Sasaki is hoping to create a new approach to urban agriculture with a 100-hectare swath of land between Shanghai’s main international airport and the city center.
The new plan for the district will integrate vertical farming systems with research and public outreach. The goal is to create a ‘living laboratory’ for innovation and education. Sasaki hopes to merge indoor and outdoor agricultural experiences in Sunqiao and turn the city’s food production into a social experience.
In addition to the very practical purpose of providing the city with food, Sunqiao will also help to educate the surrounding children about where their food comes from. A science museum, aquaponics showcase, skygarden, and interactive greenhouse are all included to help educate the population and include them in the growing process.
According to Sasaki, 56% of the vegetables consumed in the Shanghainese diet are leafy greens such as spinach, kale, and bok choi. The reason this is important is because these are the exact type of vegetables that thrive in the simple setups vertical farming can easily provide. They grow quickly, weigh little, and do not require a lot of attention.
The master plan does not just call for Sunqiao to become a completely agricultural district. A public plaza, civic plaza, digital amphitheater, commercial center, and office towers will turn the area into a true mixed-use development.
Construction will begin in 2017.
Image courtesy Sasaki.
Image courtesy Sasaki.
Image courtesy Sasaki.
Image courtesy Sasaki.
Image courtesy Sasaki.
Image courtesy Sasaki.
Related Stories
| Jul 30, 2014
German students design rooftop solar panels that double as housing
Students at the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences designed a solar panel that can double as living space for the Solar Decathlon Europe.
| Jul 28, 2014
Post Tower Wins CTBUH 10-Year Award
The 10 Year Award recognizes proven value and performance in a tall building, across one or more of a wide range of criteria, over a period of 10 years since its completion.
| Jul 24, 2014
MIT researchers explore how to make wood composite-like blocks of bamboo
The concept behind the research is to slice the stalk of bamboo grass into smaller pieces to bond together and form sturdy blocks, much like conventional wood composites.
| Jul 17, 2014
A harmful trade-off many U.S. green buildings make
The Urban Green Council addresses a concern that many "green" buildings in the U.S. have: poor insulation.
| Jul 17, 2014
A high-rise with outdoor, vertical community space? It's possible! [slideshow]
Danish design firm C.F. Møller has developed a novel way to increase community space without compromising privacy or indoor space.
| Jul 16, 2014
Check out this tree-like skyscraper concept for vertical farming
Aprilli Design Studio has stepped forward with a new idea for a vertical farm, which is intended to resemble a giant tree. It uses lightweight decks as outdoor growing space, adding up to about 25 acres of space.
| Jul 15, 2014
A look into the history of modular construction
Modular construction is more than a century old, and throughout its lifespan, the methods have been readapted to meet specific needs of different eras.
| Jul 14, 2014
Meet the bamboo-tent hotel that can grow
Beijing-based design cooperative Penda designed a bamboo hotel that can easily expand vertically or horizontally.
| Jul 11, 2014
Are these LEGO-like blocks the future of construction?
Kite Bricks proposes a more efficient way of building with its newly developed Smart Bricks system.
| Jul 10, 2014
BioSkin 'vertical sprinkler' named top technical innovation in high-rise design
BioSkin, a system of water-filled ceramic pipes that cools the exterior surface of buildings and their surrounding micro-climates, has won the 2014 Tall Building Innovation Award from the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.
