As populations continues to rise and space to grow food becomes limited, farmers are forced to find innovative ways to supply the food that meets these growing demands. Singapore and Sweden have started the trend of vertical farming, and now the city of San Diego has an innovative mixed-use vertical farm concept in the works.
Designed for the historic Gaslamp district, the project was started to tackle the growing issue of population growth and food supply in San Diego. Most of the city’s produce comes from the Imperial and Central valleys, but with vertical farms integrated into buildings, the cost of food can be lowered and demands can be met without bringing in produce from outside areas.
The “farm tower†is a residential high-rise building concept that provides the city with extra living space while producing vegetables daily that can be distributed to local markets. It also recycles the building’s gray water and black water through compact combustion and aquaponics, reusing and recycling valuable resources needed for operation.
The design could also be a popular attraction for urban architecture enthusiasts and eco-tourists who want to see the building in action. It incorporates the Children’s Museum motto of “Think, Play, and Create†as a way to engage the community and encourage education on sustainability and food production.
Does this mean vertical farms could be going mainstream, or do you think it will be a while before they spread around the globe?
Images via eVob
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