and future farming technologies at the same time supporting education, community development and biodiversity and environmental conservation.
GREENHOUSE TOOL LIBRARY
NATIVE PRAIRIE & CUT FLOWER GARDENS
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
OUTDOOR CLASSROOM
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FOOD LAB + MARKET
CHEESE CAVE + SEED BANK
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Activities + Programs The Farm will be connected by a system of activites and programs that engage the immediate neighborhoods and regional community. Seasonal events, classes and programs will draw visitors to the park year-round.
Events:
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Weddings
Farm-to-Table Dinner
Fall Festival
Film Series
Music Festival
Community Camping
Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
Classes:
Bee Keeping
Fermentation
Yoga
Cooking
Canning
Gardening
Homesteading
Composting
Amenities:
Community Gardens
Farm Kindergarten
Greenhouse
Market Garden
Trails
Orchard
Chicken Coops
Playground
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The Yard Vision: Animals and people mix and interact in the Windler Yard. The Yard is the heart of the park and will continue to host the historic livestock functions. A circular seatwall marks the former Windler yard at exactly 1-acre, so that visitors can see and understand this unit of measure. The restored barn will be home to goats, cows, sheep and chickens who will graze the nearby pastures. Human visitors will use the outdoor gathering spaces and can experience the sculptural timeline that is oriented along the axis of the farm, and includes the silos and restored windmill. This timeline tells a story about the history of energy from the past and into the future. The design balances enhancements and rehabilitation of the historic elements with new additions and improvements. The barn, silos and milk house will be rehabilitated to provide the opportunity for agricultural functions to operate in partnership with visitors and public interactions.
MA R KE T FIEL D S
1-Acre Stone Wall
Sculptural Timeline
Water Trough
The yard includes opportunities for learning about: • • • • • •
Livestock Conservation ranching Historic farm life Architecture and historic preservation Water use in the west and irrigation Traditional farming practices such as making sugar from beets, cider dairy production, and processing of grain
Milk House
W I N D L E R G R E E N HOUS E
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
DRYLA N D F IEL D S
Historic Barn
Silos
T H E YA R D
Picnic Area
W IND LE R C E N T E R F O R AGR IC U LT U R E + MA R K E T P L AC E
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The Yard The historic brick homestead building will be converted to a shaded outdoor classroom, while the bones of the historic yard will accommodate both animals and educational and recreational spaces for people.
REHABILITATED BARN + SILOS
ONE-ACRE STONE WALL
RESTORED MILK HOUSE
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
REPURPOSED HOMESTEAD BRICK SHELL
HISTORIC PATH
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Windler Herd 1881 Farm Park
Goals of Regenerative Agriculture 1. UNDERSTAND CONTEXT (Site, Soils, Hydrology, Economics, etc.) 2. MINIMIZE SOIL DISTURBANCE 3. MAXIMIZE CROP DIVERSITY 4. COVER THE SOIL. 5. MAINTAIN A HEALTHY, LIVING ROOT AND SOIL SYSTEM. 6. INTEGRATE LIVESTOCK. Numerous crops are adapted to the changing conditions we see here in the Front Range. Some ideas for crops that can be grown together in a symbiotic system to maximize biodiversity and soil health could include: wheat quinoa barley amaranth
wheat quinoa barley amaranth
plum pear apple quince buffaloberry gooseberry
persimmon sour cherry currant raspberry blackberry chokecherry
VEGETABLES
greens tomatoes peppers squash
corn beans herbs pumpkins
CUT FLOWERS
daisy lupine yarrow black eyed susan
hyssop aster blue Flax verbena blazing star
GRAINS
FRUITING TREES & SHRUBS
LIVESTOCK Fredge
Goat prefer ‘browsing’ trees but can graze if needed
1 Acre
CATTLE / MILK COWS 40-80sf/animal+ min. 1.8 acres pasture grazing
Dexter Cows
Nubian Golden Guernsey
Goats: 1 gallon milk/goat/day Cows: 2-3 gallons/cow/day
Oberhasli
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HORSES XX / animal + 4500 sf roaming + min. 1.5-2 acres pasture grazing
6-8 Heritage Goats 1-2 Heritage Cows
CHICKENS 0.5-10sf /bird DUCKS 4-10 sf /bird HOGS/PIGS 8-10sf / animal SHEEP 15-20sf / animal + 0.25 acres pasture GOATS 20-25 sf / animal + 0.25 acres pasture
Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
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The Windler silos were used for storing grain and feed products for the farm animals. Silos and grain elevators are some of the most iconic historic structures on the plains landscape.
