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Tower Farm
Redefine the Morphology of Vertical Farm, London
AWR - LOFT Competition Entry
Collaborator: Dongyul Kim
July 2011
We begin with a critical enquiry on the morphology of current farm tower. Many competition projects regarding the design of farm tower or vertical farm have shown a limited distinction and relationship between their architectural form and function. A mere skyscraper filled with so-called “farms” will not be functional or sustainable in real world. The permanent structure of current farm towers will disintegrate - faster than regular buildings - even if armored with the most innovative materials and technologies.We thus propose a tower-superstructure, the crate; with farming units, the trays, that can be inserted or detached as required.
This system shows the essential quality and meaning of vertical farm: a sustainable system with the potential for mass-production of Build, Seed, Harvest and Eat. The tower farm thus becomes an act of building a sustainable crate to vertically locate farm trays, instead of a building filled with farm lands. Tower Farm’s fully exposed structural and mechanical system function as the lightest possible crate for the farm trays. This allows the natural light to permeate almost all tray surfaces. The productivity rises and maintenance become easier. The clear manifestation of its function is also revealed in its form. We thus believe that the definition of previous farm towers should be reconsidered to increase the awareness and use of vertical farming in its fullest.