Vertical 'Skyfarm' Would Grow Crops Alongside Skyscrapers

The world is becoming increasingly urban, and as it changes, so does the definition of a "farm." We already have rooftop gardens in Brooklyn and office buildings that double as hydroponic farms in Tokyo, but this design from a London firm envisions an independent tower capable of sustaining itself.

As reported by inhabitat, Skyfarm is a multi-story structure designed for growing produce in the hearts of cities. Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners were inspired by the 2015 Milan Expo's theme ("Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life") and dreamed up Skyfarm as an alternative to farming practices that require large swaths of land.

The tower would be built from an interwoven bamboo frame, and inside, aeroponic, hydroponic, and aquaponic (fertilizing crops with fish waste) zones would be distributed throughout to maximize water efficiency. Solar panels and wind turbines at the top of the farm would harvest energy and the ground-level floor could serve as a market, restaurant, or educational center. Skyfarm's design could be even be adapted for its location. While an 80-meter tower might make sense in a densely-populated city, a 10-meter version would be better suited outside a school.

Skyfarm is just a concept for now, but experts in the architecture realm have already praised its potential. It won the World Architecture Festival's Future Projects Experimental category a couple years back, and was awarded a sustainability prize at the Architectural Review MIPIM Future Projects Awards last month. You check out the concept art from Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners below. 

Images courtesy of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.

[h/t inhabitat]