The term “Vertical Farming” has been getting a lot of attention these days, thanks to Dr. Dick Despommier, who coined the term.  The basic premise of vertical farming is instead of growing out, you grow up.  This principle makes a lot of sense given the world’s increasing demand for food in the face of finite and eroding arable land.  The question now becomes, how do we grow upward?

Despommier has been advocating new construction of elaborate and ambitious skyscrapers.  Below are some renderings of proposed ideas:

While these designs are architecturally-stunning, many have serious reservations over the viability of such a design (see here).  Despommier estimates his first proof of concept project to cost over $30 million— a large price tag, especially in these times.

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