The Dragonfly: A Giant Winged Vertical Farm for New York City

Modeled after the wings of a dragonfly, this incredible urban farm concept for <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/02/16/dystopian-farm-by-eric-vergne/">New York City</a>'s Roosevelt Island intends to ease the problems of food mileage and shortage, and reconnect consumers with producers. <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/05/11/amazing-skyscraper-farm-for-vancouver/">Urban farming</a> is a growing trend amongst savvy city dwellers today, but in a densely packed borough like Manhattan, growth must come vertically. Spanning 132 floors and 600 vertical meters, the <a href="http://vincent.callebaut.org/page1-img-dragonfly.html">Dragonfly</a> can accommodate 28 different agricultural fields for the production of fruit, vegetables, grains, meat and dairy. A combination of <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/category/solar-power/">solar</a> and <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/category/wind/">wind</a> power make Belgian architect <a href="http://vincent.callebaut.org/">Vincent Callebaut</a>'s Dragonfly concept 100% self sufficient.

In this <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/05/13/a-utopian-vision-for-food-city-dubai/">utopian superstructure</a> offices, research labs, housing, and communal areas are interspersed between orchards, farms, and production rooms.

Plant and animal farming is arranged throughout the Dragonfly's steel and glass set of wings so as to maintain proper soil nutrient levels and reuse of <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/02/03/oslo-buses-to-run-on-poo-power/">biowaste</a>.

The spaces between the wings are designed to take advantage of solar energy by accumulating warm air in the exo-structure during winter. Cooling in the summer will be facilitated through <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/02/11/mode-gakuen-spiral-towers-by-nikken-sekkei/">natural ventilation</a> and evapo-perspiration from the plants.

Exterior <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/05/15/national-heart-center-in-singapore-by-broadway-malyan/">vertical gardens</a> filter rain water which is then mixed with domestic liquid waste. Together they are treated organically before being recirculated for farm use, preserving and distributing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

This <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/05/11/amazing-skyscraper-farm-for-vancouver/">urban farm</a>, perhaps more appropriate for <a href="http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/05/13/a-utopian-vision-for-food-city-dubai/">Dubai</a> than New York, is intended to be cultivated by its own inhabitants, thus closing the loop of self-sustenance.