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
The silos can be preserved and retrofitted for new uses such as greenhouses, architectural features and/or play elements.
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Energy through Ecology Sculpture Timeline Dialogue Between Past and Future Energy Production Walking through the interactive timeline, distinct sculptural elements designed with a circular motif depict the history of earth’s energy and production across time. From the thermal pit to the modern wind turbines, both the sculptures and their elevation increase in scale, taking the visitor on a journey towards the future of energy. The silos situated at the center of the timeline in the yard anchor the park, set the datum for the timeline and show current data relating back to the rich processes and history of the Windler homestead.
Geothermal Biomass Ancient
Watermill
Ancient1775
1775
Coal 1850
Windmill 1860
Petroleum Natural Hydroelectric Nuclear
Solar
Wind
1860
1981
1997
1885
1920
1960
Renewable Over/Underground
This diagram aims to show the material creation of energy its source: underground, above
biomass
ground or both.
Wooden Bench and Fire Pit
geological Stone Circle revealing local geological history
thermal Ancient and sustainable use of Earth’s energy
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
wind Wind Turbine for renewable and clean energy
wind/water
solar Photovoltaics for renewable energy and local climate
Historic Windmill pumping water
data hub
Icons representing the individual timeline structures sharing languages of the circle and organized in a straight line.
A section representing the increasing verticality of the timeline elements.
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The Fields + Windler Heritage Hall Vision: A place to celebrate, grow and enjoy cultural and social events, Windler Hall is a flexible building for everything from weddings, retreats, yoga classes and meetings. The Hall overlooks the farm fields and the channel. The fields will change seasonally and annually with different plantings from sunflowers to grains and corn. The undulating pathways offer routes for strolling, biking and running through the park, merging the productive farm uses with the recreational experience of a public community park. Examples of the events may include: • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Weddings Celebrations Meetings and Conferences Classes and workshops Exercise classes Movie showings Music, dance, theater performances Farm dinners Festivals Harvest Party Graduations Corporate Retreats Holiday Market Concerts
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F IE LDS
Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
Gardens
13 parking spaces
H ER ITAG E HAL L
Playscape
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
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The Windler Heritage Hall 58
Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
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HARVEST + MAINTENANCE CALENDAR Vegetable Gardens
harvest early in morning for best flavor
Corn
stagger bean planting for longer harvest
Beans
water consistently
Potatoes Peas Basil
p.
h tem
ig avg. h
SNOW
Squash
cure in a cold place after harvest soak peas before planting to facilitate germination trim terminal stem continuously to prevent bolting prevent sun scald by limiting pruning
Tomato
propagate indoors first
Pepper mp
Pumpkin
te . low avg
work raw manure into soil when planting fertilize one month after planting
RAIN
Brussel Sprouts
Greenhouse Peppers
prune to 2-4 s
hand pollination is crucial to producing fruit
Tomatoes
prune lower leaves to enc
Brussels Sprouts thin carrots with with 2-3” spacing
Carrots
fertilize regularly
Brocolli
Hydroponics Spinach
harvest without overextending the plants for baby spinach
Kale
remove 30% of the plant at one time for quick regrowth
Basil
high humidity is helpful
Radishes
growth harvest/seed 60
grows well with other plants
Spring
Summer Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
Fall
vedge with compost
terraced riparian
quinqunx pattern no-mow under trees
live ocotillo fence
willow fredge
water microcatchment
cardinal layout
layered planting heights
stems
courage fruit
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AD
Farm to Fork Restaurant + Orchard T BE TI
The farm to fork restaurant and regenerative orchard are co-located on the existing knoll on the property. The Orchard will include a wide range of fruit trees adapted to our cold and dry climate, including apples, pears, cherry, peaches, plums and other fruit bearing trees that support wildlife.
