Around the world in 13 urban rooftop farms
Open space in cities is shrinking and density is rising. But while living on a tiny pocket of land may be necessary, urban dwellers are also seeking a connection to nature and see empty concrete rooftops as potential greenscapes. Not only does the rooftop farm offer fresher, more nutritious food with diminished food miles, but these gardens in the sky too provide insulation for buildings and conquer the urban heat island effect. Here’s a quick glimpse at the range of rooftop farms operating around the globe to perhaps inspire your own patch.
Brooklyn of course is recognised for the two-acre Brooklyn Grange, which produces all manner of fruit and vegetables to supply restaurants and sell in its accompanying shop, as well as keeping chickens and bees. There’s also the impressive Eagle Street Rooftop Farm, which supplies an on-site farmers market and bicycles fresh produce to nearby restaurants, and Gotham Greens produces greenhouse-grown vegetables and herbs. But Brooklyn is also home to a rooftop salt farm, run by Sarah Sproule under the moniker Urban Sproule. Her rooftop greenhouse holds 500 evaporation trays, creating local sea salt from water sourced 30 miles east of Montauk, Long Island. Making raw salt crystals and infusions with local produce like lemon verbena, the saltmonger ensures the origins of your flaky crystals atop your locally grown roasted sweet potatoes are also known.
In Tokyo, City Farm in Odaiba grows a range of fruit and vegetables common to the Japanese kitchen, including melons, soybeans and tomatoes, with the urban rooftop farm also growing rice in traditional wet circumstances. Another rooftop farm, Omotesando Farm was started by architect Kazuki Iimura after the success of his rice farm in Ginza (where two ducklings weed the farm and add their own natural fertiliser), and is located on top of a building that overlooks the skyscrapers of Tokyo. The farm offers sixteen rental plots ranging from $170 to $250 a month.
Tokyo is also home to The Ginza Honey Bee Project, which has been keeping bees on a rooftop since 2006. Rooftop beekeeping makes use of these unused spaces, as well as ensuring the bees are kept high up in the air in urban landscapes. Similar hive projects are also operating in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Hong Kong and London. Bangkok is also home to a spirulina rooftop farm by sustainable food production company energaia.
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