In these days of scares about global warming and world food shortages, it is always good news when we hear fo schemes to bring more of the green environment into our cities. Belgian firm Vincent Callibeau Architects designed a vertical farm based on the wings of a dragonfly, which is a truly eco-friendly building, awesome in concept.
Intended to be located along the east river at the south edge of Rooselvelt island
in New York City the tower will be, in essence, living organism being self-sufficient in water,
energy and bio fertilizing. Comprising 132 floors and 600 mtrs tall, the Dragonfly
will be able to accommodate 28 different agricultural fields for the production of fruit, vegetables, grains, meat and dairy.
This incredible construction needs to reflect the social diversity of the occupants, and will be laid out around two poles of housing work places, offices and research laboratories as well as
private leisure spaces. There are to be gardens, kitchen gardens, orchards, meadows, rice fields, farms and suspended fields for crops. Numerous elevators, and stair wells will be serving all the floors.
Amidst financial buildings and high-rise apartments, this 132 story complex will address the pressing need for environmental and ecological sustainability. This design focuses on creating a completely self-sustaining organism that not only utilizes solar, wind, and water energies, but also addresses the pending food shortage problems that the world will face in this century
Centered around two main towers, symmetrically arranged to allow growth to expand vertically rather than horizontally, to take full account of the crowded Manhattan conditions, this concept building is hoped to demonstrate one way of addressing ecological problems in future. A sprawling greenhouse would link the two towers and help carry the load of the building. The complex is to be arranged in a way that allows living spaces to be interspersed with meadows and farms.
The metal and glass wing design was directly inspired by the exoskeleton of a dragonfly, and is to house the plant and animal farms. Due to the appropriate sun and wind conditions within these wings, proper soil nutrient levels will be able to be achieved, maximizing plant growth, while exterior vertical gardens will filter rain water which, once mixed with domestic liquid waste, will be treated organically in order to be reused for farming needs.
The space between the wings accumulates warm air from the exoskeleton to heat the complex during the winter, while natural ventilation teamed with plant evapo-perspiration will cool the air during the summer. This vertical complex would contain 28 different agricultural fields, housing, office space and laboratories as well as orchards, farms and production rooms.
This far-sighted project highlights the future potential of vertical farming, first realized by the Seawater Vertical Farm in Dubai. The design facilitates the use of renewable energy resources such as solar and wind power. In addition, the space between the “wings” would use solar energy to accumulate warm air within the structure during winter months, and the design of the spine would efficiently separate and re-circulate waste products from plants, human beings and animals. Nothing, or at least as little as possible would be wasted. What an awesome idea. Let’s hope it really takes off.
