Source: www.inhabitat.com
Fast-forward 30 years and fresh, local veggies in the middle of winter, along with cows with penthouse views of the city skyline will be as common as Starbucks' coffee and video conferencing.
Well, that is the vision of Dickson Despommier- professor emeritus of public health at Columbia University and the grandfather of artificial farming.
You might think it is an unrealistic and farfetched version of Matrix-living, but if it is the page three leader - Multi-storey farms in a city centre near you - in the Financial Times, then I think it is worth commenting on.
Source: www.ecosistemaurbano.org
It is all about ecological sustainability. Architects, engineers, economists and urban planners all over the world are already working on different versions of skyscraper farms but the general idea is to revolutionise agriculture as we know it by producing food for hundreds of thousands of people per building whilst also relieving much of the burden on flat landscapes, as usable farming space is decreasing at rapid pace.
The growing techniques of skyscraper farming ranges from hydroponics (soil-free) to ultrasonic foggers (produces thicker brew of nutrients) and due to its vertical structure, drastically reduces the fossil-fuel use and emissions associated with farm machinery and trucking as well as the spread of fertiliser and its runoff. The crops are completely non-dependant upon seasons and weather conditions, making it possible for year-round harvesting, multiplying annual yield by at least four times.
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
What fascinates me is not only the concept itself, it is the potential of actually realising it. It ticks all the right boxes as the solution to the future of farming. As land becomes more scarce, the cost of farming surges, the consumer becoming more demanding and general consumption increases due to the growing middle class of emerging markets, the skyscraper farm could very well be the solution.
Source: www.thegreenchildren.org
The key word is sustainability. And to be honest, I would never have thought that tomatoes on the 57th floor would be the answer, but I suppose that is what it is all about. Just as Adam (Smith) and David (Riccardo) said, stick to what you are good at and utilise the resources you have, and in today's globalised world, land is a scarcity and technology is abundant. If that means that cows will have the best city views, then so be it!
If you would like to have a closer look, watch this. For more information please visit www.ft.com, www.scientificamerican.com, www.weburbanist.com. In terms of investment, this is as sexy as it gets!
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