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This Vertical Farming System Was Designed To Build Up Community And Accommodate The Urban Lifestyle!
Urban farming takes different shapes in different cities. Some cities can accommodate thriving backyard gardens for produce, some take to hydroponics for growing plants, and then some might keep their gardens on rooftops
03/19/2021
Following interviews with local residents, Andersson set out to create a farming system that works for the city’s green-thumb community.
Urban farming takes different shapes in different cities. Some cities can accommodate thriving backyard gardens for produce, some take to hydroponics for growing plants, and then some might keep their gardens on rooftops. In Malmö, small-scale farming initiatives are growing in size and Jacob Alm Andersson has designed his own vertical farming system called Nivå, directly inspired by his community and the local narratives of Malmö’s urban farmers.
Through interviews, Andersson learned that most farmers in Malmö began farming after feeling inspired by their neighbors, who also grew their own produce. Noticing the cyclical nature of community farming, Andersson set out to create a more focused space where that cyclical inspiration could flourish and where younger generations could learn about city farming along with the importance of sustainability.
Speaking more to this, Andersson notes, “People need to feel able and motivated to grow food. A communal solution where neighbors can share ideas, inspire and help one another is one way to introduce spaces that will create long-lasting motivation to grow food.”
Since most cities have limited space available, Andersson had to get creative in designing his small-scale urban farming system in Malmö. He found that for an urban farm to be successful in Malmö, the design had to be adaptable and operable on a vertical plane– it all came down to the build of Nivå.
Inspired by the local architecture of Malmö, Andersson constructed each system by stacking steel beams together to create shelves and then reinforced those with wooden beams, providing plenty of stability. Deciding against the use of screws, Nivå’s deep, heat-treated pine planters latch onto the steel beams using a hook and latch method. Ultimately, Nivå’s final form is a type of urban farming workstation, even including a center workbench ideal for activities like chopping produce or pruning crops.
Taking inspiration from community gardens and the local residents’ needs, Andersson found communal inspiration in Malmö.
Backyard and patio gardens are popular options for those living in cities who’d still like to have their very own gardening space.
Lead photo: Designer: Jacob Alm Andersson.
Hydroponic Indoor Farm Plans To Be Among First Tenants In Downtown Piqua's Zolo Building
It was strategically placed in front of the Zollinger's building, a 40,000-square-foot former grocery warehouse planned as a mixed-use development with 16 loft-style residential units, a roof deck, community market/kitchen incubator and co-working space.
Fifth Season Farm, founded by a local brother-sister duo, has launched a hydroponic indoor farm inside a shipping container along Main Street in downtown Piqua.
By John Bush – Senior Reporter, Dayton Business Journal
A unique farming business has set up shop in downtown Piqua, and if all goes to plan the concept will be among the first tenants in an historic building being redeveloped in the city core.
Fifth Season Farm, founded by brother-sister duo Britt Decker and Laura Jackson, launched a hydroponic indoor farm inside a shipping container along Main Street. It was strategically placed in front of the Zollinger's building, a 40,000-square-foot former grocery warehouse planned as a mixed-use development with 16 loft-style residential units, a roof deck, community market/kitchen incubator and co-working space.
While the farm has been operating there for months, the long-term intention is to occupy space inside the the century-old building, which will be renamed the "Zolo." Chris Schmiesing, Piqua's community and economic development director, said the community market concept fits well with Fifth Season's business, and would be a welcome addition to the building.
"Part of the Zolo concept is the community market space, where local growers and producers can come and put their product on the shelves and begin to grow their business," Schmiesing said. "We're really excited to have Fifth Season Farm in there because we think it really represents the kind of innovative, entrepreneurial activity we want to see more of."
Unlike some traditional farms, Fifth Season does not use pesticides or herbicides, and utilizes non-GMO seeds. Powerful LEDs create a specific light recipe for each plant, allowing control over size and shape. There is no dirt, meaning the crops are free of bugs. The hydroponic system uses 90% less water by recycling the nutrient rich infused water in a loop system. Since it is weather controlled, temperature, relative humidity and CO2 levels remain constant all year.
"It is a complete, self-contained unit," Decker said. "The products also have a much longer shelf life because they are harvested to order."
Fifth Season currently grows about half-a-dozen varieties of lettuce, as well as specialty greens such as Swiss chard and kale. Decker said they are also growing small root vegetables such as radishes.
Currently, Fifth Season offers delivery through its website. Orders can be delivered up to five miles from its farm location, where customers can also come to pick up their products. Fifth Season produce can also be found on the Miami County Locally Grown Virtual Market. Decker said they are in discussions with local grocery stores, restaurants and gyms to carry their product as well.
When their space in the Zolo building is ready, Decker said they plan to open a marketplace and pickup location inside. He added the entire reason they placed the farm in that location was to be ready for when the redevelopment project is complete.
In June 2020, the Piqua Planning Commission unanimously approved a zoning change that allows for residential use within the building. The rezoning was a big administrative hurdle the project needed to cross, but the project still needs to be fully financed. The project missed out on the latest round of Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credits, though Schmiesing said additional funding sources are being finalized.
