World’s largest urban farm to open in Paris

engineering careers  World’s largest urban farm to open in Paris

The world’s largest urban farm is set to open on a Paris rooftop in early 2020.

When it opens in the spring of 2020 the 14,000m² farm will be the largest urban farm in the world.

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The entirely organic farm will host 30 different plant species, be tended by 20 gardeners, and should produce 1,000kg of fruit and veg each day in summer.

The site will on top of the newly redeveloped Paris Expo Porte de Versailles in the 15th arrondissement and is designed to be a showcase for a global model for sustainability. Proving that urban centres can be idyllic, useful, and sources of greenery.

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The farm is the brainchild of Agripolis. Agripolis are a french company that specialise in production farms on roofs or flat surfaces.

Speaking to the Guardian, Agripolis founder Pascal Hardy explained that the “goal is to make the farm a globally-recognised model for sustainable production [and they will] be using quality products, grown in rhythm with nature’s cycles, all in the heart of Paris”.

Local residents will be given the option to lease specially-devised wooden crates on the site that will function as allotments.

Those hoping to get a look at the farm can visit a 300 capacity onsite on-site restaurant and bar which will offer panoramic views over the capital and sport seasonal produce grown on the farm, or take part in educational tours, team-building workshops and special events.

However, Agripolis hope that the farm will also help reduce ‘food miles’ by directly producing veg-boxes and supply local hotels and restaurants.

As our cities grow in future Urban Farming will be a game-changer in terms of producing large amounts of food in a sustainable way without the need for long distant transport.

While the concept of Urban Farming is not new, Agripolis latest project is still groundbreaking. While the project has grabbed headlines as the largest rooftop farm in the world, Agripolis are keen to emphasis that it will also pioneer new techniques in aeroponic ‘vertical’ farming.