flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

Check out this tree-like skyscraper concept for vertical farming

Check out this tree-like skyscraper concept for vertical farming

Seoul is envisioned as the location for this skyscraper farm. 


By BD+C Staff | July 16, 2014
The complex is envisioned with public garden space. Renderings courtesy of April
The complex is envisioned with public garden space. Renderings courtesy of Aprilli Design Studio, Fast Company.

The concept of vertical farms is well-known and has been played out in a number of different ways. Now, Aprilli Design Studio has stepped forward with a new idea for a vertical farm. 

The concept is intended to resemble a giant tree. It uses lightweight decks as outdoor growing space on a massive skyscraper, Fast Company reports. These decks can provide 24 acres for agriculture, with an indoor hydroponic farm for greens; solar panels and wind turbines would be located on the roof to power the whole undertaking. 

Seoul, South Korea, is envisioned as the location for this skyscraper farm. "It seemed to be an ideal place to test out our prototype since the specific area is very dense and highly active and has been suffering for a long time by all sorts of environmental problems resulting from rapid urbanization," said architects Steve Lee and See Yoon Park.

With its community gardens, park space, and a farmers market, this concept remains just an idea for now. On its future, Lee and Park told Fast Company: "Vertical farming really is not only a great solution to future food shortage problems, but a great strategy to address many environmental problems resulting from urbanization."

Check out project renderings below. All renderings courtesy of Aprilli Design Studio.

 
 
Aprilli envisions this vertical farm in the center of downtown Seoul.
 
 
 
 
Solar panels and wind turbines on the rooftop would power the entire complex.
 
 
 
 
In the "trunk" of the tree, the concept places a hydroponic garden.
 
 
 
 
Within the complex, there would be community gardens and a farmers market to provide food to the local community.
 
 
 
 
The architects have said that the complex could support more than 5,000 fruit trees.
 
 
 
 
Most of the farming would take places on outdoor decks.
 
 
 
Though well-fleshed out, this concept is still a only a concept.

Related Stories

Architects | Apr 6, 2023

Design for belonging: An introduction to inclusive design

The foundation of modern, formalized inclusive design can be traced back to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. The movement has developed beyond the simple rules outlined by ADA regulations resulting in features like mothers’ rooms, prayer rooms, and inclusive restrooms.

Market Data | Apr 6, 2023

JLL’s 2023 Construction Outlook foresees growth tempered by cost increases

The easing of supply chain snags for some product categories, and the dispensing with global COVID measures, have returned the North American construction sector to a sense of normal. However, that return is proving to be complicated, with the construction industry remaining exceptionally busy at a time when labor and materials cost inflation continues to put pricing pressure on projects, leading to caution in anticipation of a possible downturn. That’s the prognosis of JLL’s just-released 2023 U.S. and Canada Construction Outlook.

Cladding and Facade Systems | Apr 5, 2023

Façade innovation: University of Stuttgart tests a ‘saturated building skin’ for lessening heat islands

HydroSKIN is a façade made with textiles that stores rainwater and uses it later to cool hot building exteriors. The façade innovation consists of an external, multilayered 3D textile that acts as a water collector and evaporator. 

Market Data | Apr 4, 2023

Nonresidential construction spending up 0.4% in February 2023

National nonresidential construction spending increased 0.4% in February, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published by the U.S. Census Bureau. On a seasonally adjusted annualized basis, nonresidential spending totaled $982.2 billion for the month, up 16.8% from the previous year. 

Sustainability | Apr 4, 2023

ASHRAE releases Building Performance Standards Guide

Building Performance Standards (BPS): A Technical Resource Guide was created to provide a technical basis for policymakers, building owners, practitioners and other stakeholders interested in developing and implementing a BPS policy. The publication is the first in a series of seven guidebooks by ASHRAE on building decarbonization.

Sustainability | Apr 4, 2023

NIBS report: Decarbonizing the U.S. building sector will require massive, coordinated effort

Decarbonizing the building sector will require a massive, strategic, and coordinated effort by the public and private sectors, according to a report by the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS).

Education Facilities | Apr 3, 2023

Oklahoma’s Francis Tuttle Technology Center opens academic center for affordable education and training

Oklahoma’s Francis Tuttle Technology Center, which provides career-specific training to adults and high school students, has completed its Francis Tuttle Danforth Campus—a two-story, 155,000-sf academic building. The project aims to fill the growing community’s rising demand for affordable education and training.

Sports and Recreational Facilities | Mar 30, 2023

New University of St. Thomas sports arena will support school's move to Division I athletics

The University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minn., last year became the first Division III institution in the modern NCAA to transition directly to Division I. Plans for a new multipurpose sports arena on campus will support that move.

Warehouses | Mar 29, 2023

Construction completed on Canada’s first multi-story distribution center

Construction was recently completed on Canada’s first major multi-story industrial project, a distribution center in Burnaby, British Columbia. The project provides infrastructure for last-mile delivery in a world where consumers have come to expect next-day and same-day delivery, according to Ware Malcomb, the project's architect of record.

AEC Innovators | Mar 27, 2023

Leading architecture, engineering firm HED appoints new co-CEOs

As children of immigrant families, Van Herle and Suarez will bring a diverse perspective into a historically underrepresented industry and advance the firm’s mission of creating a positive impact for clients, communities, and the world.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021