Vertical Farming is a verticalized building typology where its functions and programme primarily focus on the urban food supply chain.

The building itself is seen as a structural element of the urban ecosystem.

With that we distinguish ourselves from professional greenhouse manufacturers and plant factory developers where the primary focus is the production entity.

To answer it with a quote of Franz Fischler, former EU-Commissioner for Agriculture, written for and endorsing the vfi:

“Vertical Farming offers a promising new approach to guaranteeing food security for cities. Food is produced directly next to the consumer – in the middle of the city. Vertical Farming drastically reduces the required agricultural area and resources such as water, fertilisers and pesticides. Thus, it offers completely new opportunities for urban organic food production.”

Provocatively saying: Every urban /vertical farmer with its business models has to operate with true costs. Conventional farmers don’t have to do it. Just for saying: We are paying our food four times: In the supermarket / store, then with our taxes for the biggest EU-budget for agricultural subsidies, by destroying nature, which still has a high price (but no value) and for indirect costs of migration between countries we forced to become export-nations, even though they don’t have enough possibilities to supply their own population with food. To conclude:

Taking all these points in consideration, vertical farming is the cheepest way to get something on your plate.

Provocatively saying: Every urban /vertical farmer with its business models has to operate with true costs. Conventional farmers don’t have to do it. Just for saying: We are paying our food four times: In the supermarket / store, then with our taxes for the biggest EU-budget for agricultural subsidies, by destroying nature, which still has a high price (but no value) and for indirect costs of migration between countries we forced to become export-nations, even though they don’t have enough possibilities to supply their own population with food. To conclude:

Taking all these points in consideration, vertical farming is the cheepest way to get something on your plate.

Patience for sensible planning. Integrating food production into the built environment is a multidisciplinary endeavor. It takes time to develop a common language, objectives and responsibilities with all stakeholders. Planning also requires interface management.

A plant factory is an entity which is completely substituting natural parameters, including sun light. Important for findings, especially from a plant physiological perspective, but questionable in terms of scalability. Yes, they’re radically reducing land use, but the energy costs are increasing an already existing problem.

The Vertical Farm is a holistic approach and goes beyond the verticalization of a production entity. It is the representation of an imploded food supply chain, with all its positive externalities (reduction of transport and refrigeration as two examples). In addition, the crop catalogue, the crop rotations and the availability of photosynthetically active radiation within the building are just some parameters which have to be combined. 

We stand for food production within urban  areas, independent from fossil fuels. With vertical farms we see the possibility not only to reduce the consumption of resources but also to create material – and energy loops. Locally grown products have to be produced next to the consumer – year round.

Food production will become part of daily urban life again.

The vfi is open to all engaged people which want to design the resilient city. 

The idea of SKYBERRIES is to bring all actors of architecture and CEA together. We have the network, you have the focal point for a conference or academy. We structure, organize and bring the right people together – from business, industry, politics and academia.

So, move on and get in touch!