Farming in the City

New York magazine gave four architects the opportunity to come up with ideas for a vacant block on Canal Street in New York.  Their only requirements were that the proposals include a residential component and that it basically met zoning requirements. 

This New York Magazine article shows the creative vision that the architects of Work AC have come up with for the Canal Street block.  It’s city farming on a whole new level – many in fact.  The design is an apartment building with farming crops on the top, which is structured in a shape like stairs.  

“We thought we’d bring the farm back to the city and stretch it vertically,” says Dan Wood.  “We are interested in urban farming and the notion of trying to make our cities more sustainable by cutting the miles (food travels),” adds Amale Andraos, both co-principals at Work AC.

With inclusions such as putting greens, water tanks to collect rainwater for irrigation and different kinds of crops for each floor, this is at the very least… extremely creative!  It shows that new and inventive ideas for a more biofriendly environment are coming from all sectors of business.  And whether or not it gets the go-ahead, it certainly shows that people are creatively thinking outside the box.