Some projects that might seem to belong to the realm of science fiction, such as flying orchards or floating greenhouses, are closer to reality than we know.
The Aeroponic 2100 project, from the Mcheileh Studio, in New York, proposes building aeroponic gardens in blimps so that they fly over towns, cities, residential spaces, and even areas away from urban centers, distributing food.
The aeroponic - and hydroponic - crops, distributed on vertically stacked platforms inside the self-propelled aerostats, will use filtered rainwater that is collected from the aircraft's outer frame, as well as desalinated water collected from the seas, according to the Studio.
These airships or flying gardens would help eliminate the need to transport food over long distances using transportation means that generates high carbon emissions and would allow releasing land that is currently used for agriculture and that is degraded by the use of pesticides, the company detailed.
Their operation would not produce contamination and would also offer a solution to bring food "from the garden to the table" on a massive scale, according to the company. The aircraft would be powered by solar and wind power and would be designed to travel anywhere in the world.
Meanwhile, the N-ARK study, in Hamamatsu (Japan), is developing an innovative architecture focused on solving social problems derived from environmental impacts, such as the rising sea level and salinity of coastal soils following floods.
The study's architectural proposal for the climate crisis that threatens life on earth consists of developing an innovative method of agriculture based on seawater: floating orchards.
N-ARK is developing a ‘salt-resistant‘ floating orchard prototype that will combine greenhouse crops, with a 'salt farming‘ method that uses seawater as a direct source of nutrients for vegetables.
Each orchard of the Green Ocean project will have two distinct green spaces destined for the cultivation of vegetables: one at sea level and the other underwater.
"This project will allow growing vegetables that use seawater as a source of nutrients, improve the underwater environment by growing algae that absorb CO₂ favoring the growth of plankton, and it will allow delivering fresh vegetables quickly to restaurants in coastal areas such as New York," N-ARK stated.
Source: vanguardia.com.mx