Flying Green Carpets
UUrban Rooftop Farms & Gardens - The next generation of sustainable design The idea has been around for millenia...ever since the hanging gardens of Babylon, the juxtaposition of buildings and vegetation has always been attractive.
I've always wondered why it's taken so long for the concept of green roofs, green walls, garden rooms and roof terraces, etc...to catch on in modern urban environments. To be sure, new technologies are making the possibility of a green roof more affordable. Hardier plants, hi-tech soil, LEDs, hydroponics, aerospace materials and greater demand have all helped. Luxury wood panelled and flushing portaloos, gourmet festival food and tents with sitting rooms are redefining our outside experiences and therefore our perception of what we use the garden, field or forest for. We are becoming more and more familiar with inhabiting the local outdoors and the goal of an outside 'room' is the closest that is has ever been. From the 15th Century Tsubo Niwa Japanese 3mx3m courtyard gardens to mediterranean courtyards to such genius ideas as rooftop farms that supply local restaurants with produce while insulating the buildings beneath and using solar/wind power, this is obviously a massive and rapidly evolving subject. I'm not going to go into it in massive detail at this stage, but here are a few interesting current projects that illustrate what I hope are the beginnings of a global trend, along with the sort of factors to consider when planning this kind of endeavour on a domestic scale.
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Anthropologie, Regent Street, London, UK Internal Vertical Wall by BioTecture Ltd. The indoor living wall is three stories high (150 sqm in area) and in its second year. It features many houseplants which are known to have beneficial effects on improving air quality, including Chlorophytum (spider plant). The plants are grown vertically in a unique, patented, modular hydroponic system, designed for precise low water usage and low maintenance, proven from the USA to the UAE. The design was based upon a fluid interpretation of a woven cloth. BioTecture Ltd
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Dickson Despommier, University of Columbia, New York, USA. Inventor of Vertical Farming in 1999. To me it makes a lot of sense and the benefits are numerous. The challenges are mainly technological as conceptually it seems to be a no-brainer. There is enough material here for another entry on its own, but to summarize, he cites the main advantages of vertical farming as follows: › Year-round crop production; 1 indoor acre is equivalent to 4-6 outdoor acres or more, depending upon the crop (eg. strawberries: 1 indoor acre = 30 outdoor acres). › No weather-related crop failures due to droughts, floods, pests. › All Vertical Farmed food is grown organically: no herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers. › Vertical Farming virtually eliminates agricultural runoff by recycling black water. › Vertical Farming returns farmland to nature, restoring ecosystem functions and services. › Vertical Farming greatly reduces the incidence of many infectious diseases that are acquired at the agricultural interface. › Vertical Farming converts black and gray water into potable water by collecting the water of evapotranspiration. › Vertical Farming adds energy back to the grid via methane generation from composting non-edible parts of plants and animals. › Vertical Farming dramatically reduces fossil fuel use (no tractors, plows, shipping). › Vertical Farming can convert abandoned urban properties, roofs and walls into food production centers. › Vertical Farming creates new employment opportunities › We cannot go to the moon, Mars, or beyond without first learning to farm indoors on earth. › Vertical Farming may prove to be useful for integrating into refugee camps › Vertical Farming offers the promise of measurable economic improvement for tropical and subtropical Least Developed Countries. If this should prove to be the case, then VF may be a catalyst in helping to reduce or even reverse the population growth of LDCs as they adopt urban agriculture as a strategy for sustainable food production. › Vertical Farming could reduce the incidence of armed conflict over natural resources, such as water and land for agriculture In addition, I would add the following: › Urban Rooftop or Vertical Farming can help support local businesses, reduce food transport costs, improve the air quality and general quality of life for urban dwellers by giving them small and low-maintenance useful outside space attached to their flats. › Rooftop and Vertical Farms can improve the insulation of the dwellings they are attached to, as they provide an additional buffer to the elements. http://www.verticalfarm.com/
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Eaglestreet Rooftop Farm, Brooklyn, New York, USA. On the shoreline of the East River and with a sweeping view of the Manhattan skyline, Eagle Street Rooftop Farm is a 6,000 square foot green roof organic vegetable farm located atop a warehouse rooftop in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. During New York City’s growing season, the farmers at Eagle Street Rooftop Farm supply a community supported agriculture (CSA) program, an onsite farm market, and bicycle fresh produce to area restaurants. In partnership with food education organization Growing Chefs, the rooftop farm hosts a range of farm-based educational and volunteer programs. http://rooftopfarms.org/
