Published Vertical Farm Designs
Welcome to Chris M. Jacobs Vertical Farm Blog. I'll be updating this site with more images, links, posts, and essays on this topic. You can find more information about Dr. Dickson Despommier's Vertical Farm website here. You can also find an article written for New York Magazine here.
Chris Jacobs has been working with Dr. Despommier for almost 3 years now and created the first widely published design for the Vertical Farm. These designs have helped to elevate the concept to amazing heights. The most published Vertical Farm design can be seen below:
And Night....
Windspire inspired by associate professor of mechanical engineering, Majid Rashidi.
A new (iterated) design (below) modeled and rendered by Dean Fowler of Machine Films. Dean modeled and rendered the first Vertical Farm design and Chris and Dean both received design guidance from Rolf Mohr.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
January 12th, 2008 - 22:04
I just recently came across the concept of vertical farms, and am completely in love with it (problems and all). However, while i really respect anyone’s efforts to work on this conceptually and practically, i have to say that i would like to see designs being produced that are a little more organic in nature… i.e. something that would vastly improve the aesthetic quality of an urban environment, and give a more “green” feel to those living there, rather than designs that inspire one to think of Star Trek (if we have to think space travel, aliens and such, let’s think more along the lines of ET), and wonder how much this will add to the albedo effect.
January 12th, 2008 - 22:05
One last thing …advances in fiber optics should enable any type of external surface to be used (not simply glass) and also provide for solar lighting of sufficient levels throughout.
January 13th, 2008 - 03:34
Yes..I have to agree with you…the designs that I have helped to create are a little sci-fi…but sometimes our audience out there reacts more positively to “futuristic” visuals. The designs in this site helped to bring some pretty amazing awareness to this concept…even if they are a bit unrealistic in regards to being built. A real vertical farm would look more like a multy-story warehouse which would house very sophisticated hydroponic growing systems. I’m working on some new designs that might be more in-line to what your commenting on. You should also be aware that fiber optics, while very useful in piping light into structures…isn’t really very popular …as those systems expen$ive. Red spectrum LED lights have shown to be very effective in feeding light to certain plants and vegatables. As a matter of fact…LED technology will play a major role in the feasibility of modern indoor farming. It’s very exciting.
April 7th, 2008 - 15:03
hi , my name is shaheen , i am a third year architecture student at school of planning and architecture , New Delhi.
i was looking for a topic for dissertation ,thats when i heard about vertical farm design , it would be grateful if u can give me a brief idea about this concept and to what extent does architecture have role in these . is it just like building other sky scrapers ?or is there something different?
May 6th, 2008 - 03:20
can you please present your works in a covention in India?
July 24th, 2008 - 09:31
I really want to see further progress on this concept because I think this is could be a solution to are rising food shortage…I am involved in a campaign to build the first functioning tower: http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/vertical-farm-in-new-york-city
June 16th, 2009 - 21:57
Hello Chris…What great projects and concepts! I work with a San Francisco based company, LumiGrow, and we are working with LED Horticulture Lighting. I was wondering if you have thought about building this technology into your greenhouse designs?