antonio scarponi counteracts metropolis air pollution with harvesting station

antonio scarponi counteracts metropolis air pollution with harvesting station
all images courtesy of antonio scarponi

urban agriculture is a practice that has always coexisted within the city and its historical development. in current times, this practice was revamped as a meaning of engagement for the surrounding community in local food production. however, the contemporary technique has to deal with a phenomena that previously was not compromising the quality and the health of the food produced in the metropolis: the air pollution. to counteract this dilemma, antonio scarponi has envisioned the ‘harvesting station’ for veg and the city.

playground rendering displaying information about veg and the city

the device has been designed to activate the interstitial spaces of the city – supermarkets, bus stops, playgrounds – and turns them into productive locations. it can grow up to 200 plants in four square meters by keeping them protected from animals and toxic gasses. the greenhouse is conceived in a wood framework structure realized with basic timber laths and plexiglass. as the overall form shifts upwards, a 500-liter water tank sits atop the gable roof to fertilize the plants using a micro dripping system. the interior cavity houses a floating flag that indicates how much liquid has been collected.

rooftop rendering

side view of the model
photo © monica tarocco

the wooden structure supports a 500-liter water tank
photo © monica tarocco

the water level is indicated by a floating flag
photo © monica tarocco

the structure can house up to 200 plants
photo © monica tarocco

concept sketch of the modular expandability

dimensional description of the projects multiple components

the generic condition of the supermarket quickly allows people to interact with local food production

within the setting of a playground, the structure teaches children how to cultivate food

while acting as a shelter for plants, the architecture may also function as an educational bus stop

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.