9 questions with eco architect William McDonough on the future of agriculture

We’re really excited about urban farming here at Inhabitat, and we’ve been <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/william-mcdonough/">following the work of green architect Bill McDonough for years</a>, through his groundbreaking <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/cradle-to-cradle/">Cradle to Cradle</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cradle_to_Cradle:_Remaking_the_Way_We_Make_Things">manifesto and book</a>, to the inspiring <a href="http://inhabitat.com/inhabitat-interview-green-architect-cradle-to-cradle-founder-william-mcdonough/william-mc-donough-ford-factory/">Ford Factory renovation with the gigantic green roof</a> to the new <a href="http://inhabitat.com/worlds-largest-rooftop-farm-sprouts-10-million-pesticide-free-crops-each-year/">Method Factory with sprawling greenhouses on the roof</a> in Chicago. So imagine our delight when we learned that Bill McDonough was tapped to design the master plan for a new <a href="http://inhabitat.com/massive-food-hub-in-denmark-is-agricultures-answer-to-silicon-valley/">"Silicon Valley of agriculture"</a> in Aarhus, Denmark. We recently had a chance to catch up with him to discuss this <a href="http://inhabitat.com/massive-food-hub-in-denmark-is-agricultures-answer-to-silicon-valley/">new project</a> and his vision for the future of agriculture. He had a lot of fascinating ideas to share, from Thomas Jefferson’s views on urban design to poop recycling - read on for the full interview…

We’re really excited about urban farming here at Inhabitat, and we’ve been <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/william-mcdonough/">following the work of green architect Bill McDonough for years</a>, through his groundbreaking <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/cradle-to-cradle/">Cradle to Cradle</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cradle_to_Cradle:_Remaking_the_Way_We_Make_Things">manifesto and book</a>, to the inspiring <a href="http://inhabitat.com/inhabitat-interview-green-architect-cradle-to-cradle-founder-william-mcdonough/william-mc-donough-ford-factory/">Ford Factory renovation with the gigantic green roof</a> to the new <a href="http://inhabitat.com/worlds-largest-rooftop-farm-sprouts-10-million-pesticide-free-crops-each-year/">Method Factory with sprawling greenhouses on the roof</a> in Chicago. So imagine our delight when we learned that Bill McDonough was tapped to design the master plan for a new <a href="http://inhabitat.com/massive-food-hub-in-denmark-is-agricultures-answer-to-silicon-valley/">"Silicon Valley of agriculture"</a> in Aarhus, Denmark. We recently had a chance to catch up with him to discuss this <a href="http://inhabitat.com/massive-food-hub-in-denmark-is-agricultures-answer-to-silicon-valley/">new project</a> and his vision for the future of agriculture. He had a lot of fascinating ideas to share, from Thomas Jefferson’s views on urban design to poop recycling - read on for the full interview…

Denmark is making huge investments in urban agriculture, with some of the world's leading architects and designers steering the way to a whole-systems, ecological approach to growing food. William McDonough + Partners and GXN, along with 3XN Architects, BCVA and Urland, have collaborated to develop a new master plan for the Agro Food Park (AFP), an existing hub of agricultural innovation near Aarhus.

The Aarhaus Agro Food Park is designed to enhance cooperation between researchers and businesses and their ability to boost agricultural performance in a dense urban environment, ensuring long-term food security without environmental degradation.

Visitors to the Aarhaus Agro Food Park will have access to experimental food plots and relaxation areas.

When designing the master plan, William McDonough + Partners focused on five prime areas: healthy materials, clean energy, increased biodiversity, healthy air, and clean water.

Masterplan for the Agro Food Park expansion near Aarhus, Denmark - a collaboration between William McDonough + Partners and GXN, along with 3XN Architects, BCVA and Urland.

Masterplan for the Agro Food Park expansion near Aarhus, Denmark - a collaboration between William McDonough + Partners and GXN, along with 3XN Architects, BCVA and Urland.

“I find it very interesting to look at all the agricultural systems in the world and ask as a first question, ‘Is the soil improving in health?’” – William McDonough

We’re excited about urban farming here at Inhabitat, and we’ve been following the work of green architect William McDonough for years - from his groundbreaking Cradle to Cradle manifesto and book, to the inspiring Ford Factory renovation, and the new Method Factory with sprawling greenhouses on the roof in Chicago. So imagine our delight when we learned that William McDonough was tapped to design the master plan for a new "Silicon Valley of Agriculture" in Aarhus, Denmark. We recently had a chance to catch up with him to discuss this new project and his vision for the future of agriculture. He had a lot of fascinating ideas to share, from Thomas Jefferson’s design ideas to recycling human waste - read on for the full interview.

We’ve been following the work of green architect Bill McDonough for years, through his groundbreaking Cradle to Cradle manifesto and book.

“I was born in Tokyo in 1951 and every night was awoken by the farmers coming with the ox carts over the cobblestones and these giant oak wheels and coming to collect our sewage. I always thought the city and the farms were one organism, and the farmers came back with their ox carts laden with food during the day for the market.” - William McDonough

“I am really interested in cities, especially with defined residential districts, being able to create fertilizer factories instead of sewage plants where we can. If we can capture the phosphates, the nitrogen, carbon, we can use it as fertilizer, so that's very interesting.” - William McDonough

“Grow Lights use an incredible amount of energy. Unless we have renewably-powered energy that's actually of a different kind that I'm working on on another scale, it's of concern because if we replace one problem with another we have to be careful.” - William McDonough

Gotham Greens’ farm family, housed atop the Method Products manufacturing plant on Chicago’s south side, covers nearly two acres, is run completely on renewable energy, and produces nearly 10 million annual crops of local, premium-quality, pesticide-free, leafy greens and herbs. The innovative project was designed by William McDonough + Partners and Heitman Architects.

Gotham Greens’ farm family on the roof of Method Products manufacturing plant on Chicago’s south side.

Can you imagine Italy without olive oil? Viruses are attacking Italy’s olive trees and their survival depends on healthy soil. Soil is a plant’s first line of defense.

“The thing I see in the future is beautiful fields of solar collectors. They would be Cradle-to-Cradle, obviously, which we now have, deployed high above the ground so that you can move around underneath them. This would utilize the shade to encourage the perennials to come back, which they do immediately - it is quite amazing.” – William McDonough

17. “When we moved to Hong Kong after Japan, my mother, who was an American, would always say to us that we were no longer allowed to go barefoot. As little kids, this was so difficult for us. She said, you cannot go barefoot because we have ringworm, scarlet fever, cholera, typhoid, typhus, et cetera, so you’re just not allowed to go barefoot. All we wanted to do was play in the dirt.” –William McDonough