Vincent Callebaut Unveils Stacked Pebble-Inspired Eco-Farmscrapers for Shenzhen

The French firm of <a href="http://vincent.callebaut.org/" target="_blank">Vincent Callebaut Architects</a> has unveiled a new vertical farm project, this time for the growing megalopolis of Shenzen. Based upon the idea of a cairn, a stack of rocks to mark a hiking trail, the <a href="http://vincent.callebaut.org/page1-img-asiancairns.html" target="_blank">Shenzhen Asian Cairn Farmscraper</a> project is a series of six towers. The mixed-use <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/eco-tower">eco-towers</a> provide space for residences, offices, retail, recreation and food production. Integrated sources of renewable energy, sustainable farming, rainwater and grey water recycling all work in harmony to provide healthy living in a rapidly growing, dense, urban environment.

People are flocking to the cities around the world, especially in China with 75% of the Chinese population projected to be living in urban environments by 2030.

To alleviate the pressures put on the city by this influx, alternatives must be considered for energy production, growing food and managing waste.

Much like Vincent Callebaut's proposal for New York City, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/dragonfly-urban-agriculture-concept-for-ny/" target="_blank">the Dragonfly</a>, <a href="http://vincent.callebaut.org/page1-img-asiancairns.html" target="_blank">Asian Cairns</a> is a mixed-use project that supports sustainable and healthy living in Shenzhen.

Organized on a circular site, the project consists of six towers that resemble a cairn, or a stack of stones.

The <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/vertical-farm" target="_blank">vertical farm</a> contain residential areas, offices and leisure spaces, and the land surrounding the tower acts as urban green space and water reclamation areas for processing rainwater and grey water.

The pebble like volumes are steel rings and provide lots of natural daylight inside.

Building integrated photovoltaics and vertical axis wind turbines provide renewable energy, while waste water is processed and recycled in basins.

Lush gardens and growing areas not only produce food for the residents of the complex, but also work to improve air quality.

The project works to solve the problem of providing resources in a sustainable manner to dense urban environments. No word yet on whether this concept will become a reality.

Site plan of Asian Cairns.

Sited on a circular plot of land, the six eco towers work as a vertical garden.

Cross section of the towers.

Cross section of the tower's underground parking.