Studio NAB’s new Superfarm project is a 110-foot-tall vertical farm prototype that sits on a 40-foot by 40-foot platform built on the water in an urban area. The prototype goes beyond what typical vertical farms offer by creating an entire ecosystem across its six stories.
The Superfarm will use a combination of soil and soilless cropping techniques and will forgo the use of pesticides. Each floor will have its own specific function, but will work harmoniously with all the other floors to create a vertical ecosystem.
Aquaponics level.
The ground level and Level 1 will be set aside for administration purposes. The Ground Level will include the entrance, cold rooms, storage, order preparation, and space for sale and delivery. Level 1 will include offices bathrooms, and a break room.
See Also: An apiary for the sanctuary
Level 2 is where the growing of plants begins. It is an open platform that will include ginseng, klamath, spirulina, and aloe vera cultures. Level 3 is reserved for insect breeding. Beetles, chenilles, locusts, and grasshoppers will all have a dedicated space on this floor. Level 4 will be dedicated to algae cultures, including chlorella and spirulina. Level 5 will be the aquaponics floor and will include tilapia and trout breeding and young plant cultures. The aquaponics floor will also feed the greenhouse on Level 6. The greenhouse will include an apiary, açaí berry cultures, acerola cultures, goji berry cultures, and aloe vera cultures. Above the greenhouse will be a series of wind turbines and solar panels that will power the farm.
Level 2 platform.
The goal of the Superfarm is to decrease the amount of land needed for agriculture while simultaneously feeding more people, and restore a social link between the produce and the consumer in the city, providing easier access to the products by allowing the consumer direct access to the farm.
Level 6 greenhouse.
Related Stories
| Oct 18, 2013
Meet the winners of BD+C's $5,000 Vision U40 Competition
Fifteen teams competed last week in the first annual Vision U40 Competition at BD+C's Under 40 Leadership Summit in San Francisco. Here are the five winning teams, including the $3,000 grand prize honorees.
| Oct 18, 2013
Cities may be more capable of driving sustainability than nations, experts say
With countries not tackling climate change aggressively, cities are in the best position to drive increased sustainability.
| Oct 4, 2013
Sydney to get world's tallest 'living' façade
The One Central Park Tower development consists of two, 380-foot-tall towers covered in a series of living walls and vertical gardens that will extend the full height of the buildings.
| Sep 26, 2013
Sheep's wool insulation, bio-brick among Cradle to Cradle product innovation finalists
Ten finalists are competing for $250,000 in prizes from the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute and Make It Right.
| Sep 19, 2013
What we can learn from the world’s greenest buildings
Renowned green building author, Jerry Yudelson, offers five valuable lessons for designers, contractors, and building owners, based on a study of 55 high-performance projects from around the world.
| Sep 13, 2013
Insurance expert: Managing green liability risk not so different from 'normal' risk mitigation
Worries about legal liability have long dogged the sustainable building movement, but insurance expert Karen Erger says sustainability lawsuits are caused by the same types of issues that have always prompted clients to sue AEC firms.
| Sep 4, 2013
Smart building technology: Talking results at the BUILDINGChicago/ Greening the Heartland show
Recent advancements in technology are allowing owners to connect with facilities as never before, leveraging existing automation systems to achieve cost-effective energy improvements. This BUILDINGChicago presentation will feature Procter & Gamble’s smart building management program.
| Aug 30, 2013
Modular classrooms gaining strength with school boards
With budget, space needs, and speed-to-market pressures bearing down on school districts, modular classroom assemblies are often a go-to solution.
| Jul 17, 2013
CBRE recognizes nation's best green research projects
A rating system for comparative tenant energy use and a detailed evaluation of Energy Star energy management strategies are among the green research projects to be honored by commercial real estate giant CBRE Group.
| Jul 10, 2013
TED talk: Architect Michael Green on why we should build tomorrow's skyscrapers out of wood
In a newly posted TED talk, wood skyscraper expert Michael Green makes the case for building the next-generation of mid- and high-rise buildings out of wood.