RO
Vision:
The restaurant will be an intimate dining experience and offer tables for 50 people indoors. The outdoor porch triples capacity and overlooks the farm to the south and the mountains to the west. The restaurant will host visiting chefs and aim to source as much as possible from the Windler Farm and nearby regional farmers who specialize in meats, fish, dairy and other products. Circular pathways weave through the orchard, which is under-planted with a diverse mixed meadow.
TH E OR CHARD
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
Parking
FA R M TO FO RK RE S TAU R A N T
Maintenance Path
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The Orchard Changes across the season can be experienced with all the senses at the Orchard. From pruning to harvest, the care of the orchard materializes with inviting meals at the Farm to Fork Restaurant. Fruit trees ring the hill of the orchard with curvilinear rows. At the base of the hill, a mini vineyard transitions to apple trees and meets the cherries near the irrigation channel. As visitors walk up the winding path, benches forged with tools are available to deepen the journey towards the restaurant. The arrangement of, apricot, plum, and mulberry and additional fruit trees show a wide range of colors and fruit across the year. Along the top of the parking lot wall, Hat Trick Apple trees grown in espalier form a natural fence. Each tree is strategically planted with a topographical microcatchment inspired by traditional dry orchards to to reduce irrigation. At the base of the orchard near the stormwater channel and near the restaurant, berry bushes such as raspberries and gooseberrys allow for views into the orchard and across the park.
Morus alba x rubra ‘Silkhope’
Malus domestica x M. Sylvestris Granny Smith Apple
Lycium barbarum Gojiberry
Ziziphus jujuba Jujube
Malus ‘Hat Trick’ Hat Trick Apple (Espelier)
Vitis vinifera Grape
Diospyros virginiana ‘Meader’ Meader Persimmon
Prunus salicina ‘Santa Rosa’ Santa Rosa Plum
Ribes uva-crispa Gooseberry
Pyrus pyrifolia Asian Pear
Prunus domestica ‘Italian Prune’ Italian Prune Plum
Rubus deliciosus Raspberry
Pyrus communis ‘Red Bartlett Pear’ Red Bartlett Pear
Prunus cerasus Montmorency Cherry
Rubus baby cakes Blackberry
Pyrus communis ‘Comice’ Comice Pear
Prunus cerasus ‘Balaton’ Balaton Sour Cherry
Ribes odoratum Clove Currant
Prunus persica ‘ColdHearty’ ColdHearty Peach
Prunus virginiana Chokecherry
Ribes rubrum Highbush Cranberry
Prunus persica ‘Reliance’ Reliance Peach
Xanthoceras sorbifolium Yellowhorn
Prunus armeniaca ‘Chinese) Mormon’ Chinese Mormon Apricot
Amelanchier alnifolia Serviceberry
Malus domestica ‘Honeycrisp’ Honeycrisp Apple
Water Microcatchments
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
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PEACH
APPLE
PEAR
The Orchard
Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
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PLUM
GOOSEBERRY
CURRANT
BLACKBERRRY
RASPBERRY
STRAWBERRY
BUFFALOBERRY
SAND CHERRY
SERVICEBERRY
APRICOT MULBERRY
SOUR CHERRY
The Channel Vision: The channel feature in the 1881 park is an opportunity to merge necessary stormwater management infrastructure with ecologically rich landscape design and human-oriented amenities.
R E S TAU R A N T + OR CHARD
The drainage is required to be a minimum of 75-ft wide, and the design team is collaborating with the engineering and regulatory teams to create a feature that goes beyond the standards. The channel includes the necessary floodway for the expected stormwater volumes, but also includes both low and highwater crossings for people. Terraced amphitheatre seating supports education and passive recreation while the planting strategy supports ecological augmentation and habitat enhancement.
Maintenance Road
The grassland typology in this dry creek will also accommodate seasonal grazing by goats, sheep and cattle at Windler.
