to_feed_and_beautify
In Count Zero by William Gibson there is a description of the future "Boston-Atlanta Metropolitan Area" where the projects have become at least partly self-sustaining:
"... the Projects rose beyond the opposite shore, vast
rectilinear structures softened
by a random overlay of retrofitted greenhouse balconies, catfish
tanks, solar heating systems, and the ubiquitous chicken-wire
dishes...."
"Finally, they were approaching a wall of some kind. Bobby looked back. Shallow pools on the muddy concrete floor caught and reflected the limbs of the dwarf trees, the bare pale roots straggling down into makeshift tanks of hydroponic fluid.
'Then they pump that into shrimp tanks, and grow a lot of shrimp. Shrimp grow real fast in warm water. Then they pump it through pipes in the concrete, up here, to keep this place warm.'
That's what this level was for, to grow `ponic amaranth, lettuce, things like that. Then they pump it out into the catfish tanks, and algae eat the shrimp shit. Catfish eat the algae, and it all goes around again. Or anyway, that was the idea. Chances are they didn't figure anybody'd go up on the roof and kick those Darrieus rotors over to make room for a mosque, and they didn't figure a lot of other changes either.
'So we wound up with this space. But you can still get you some damned good shrimp in the Projects. . . . Catfish, too.'"
I imagine a future where the topiaried ornamentals now growing on these roof terraces will make way for fresh fruits and vegetables. Even urbanites need to be connected to the world.
Now, I'm making this sort of thing happen in SE Portland for a "living" as the more diminutive half of the Sellwood Garden Club.
Comments and faves
© Natalia Balcerska Photography, scottpartee, fulltiltgonzales, onomatoh, and 36 other people added this photo to their favorites.
scottpartee (79 months ago | reply)
wow! sometimes, in the past, I had visions of high rise farms and thought them a great idea. Rooftop gardens are getting big, but I agree with you: why not rooftop farms?
sillydog (79 months ago | reply)
why not edible landscaping, for that matter? We actually breed fruit trees that don't bear fruit. This has always struck me as counter-survival.
jessica_woolliams (76 months ago | reply)
This is lovely ... you should check out www.sustainablebuildingcentre.com ...
sillydog (76 months ago | reply)
Cool. Thanks for the link.
jessica_woolliams (73 months ago | reply)
This is an interesting pic - will you add this to the Sustainable Building Centre flickr group? www.flickr.com/groups/sustainablebuilding/
Also for fun and lovely images of susttainable buildings and other things see the Ideas That Last Exhibit at: www.sustainablebuildingcentre.com/ (The SBC is a non-profit in Vancouver, BC, at Granville Island.)
ayoub01us (57 months ago | reply)
Hanging Gardens of Babylon, opps sorry I meant Vancouver
www.urbanreinventors.net (51 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called The Urban Reinventors Image Archive, and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
Excellent!
chris.lawrence (51 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Green & Sustainable Architecture, and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
Ange Halle (50 months ago | reply)
Hi ! So, you're in this group too ! This is a wonderful concept.
Leedman (45 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Downtown Vancouver, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Addicted2Hymenoptera :) (40 months ago | reply)
Cool shot! It looks like a bunch of stairs : )
Campobello Island (36 months ago | reply)
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Found in a search. (?)