Syracuse and Auburn Universities Collaborate on Pro Bono Market Shed for Brady Farm Nonprofit

Architecture students and faculty from Syracuse University and Auburn University have completed a pro bono market shed for Brady Farm, a Syracuse-based nonprofit organization located two miles south of Syracuse's campus. The 1,500-square-foot freestanding structure was designed by Mago Architecture, founded by Syracuse assistant professor Hannibal Newsom, in collaboration with Auburn assistant professor David Shanks. The building features grayish-blue standing metal seam cladding, an asymmetrical pitched roof with roof windows, red doors, and large rectangular apertures. The design utilizes low-cost, standardized pre-engineered materials to create a bespoke structure that splits a traditional barn typology into two shifted volumes, separating community space from food processing and storage areas. This configuration creates covered outdoor spaces and distinct entrances while maintaining traditional framing. Interior elements include bespoke wooden shelving systems that can be reconfigured into tables, dangling light fixtures, refrigerators stocked with healthy drinks, and modern appliances. The project began in fall 2022 when Brady Farm served as a client for a graduate-level integrated design studio at Syracuse University exploring speculative agritourism projects. This led to a 2023 research seminar and a 2024 directed research studio where 17 final-year students designed, fabricated, and installed permanent millwork. Construction occurred between 2022 and 2024, with fourteen local contractors donating approximately $250,000 in labor and materials. Participating student researchers included Madeline Best, Kyra Brown, Ethan Fox, Jose Hernandez, Stella Shao, Mingrui Xie, and Menghan Zha. The new facility enables Brady Farm to increase produce volume, expand adult workforce training programs, and provide more nutrition education opportunities for local school children.