Bridge
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
S TOR MWATE R CH A N N E L
Floodway
Low Water Crossing
Rotational Fields
MA R K E T F I E L DS
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The Channel
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
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Channel + Green Network Design Studies 1881 Farm Park
An existing drainage canal runs through the site from the Southwest to the Northeast. To the right are three designed conditions for the channel: baseline or conventional, ecologically enhanced and hybrid. The Baseline option is based on civil standards and its primary goal is to adequately convey water away from the site during a 100-year flood event. Since the property does not have water rights this means moving water that falls on-site as quickly as possible downstream. In this scenario grass is the primary form of vegetation along the edges of the canal. This could provide grazing ground for 1881’s herd of animals. The Ecologically Enhanced option prioritizes biodiversity and productive ecosystem services. This scheme introduces a varied buffer including trees, shrublands, perennial, and grasslands meant to retain moisture in the
soil and reduce runoff along the channel. Deeper root systems allow for deeper water infiltration. To one side, the channel offers grazing opportunities, wildlife habitat, and pollinator communities. On the other, an ecological buffer provides protection for the cultivated cropland. A layer of small trees and shrubs stabilize the banks. Farther upland, and perennials and forbs act as biofiltration before flood waters reach crops. The Hybrid Scheme integrates the benefits of ecological and social infrastructure but prioritizes both the human experience and water cycle. The naturalized channel and edge provide vegetation, habitat, water and carbon retention, and soil health on one side. On the other, floodable amphitheater stairs provide access to the riparian habitat and ample seating for visitors. During inundation. These terraces will handle flooding with little to no damage. Fruit + Nut Trees
Native Meadow
Berry Shrubs + Vines
Permaculture Linear Food Forest The neighborhood connects to 1881 Farm Park via a system of permaculture bands. Comprised of a mix of edible orchard trees and fruiting shrubs and vines, these trails are a foraging wonderland for residents to enjoy throughout the seasons.
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
Baseline 100-year Floodline
Existing Drainage
Minimal Infiltration
Ecologically Enhanced
Ecological Crop Buffer
100-year Floodline
Existing Drainage
Abundant Water Infiltration
Floodable Social Infrastructure
Hybrid 100-year Floodline
Existing Drainage
Deeper Water Infiltration
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
Architecture + Historic Preservation The design preserves and rehabilitates the barn, the silos, the milkhouse, the historic pathway and brick shell of the former homestead. New buildings include a farm-to-fork restaurant, the event center/Hall, and the greenhouse and market place buildings. Rehabiltated buildings seek to harvest and reuse on-site materials where possible, and new buildings are designed to the highest standards of net-zero sustainable design.
PRIMARY BUILDINGS
EVENT CENTER
RESTAURANT
EXISTING BARN & SILOS (renovated)
MARKET
GREENHOUSE
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Windler Center for Agriculture + Marketplace
26’-0”
3,000 SF Conditioned Space 3,000 SF Covered Outdoor Area Total Occupancy 136
OUTDOOR CLASSROOM
CLASSROOM/ COOKING LAB 685 sf Classroom 25sf/OCC = 35 OCC
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
COOKING LAB Prep 3 OCC PREP & CLEANUP 3-comp sink, reach-in coolers, dishwasher
SCALE : 1/16” = 1’-0”
BOOKSTORE/ INFO
ICE CREAM/ CAFE/DELI 556 sf
BATHROOMS
CHEESE CAVE
SEED VAULT
821 sf
334 sf
GRAPHIC LEGEND PUBLIC SPACES PRIVATE SPACES
Assembly 15sf/OCC = 82 OCC
Mercantile 60sf/OCC = 14 OCC
Storage 300sf/OCC = 2 OCC
180’-0”
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
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Greenhouse 3,500 SF Conditioned Space 3,000 SF Covered Outdoor Area Total Occupancy 67
OFFICE 36’-0”
618 sf
COMPOST
Office 150sf/OCC = 5 OCC
SEED & TOOL LIBRARY 400 sf
Mercantile 60sf/OCC = 7 OCC
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155’-0”
Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
GREENHOUSE 1,500 sf
ROOF ABOVE
FLEX GREENHOUSE SPACE/ CLASSROOM 900 sf
Classroom 20sf/OCC = 50 OCC
Greenhouse 300sf/OCC = 5 OCC
GRAPHIC LEGEND PUBLIC SPACES PRIVATE SPACES
SCALE : 1/16” = 1’-0”
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
