introduction

For many years people have perceived the world in a linear manner. They wondered what’s behind the horizon and followed their desires of land conquering until they clashed with someone else’s idea to do the same. As the borders fluctuated, some areas appeared to be more desirable than others and the architecture had to maneuver its way to stack up growing masses. And while our imagination started to shoot up towards the sky, we sometimes seemed to have lost our way creating crammed, confined spaces that were more similar to coffins than areas where one would like to live.

Thankfully, there is a better solution on the horizon (how ironic!) as skillful, innovative and clever designs are navigating towards sustainable urban spaces that combine the best of compact, practical planning with agri-tecture.

vertical farming

The concept of vertical farming appeared at the beginning of the 20th century, but its modern version came to being only in 1999 when a parasitologist challenged his medical ecology students at Columbia University to feed 50,000 residents using just rooftop gardening. With approximately 52.6k square meters of usable space, the students were able to provide a 2000 kcal diet to only 2 percent of the assigned population and hence the professor proposed an indoor and vertical solution.

Ever since then, the idea grew in popularity and vertical farming, in its current state, can provide access to fresh, safe, and sufficient food, and allow the cohabitation between humans and plants regardless of climate and location. A great example of that being the world’s largest vertical farm in Dubai that is set to produce even 1k tonnes of leafy greens each year.

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