Gamble Associates, a Massachusetts-based urban design and planning firm, is taking the lead on the Zolo project. Gamble Associates Principal David Gamble previously said the interior build-out will take between nine and 10 months to complete once it gets started.
Assuming everything aligns, Gamble said this project will create a "critical mass" that could have ripple effects throughout the city of Piqua.
"Piqua, in my mind, has reached an inflection point," he said in July 2020. "While there may not be a lot of transformation to date, there's been a lot of good planning and the city has very good leadership. Piqua is due for that next phase of growth. We like working here, and we're excited about this opportunity and what it can do for the city."
Meet The Farm-Based Neighborhoods Changing The Face of Master-Planned Communities
Forget the pristine landscaping, five-star golf courses and resort-style amenities that master-planned communities have become known for. Thanks to a handful of developers and their more sustainable approach to planning, a new vision of the American neighborhood has emerged—and it’s called the “agrihood.”
September 12, 2019
Aly J. Yale Senior Contributor Real Estate
I cover mortgage, housing and real estate.
Farmers at the Willowsford community farm in Aldie, Virginia, harvest fall greens for the neighborhoods CSA program and public farm stand. PHOTO BY DEBORAH DRAMBY
Forget the pristine landscaping, five-star golf courses and resort-style amenities that master-planned communities have become known for. Thanks to a handful of developers and their more sustainable approach to planning, a new vision of the American neighborhood has emerged—and it’s called the “agrihood.”
Rather than lap pools and community centers, these neighborhoods boast organic farms, herb gardens and edible nature trails. They have weekend farmer’s markets, cooking classes and employ full-time farm directors and artists-in-residence. Some even have camps and children’s programs to help foster healthy, sustainable living in the next generation.
According to the Urban Land Institute, “Agrihoods offer proven financial, health, and environmental benefits—to the stakeholders involved in their implementation, to surrounding communities and to the planet.”
One of the foremost examples of this trend? That’d be Serenbe. The Georgia agrihood offers residents a 25-acre organic farm, regular farmer’s markets and an annual plant sale. Blueberry bushes are planted along all the community’s crosswalks for “seasonal snacking,” according to the neighborhood’s VP of Marketing Monica Olsen.
The neighborhood also conserves water via landscaping and uses naturally treated wastewater for irrigation.
The Serenbe community outside of Atlanta boasts edible landscaping throughout its trails. Blueberry bushes line this bridge that leads to the neighborhood farm. PHOTO BY ALI HARPER PHOTOGRAPHY
There’s also Willowsford, a Virginia community boasting a public farm stand and weekly produce subscriptions, and Arden, an agrihood located in Palm Beach County, Fla.
Arden is home to a five-acre farm, run by a pair of full-time farm directors. Residents can take their pick of fruits, vegetables and herbs all grown right in the neighborhood. There’s also a general store and plenty of opportunities to help out around the farm.
Brenda Helman and her husband were the 15th buyers to secure their spot in the Arden community.
“It provides a lifestyle that seems to have been left behind in bygone times,” Helman said. “The homes have front porches, you know your neighbors here, and there are children always playing in the fresh outdoors. This community brings hometown values, fresh-grown vegetables and neighbors knowing neighbors back to us.”
Arden, an agrihood in Palm Beach County, Florida boasts a five-acre community garden and two full-time farm directors. COURTESY OF FREEHOLD COMMUNITIES
There’s currently an agrihood in at least 27 of the country’s 50 states, but a report from the Urban Land Institute says the trend is growing.
It’s no wonder why, either. The communities don’t just benefit those who live there. According to ULI, there are big benefits for developers, too.
“By including a working farm as a central project feature, developers can unlock special advantages, ranging from reduced amenity costs, increased project marketability and faster sales for residential properties to opportunities for enhanced community social ties and access to land for current and would-be farmers,” ULI reported.
There’s a price premium, too. According to Brad Leibov, homes in the agrihood he helped develop in Grayslake, Illinois, are going for 30% more than homes in comparable neighborhoods.
Throw in that agrihoods are also typically clustered, with homes located on densely concentrated, smaller lots, and developers can often make more with less in these communities. In Serenbe, for example, founder Steven Nygren was able to use clustering to add 20% more residential units than traditional planning would allow.
Still, profitability isn’t the only thing to be gained from this new practice. Developers also have the chance to make a difference—both on the world and those who inhabit it.
As ULI explains, “By building agrihoods, real estate decision-makers—including developers, investors, owners and property managers—can leverage a focus on food production in development to create value, promote equitable economic development, enhance environmental sustainability and improve public health.”
I'm a freelance writer and journalist from Houston, covering real estate, mortgage and finance topics. See my current work in Forbes, The Mortgage Reports, The Balance, Bankrate and The Simple Dollar. Past gigs: The Dallas Morning News, NBC, Radio Disney and PBS.