I stumbled upon this a while back (But I forget where). Called La Tour Vivante (The Living Tower), this Parisian concept tower is a farm built entirely within a skyscraper. The exposed clear-glass curtain wall areas are the 'farm' elements, while the black tempered glass areas are multi-functional, ranging from office space to residential.
The concept seems promising, but this has possibility of remaining one. At a whopping €98 100 000 (156.5 Million CAD) for construction, the costs of maintenance seem staggering for something so new and innovative. However, the designers, SOA Architects, seem to be very ready for this project, covering everything from self-sustainability to air circulation and local food support.
More after the jump,
-Dennis
According to their .pdf report, the entire tower would be self-sustaining, producing its own energy through green methods. Obviously, the vertical farm that is integrated into the building will provide local foods and sustenance for the population. SOA Architects also report that there are mechanisms to collect rainwater and distribute it to the residents and professionals below. As for air purification, the agriculture will take care of that.
A youtube video is available here:
Despite the cost, it does look very enticing. Two windmills (and "the methane or electricity produced from fermenting food waste") seem like it can self sustain a thirty-story scraper, but noise could be a problem. Also, in some of the renders, it appears that the residents and professionals get a nice view of the farm during its growth process, separated by a thin curtain wall. If methane gas is present, wouldn't the air quality be of issue? SOA Architects claim that the agriculture will cleanse the air, but how much? Although this is a very smart and clever way to solve the self-sustainability problem, it is a brand new tower, instead of a building that is repurposed or gentrified.
This tower has big dreams and concepts, but to have the constant sustainability would be difficult. There is still too much reliance on nearby infrastructure to be 100% self sustaining. However, this tower could be the key to push humanity in the correct direction.
xoxo
Dennis Tang
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Works Cited
SOA Architects. "An International Sustainable City." AtelierSOA. www.ateliersoa.fr/verticalfarm_fr/pages/images/press_urban_farm.pdf (accessed November 1, 2009).
SOA Architects. "La Tour Vivante." Eco-Tower. http://eco-tower.fr/ (accessed November 1, 2009).
Vertical Farm Project, The. "Agriculture for the 21st Century and Beyond." The Vertical Farm Project. http://www.verticalfarm.com/ (accessed November 1, 2009).
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