International design studio SPARK has designed Home Farm, a conceptual proposal for retirement housing in Singapore that combines apartments with facilities for vertical urban vegetable farming.
In the proposed development, seniors will get the chance to live in a high-density garden environment, thanks to the aquaponics and soil-based vegetable farming facilities in the project. This also presents employment opportunities and SPARK estimates Home Farm could create 340 part-time jobs for its residents in areas of planting, harvesting, sorting, packing, tours, on-site sales, deliveries and cleaning.
On its website, the studio stated, “SPARK’s aim is to generate discussion about the many potentials that can emerge from the mixing of two typically separate realms. The research-based design addresses two pressing challenges faced by Singapore; how the city-state might support a rapidly ageing society, and how it might enhance its food security (90 percent of which is currently imported).”
SPARK projects Home Farm could produce 35 tonnes of leafy green vegetables per month, which equates to a monthly sales revenue of $148,000. “Potential profits aside, Home Farm presents a way to bolster the local production of food in the heart of the city and at high intensity.”
While the Home Farm concept was designed for Singapore, it could be implemented anywhere leafy green vegetables can be grown on building facades and rooftops, the studio added.
More details on Home Farm will be unveiled soon.
Image source: SPARK’s Facebook page
Muneerah Bee, Senior Journalist at PropertyGuru, wrote this story. To contact her about this or other stories email muneerah@propertyguru.com.sg
