Tansu: Vessels of Value

2024

by: Samuel Vallejo
and Curran Thompson

Tansu: a Japanese assortment of chest often crafted with wood, originally intended to hold household items, clothing, or other valuables. This collaborative project presents a transformative opportunity to re-imagine the relationship between the land we inhabit and the food we consume. This project exemplifies the tansu trunk concept, a space that deeply intertwines local cultural history with the agrarian values of the community—cultivating the land and living from its bounty. By thoughtfully incorporating the needs of Arroyo Grande’s local communities, regeneration 2.0 will introduce dynamic programmatic spaces for teaching, connecting, and fostering growth.

The project features a variety of buildings with programs tailored to benefit the community. During our visit to Arroyo Grande, CA, we engaged with locals to understand what programs would support their needs while preserving the area's historical character.

The site includes a live-work home which houses a farmers market style store and at the same time houses the familiy which runs the business, to integrate with the surrounding residential community, an outdoor kitchen complementing the nearby Great Hall—which houses an exhibition space and a kindergarten. Towards the end lies rentable cabins designed to generate revenue and introduce visitors to this vibrant community.

Detail A

Detail B

Section Perspective

Arroyo Grande, CA, with its historically rich location, offered numerous opportunities within its landscape. We embraced this as a chance to integrate the surrounding southern natural habitats, allowing them to flow seamlessly onto the site. Additionally, elements such as the historic palm tree and the utilization of the fertile alluvial soil for agriculture provided unique opportunities for community involvement and engagement.

Site Plan

In our visual representation, we chose to create renderings without including people. This decision was influenced by the fact that the site we were working with had been abandoned or neglected for some time. However, during our visits, we sensed an energy that suggested the site's historically rich environment still lingered despite its neglect. To capture this, we created images that conveyed a sense of life without directly depicting people.

This map highlights the agricualtural "belt" that exists in Arroyo Grande and its neighboring towns, consisting of agricultural fields. It serves to raise awareness and provide a visual representation of the farmers who support the surrounding communities. In comparison to older maps, this representation also draws attention to the declining agricultural land lost to development. While such development often displaces farming businesses, it simultaneously introduces various urban opportunities.

Live Work

Great Hall

Outdoor Kitchen

Outdoor Cabins