Europe's largest research center for urban food production has opened in West Flanders, Belgium. Named Agrotopia, the space is a giant greenhouse where innovative urban horticulture techniques will be applied.
Vegetables and fruit trees are being planted across the 6,000-square-meter cultivation area. The space is divided into four climate zones, allowing for the cultivation of diverse species.
With both horizontal and vertical food production, the key technique is hydroponics. This system helps reduce environmental impact by recirculating water, increasing productivity in less space, and offering better protection against pests and diseases.
Beyond the greenhouse roof, the 9,500-square-meter building houses several facilities. One of the core ideas was to create an educational route for members of the public wishing to visit the greenhouse.
Agrotopia was built of glass and steel on top of a food cooperative. According to the Inagro research institute, which is responsible for the project, the facility offers enough space to develop, test, and demonstrate new technologies under real-world conditions.
The architects from van Bergen Kolpa Architects and META Architectuurbureau, who designed the greenhouse, state that the structure is in a “circular symbiosis with the city.” This is because sustainability principles were also integrated directly into the building's construction.
O prédio capta água da chuva em sua cobertura para utilizá-la na irrigação das plantas, também o escoamento da irrigação é tratado e reutilizado. Já o aquecimento da estufa é proveniente do calor residual de um incinerador de resíduos.
Urban Agriculture
Growing food in cities may be key to food security. Many experts emphasize the need to shorten the distance between production and consumption. In this context, community urban gardens represent promising initiatives that require support to be scaled and improved. In Brazil, a living lab for urban farming is underway in Curitiba, which recently opened an urban farm spanning over 4,000 square meters.
Via CicloVivo.
This article was written by Marcia Sousa. The translation is powered by AI.
