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AssetID: 40375785

Headline: Vertical Urban Farms Could Feed Low-Income Neighbourhoods

Caption: In this picture: Creative agency Framlab, an innovation studio based in Bergen and New York City, has proposed building modular vertical farms in Brooklyn to provide low-income neighbourhoods with access to fresh produce. The conceptual Glasir project comprises a stack of greenhouse-like modules that could be built in various locations across the New York borough, where Framlab's research has found that 20 per cent of the population are food-insecure. A Glasir farm would be constructed on top of a stand with an area of just four-square feet (0.37 square metres). It is designed to be installed in a wide variety of places, including alongside sidewalks, in backyards or public parks. Three types of modules called Production Module, Growth Module and Occupation Module would feature in each structure. Each unit would be framed with cross-laminated timber and could be stacked in different configurations depending on the space or the area's circumstances. The Production Modules would be where the vegetables are grown. They would be topped with a solar panel and fronted with polycarbonate and aluminium mullions. The system would use aeroponics, a process for cultivating plants in which crops are grown in mist environments rather than soil. In addition to being water-efficient, this system would also allow faster growth and enable plants to absorb more nutrients, according to Framlab. "These systems are extremely water-efficient — requiring less than 10 per cent of the water necessitated by traditional, geoponic cultivation, while allowing the use of fertilisers and pesticides to be drastically reduced," Framlab said. "In addition, aeroponic growth environments enable plant roots to absorb much higher levels of minerals and vitamins, which yield vegetables that pack a stronger nutritional punch." Framlab, whose main purpose is to “advance social and environmental resilience through design”, was founded by Norwegian designer Andreas Tjeldflaat, and has offices in Bergen

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