Vertical Farming: a Catalyst for Integrating Biophilic Design into the Built Environment

Abstract

Could integrating vertical farming into buildings be a catalyst for promoting biophilic design? Answering this question is the aim of this study. Biophilic design (BD) focuses on human-nature connection (HNC) in the built environment (BE), and vertical farming (VF) systems provide an innovative way to integrate green spaces, natural elements, and activities related to vertical farming systems into buildings in a way that supports the goals of BD. Therefore, the study conducted a literature review on BD as an approach to HNC and extracted the goals of BD, application strategies, and elements of nature relevant to its goals. The study then addressed the concept of vertical farming and its systems, in addition to extracting the most important elements of nature that affect each system, based on the components of each system and its method of operation, in addition to comparing several vertical farming projects integrated into buildings, with a focus on the BD goals that each project seeks to achieve. Hence the term “Vertical Farming (VF)-Based Biophilic Buildings” was coined and the study then presented a SWOT analysis of this proposed term. The study concluded that integrating VF into urban buildings creates harmonious environments where nature and the BE coexist. Thus, we can create (VF)-Based Biophilic Buildings that can encourage residents’ participation in natural processes, and promote health, social, and well-being goals, along with economic, environmental, and sustainability goals.