CITIES WITH FISH FARMS IN THE PARK AND FOG FUNNELS ON THE HILLS?

Photo via van Bergen Kolpa Architecten

I recently attended a lecture at the American Institute of Architects San Francisco space as part of the Architecture and the City Festival. SF-based IwamotoScott Architects and Rotterdam-based van Bergen Kolpa Architecten were on hand to present their conceptual designs. As part of the “Architecture of Conseqence” exhibit currently at the AIA-SF, both teams presented a unique and futuristic vision of how the cities and urban areas of tomorrow could combat resource shortages and population growth while treading lightly on the environment. 

Pictured above is VBK’s “Park Supermarket”, which envisions creating everything from fruit orchards to rice paddies and fish ponds (above) in urban and semi-urban parks. Not only could advanced greenhouse and geothermal technologies be used to grow a global variety of food – locally – but citizens would also have an opportunity to engage with the “supermarket”. 

IwamotoScott’s “Hydro Net” tackles the problem of water resources and urban infrastructure in a future-San Francisco. Along with tapping groundwater, “Hydro Net” could collect fog and grow algae in tall twisting residential complexes – which would later be used to produce biofuel and hydrogen to fuel flying transport pods! 

Check out the exhibit while it’s still up, and for more details, check out my latest article on Inhabitat on these projects.