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Will Allen, Growing Power Inc, Milwaukee, USA. Growing Power is a national nonprofit organisation and land trust supporting people from diverse backgrounds and the environments in which they live, by helping to provide equal access to healthy, high-quality, safe and affordable food for people in all communities. Growing Power implements this mission by providing hands-on training, on-the-ground demonstrations, outreach and technical assistance through the development of Community Food Systems that help people grow, process, market and distribute food in a sustainable manner. http://www.growingpower.org/
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Prime & Toast, Kuwait Restaurant with Internal vertical farm. Thomas Klein International, the Dubai based restaurant consultants, and their Chicago architectural office PS Studio, have introduced the vertical farming concept in the latest Prime and Toast food outlet in Kuwait. The feature is based on the concept of vertical farming, invented in 1999 by American professor Dr. Dickson Despommier, to grow food in crowded urban areas. Prime and Toast's vertical farm will be the centrepiece of the new restaurant, set to open after Ramadan, and will be watered using condensation from the air conditioning system, which is a viable solution for a climate as humid as Kuwait's, especially during the summer months. The organic herbs and green-leaf vegetables harvested from the farm will be used as ingredients on the innovative menu. "All the elements of the interiors will be aligned with the concept of raw, natural, high quality ingredients to complement the menu on offer", says Daniel During, Managing Partner of Thomas Klein International (TKI). The vertical farming section and the kitchen will take central stage in the eatery with all tables enjoying direct views into the production area. Two central tables will be available for communal seating while smaller tables have been included for individual seating. To add to the ecological approach of the restaurant, all the wood used in the production of the furniture will be from sustainable forests. The new outlet will also feature a metre-wide blackboard ribbon running along the restaurant's entire walls, as well as a shelf above the blackboard which will feature a selection of the finest mineral waters from around the world...though I'm not sure this is quite as sustainable as the rest of the project. The strip of blackboard originates from within the kitchen and runs all the way around the space from the kitchen throughout the dining area, linking the restaurant and the kitchen and enabling the chefs to write on the black board not only their daily specials and recommendations, but also to express their thoughts and creativity. The designers believe this ribbon of ideas will create a link between the chefs and the customers and will entice customers to try new food. http://www.eyeofdubai.com/v1/news/newsdetail-43435.htm
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To create your own roof garden or vertical farm, the checklist you might want to consider would include:
1. Suitable Plants vs Desired Plants. Questions to ask: What types of plants are most suitable? Are they shade tolerant? (Overhanging eaves) wind tolerant? Can they survive in an area of high evaporation like the top of a building? How is root growth going to affect the integrity of the material below it? Is it better to have plants in soil or in pots?
2. Soil depth vs Fertility. To reduce weight, especially when wet, what is the thinnest mix of composite soil that still provides sufficient nutrients? Is soil necessary at all?
3. Privacy vs Sun. Rooftop gardens and terraces are always worth more if they are not overlooked. Obviously this is a limitation of living in an urban environment, but orientation and screening can certainly minimise any overlooking if designed properly, so that the sun isn't lost past the early afternoon. In the northern hemisphere, this would involve orientating an open terrace south, south-east, south-west, or west but if the terrace had walls and was large enough it could be both private and open.
4. Open vs Closed. Would the outside terrace have any kind of temporary covering? Or pergola? Or overhanging eaves? Or translucent / transparent roof? Or relecting pool? If internal, how is climate / humidity / solar gain controlled? If open, how is the wind dealt with? Air currents that increase with height and can make the terrace or roof unuseable if not properly shielded. Anything above 2-3 storeys will, if not protected already by orientation, need to be protected from wind if it wants to be a pleasant space.
5. Drainage vs Access. By setting the terrace or garden on top of an existing roof, it can drain onto the roof below without any problem. But there would be accessibility problems as it should be easy to get to. A roof terrace you need to climb a ladder to get to compromises its useability. How easy is it to access from the kitchen / bedroom / living room will determine how it is used and how often. The less attention required, the longer it is likely to stay healthy. How is it irrigated? Where does the water come from to irrigate it effectively?
6. Weight vs Density. Obviously the larger the trees or the denser the vegetation, the heavier it will be. If retrofitting an existing property, will the existing structure be able to take the extra weight, especially when it rains as soil and vegetation tend to soak up any water?
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There are a growing number of companies that specialise in DIY vertical gardens. Some ideas can be found at Garden Beet, who reckon that it's not hard but it is worth reading their 'Build your own green wall or vertical garden instructions.' I anticipate that there will be massive growth in this area over the next 5 years, so hopefully we will be seeing a lot more of these kinds of projects. I have a few ideas on the subject that I will try and work up over the next few months and share through the blog.