A Sustainable Use of the New York City Skyline

Tower of Food

Yesterday’s Science section of the New York Times ran an interesting article on the possibility of using the NYC skyline as an alternative way of growing food. The article, entitled “Country, the City Version: Farms in the Sky Gain New Interest,” explains how “eating local” can have an all new meaning for folks in big cities. The project, which originated at Columbia University in 1999 has attracted the attention of architects in the United States, as well as Europe. Dr. Despommier’s pet project known as the “vertical farm,” has also recently caught the attention of Manhattan Borough President, Scott M. Stringer.
With some city officials becoming aware and interested in the project is a step in the right direction, but still there are others who remain somewhat skeptical. The economic perspective is the reason, as people like Armando Carbonell, Chairman of the department of planning and urban form at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in Cambridge Mass., asks several questions. The profit of the project seems to be his main concern- “would a tomato in lower Manhattan be able to outbid an investment banker for space in a high-rise?” Carbonell further questions economic principles- whether a vertical farm can in fact provide the energy savings that its supporters claim versus transporting food from afar. Ultimately he thinks that the project may in fact be profitable.
Dr. Despommier says that more research is needed to make this project a reality. There are issues of proper calculations for the energy needs of the vertical farms, and questions of safety. Additionally, there is an aesthetic aspect to these vertical farms, would people be likely to say they want these near their home, or would they be considered an eye sore. I think aesthetics should be the least important, but not everyone feels this way. Although, quite a bit of research is still needed, I hope the project becomes a success. I would love to see “self-sustaining towers where city folks grow their own food.”