Vienna, 28th February to 2nd March – In their role as sponsors ATP Vienna and ATP sustain supported “Skyberries”, the German-speaking Region’s first conference on the subject of “Vertical Gardening”. This forward-looking form of agriculture uses unoccupied areas of the roofs and façades of buildings for growing food.
Well-known experts in the area of urban greening were joined by Dickson Despommier, the pioneer and founder of the movement: “Everything started at Columbia University in New York. I asked students what they saw as the most pressing problems of the next 100 years and constantly received the same answers: over-population, climate change, food shortages, and megacities.” Vertical gardening offers solutions. Growing food in situ minimizes transport distances, reduces the demand for agricultural land, and has the potential to feed the growing populations of large cities.
ATP incorporates urban agriculture into its integrated design work. The project “magdas”, for example, includes an industrial kitchen that grows some of the food it requires. The terrace of the building offers space for planting fruit, vegetables, and herbs.