The next generation of vertical farming

Abstract

According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, FAO, nearly 80% of the population will reside in urban centers by 2050 and it is estimated that over 220 acres are needed to feed the population of the world. Vertical farms cannot solve the food shortage problem but they can assist in providing local and healthy food to cities. Vertical farms still need to be developed in the energy and lighting aspect before they can work on different types of sites but the there are a multitude of positives associated with vertical farming, such as eliminating food deserts or revitilizing urban areas. It is important that vertical farming design shifts towards being regenerative; farms should attempt to be integrated into the community because buy-in is key for a vertical farms to succeed and become established as part of the surrounding area. This thesis answer the question what roles might landscape architects play in making vertical farm systems more ecologically, socially, and economically dynamic? In order to answer this question four research methods will be used: literature review, classification, analysis, and projective design.