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Windler Heritage Hall + Event Center 3,500 SF Conditioned Space 1,500 SF Covered Outdoor Area Indoor Occupancy 168 Total 328
AMPHITHEATER SEATING
BAR
CHANGING ROOM
STORAGE/ UTILITIES
COATS
270sf
RESTROOMS
EVENT SPACE INDOORS
1,200 sf Assembly 7sf/OCC = 160 OCC
COOLERS 8’8” X 24’8”
OUTDOOR EVENT SPACE
1,200 sf Assembly 7sf/OCC = 160 OCC
KITCHEN 820 sf Kitchen/Commercial 200sf/OCC = 5 OCC
108’-0”
SCALE : 1/16” = 1’-0” GRAPHIC LEGEND PUBLIC SPACES PRIVATE SPACES
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
Assembly 15sf/OCC = 82 OCC
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Mercantile 60sf/OCC = 14 OCC
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Farm to Fork Restaurant 1,500 SF Conditioned Space 1,500 SF Covered Outdoor Area Total Occupancy 164 Indoor 52
CHEF’S COUNTER
27’-0”
BACK OF HOUSE
OUTDOOR DINING 1,700 sf Assembly (Outdoor) 15sf/OCC = 12 OCC
INDOOR DINING
769 sf
RESTROOMS
720 sf Assembly 15sf/OCC = 48 OCC
Commercial Kitchen 200sf/OCC = 4 OCC
55’-0”
SCALE : 1/16” = 1’-0” GRAPHIC LEGEND PUBLIC SPACES PRIVATE SPACES
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
Assembly 15sf/OCC = 82 OCC
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Barn + Silos 56’-0”
CHICKENS, GEESE, DUCKS
FEEDING
60’-0”
ROOSTING WALL
MILKING
TOOL & EQUIP. STORAGE
VET AREA
SILO
SILO SCALE : 1/16” = 1’-0” GRAPHIC LEGEND PUBLIC SPACES PRIVATE SPACES
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
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Our Process Site Visit
Research Western Native Seed Interviews
Grow & Gather Farm Market
Chatfield Farms/ Denver Botanic Garden Orchardist Consultation
Aurora History Museum
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
Fieldwork The design for the project has evolved through strategic conversations with experts and potential partners across Colorado, on every topic from farming, education, hydrology, ecology, and history.
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
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Research, Site Visits + Interviews Grow & Gather George Gastis & Jeff Johnson A hyper-local farm-to-table eatery and farm that specializes in on-site production. Grow and Gather utilizes a variety of agricultural methods and technologies that enables yearround production including greenhouses, aeroponic towers, and outdoor herb gardens.
Chatfield Farms
Larry Vickerman Director, Chatfeild Farms Denver Botanic Garden’s Satellite farm, Chatfield Farms is home to a variety of test and market gardens. Director, Larry Vickerman, has a life time of experience with different farming techniques in the Eastern Plains.
Altius
Altius specialized in areoponic tower farming.
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
Prairie Conservation Center
Outdoor education center and natural area in Aurora, CO
History Colorado Steve Turner Chris Bowles Historic Preservation Specialist s
Aurora History Museum
Drake Brownfield Historic Preservation Specialist
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Research, Site Visits + Interviews Our proposed design is rooted in deep partnership with a range of community of experts and practitioners working in the fields of Western agriculture and sustainable design. Below is a working list of individuals and groups we have interviewed to develop the site plan and program strategy.
Abernathy Architects Ann Abernathy Architect, Ranch Restoration Specialist
Jason French
Farm-to-Table Consultant Former owner of Portland eatery, Ned Ludd, Jason French specializes in farm-to-table dining. He identifies as a culinary polymath and works as a consultant.
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University of Oregon
Trapp Architecture
Director of Urban Farm
Shem Trapp Architect, Restaurant Specialist
Soil Science Society of America
Haystack Mountain Creamery
Harper Keeler
Gary “Pete” Peterson Professor Emeritus
Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
Buenas Huertas Holistic Tree Care
USDA
Devils Thumb Ranch
John Gutierrez Owner, Orchardist
Dr. David Augustine Landscape Ecologist, Crop Research Lab
Demonstration Ranch in Tabernash Colorado
The Art of Cheese
Black Cat Farms
Blackbelly Market
Kate Johnson Diary Farmer/ Teacher
Boulder, CO
Boulder, CO
Kate specializes in goat breeding and farming. She teaches classes on at-home cheesemaking.
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Our mission is simple. We must harness the regenerative power of Earth, itself. - Kiss the Ground, 2020
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Windler Homestead | 1881 Farm Park
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