Saturday, March 14, 2009

Vertical Farming

While preparing my vegetable plot for the growing season ahead I began to realize I was running out of space. After a quick sketch and a materials list I was creating vertical structures to house my strawberries. It seemed logical....why go out when you can go up. I could quadruple my harvest using far less space. My idea of farming vertically is not new. The images below represent the vertical farming projects that have been conceptualized in recent years. Stay tuned for my strawberry tower concept drawing.

"Aberrant Agriculture" by Scott Johnson









Gordon Graff's Sky Farm proposed for downtown Toronto's theatre district.








Advantages to Farming Vertical
ly
*Year-round crop production; 1 indoor acre is equivalent to 4-6 outdoor acres or more, depending upon the crop (e.g., strawberries: 1 indoor acre = 30 outdoor acres) 
*No weather-related crop failures due to droughts, floods, pests 
*All VF food is grown organically: no herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers 
*VF virtually eliminates agricultural runoff by recycling black water 
*VF returns farmland to nature, restoring ecosystem functions and services 
*VF converts abandoned urban properties into food production centers 
*VF dramatically reduces fossil fuel use (no tractors, plows, shipping.)


"The living skyscraper: Farming the Urban Skyline" by Blake Kurasek









"VF-Type O" by Oliver Foster







Mithuns Architects' Vertical Farm Project for Seattle




What are your thoughts on cultivating our food in these types of environments?
For more information please visit The Vertical Farm Project

5 comments:

  1. Very cool ! Mr. and very informative as well. I didn't have a clue about growing vegetables vertically. Some of the projects are really interesting.

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  2. Great visual feast. I want to see your concept for the strawberry tower, sound like a great idea.

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  3. You always come up with great and interesting posts - this makes total sense, I'm surprised it's not more common! I will definately stay tuned for your sketch!

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  4. Wow that is really cool. Oh and the blue driveway is a random image I found on the internet. I wish I knew where it was.

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  5. This is truly innovative thinking! Well done Christian, KT Cunningham

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