Skyscraper or Farm? A Tower Unlike Any Other

An Italian architecture firm has designed a 218-meter-tall skyscraper to be used as a hydroponic vertical farm. The skyscraper, to be unveiled in Shenzhen, China, will produce around 270 tons of food per year, feeding roughly 40,000 people. 

Designed by the firm Carlo Ratti Associati, the skyscraper will provide opportunities to grow, sell, and consume the vegetation on the premises — creating a system of nearly zero emissions in regard to food transportation. The tower is being named the Jian Mu Tower after a mythical tree that is said to connect heaven and earth in ancient Chinese folklore. It is expected to complete Shenzhen’s central skyline.

The architect Carlo Ratti explained that “Crops cultivated in the tower are sold and even eaten in the same location, which helps us conserve a great deal of energy in food distribution.” The large skyscraper should allow for Shenzhen to become more self-sufficient in terms of food production and consumption, with other big cities likely to follow.  

The skyscraper will also include offices, food courts, terraces, and a supermarket. Further, the building is expected to include more climate wins. The outdoor greenery is intended to naturally reduce temperatures, lowering the need for air conditioning throughout the entire building, whereas the climate of Shenzhen city itself is expected to aid in the irrigation of the crops.