Agri-Food Discovery Centre
An architectural illustration of the Huron Perth Agricultural Science Centre proposal, where traditional farming vernacular, circular systems, and landscape-led design converge to shape the future of food.
Concept Design: Studio Egret West
Client: Ontario Agri-Food Discovery Centre (OAFDC)
Proper Food For Thought
The design proposal for Ontario’s Huron Perth Agricultural Science Centre—conceived by Studio Egret West in collaboration with Studio Dyer—is a brilliant response to a big question: how do we design for the future of food while honouring its past?
This landscape-led scheme reinterprets classic farming vernacular. Organised around “Four Fields” that mirror the seasonal rhythms of the agricultural calendar, the project weaves together re-wilded landscapes, circular energy systems, and community spaces into a hub deeply rooted in its local soil.
A standard drawing wasn't going to yield results here—this scheme needed a visual story cultivated from the ground up.
I sowed the canvas with comic-style notes, letting playful details crop up across the site to guide the eye across each design move.
It was an absolute field day to sketch (hehe).
Ploughing Into The Details
Repurposed grain silos, cookery schools, tractor simulators, exhibition spaces, and event venues—the concept design had so many fun elements to bring to life.
The visual style of the drawing itself becomes part of the storytelling, reflecting Studio Egret West’s design ethos of wrapping complex design moves with joyful, curiosity-driven wonder.
Uncovering these moments as you explore the drawing evokes that nostalgic childhood magic of discovery, where every corner sparks a bit of curiosity and learning—much like what the Discovery Centre itself hopes to achieve.
…and of course, a drawing set in Canada had to have a moose!
