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Dyv-net by Javier Ponce Architects

Javier Ponce Architects

Javier Ponce Architects (JAPA Architects) share with us their winning proposal for the Dyv-net, Dynamic Vertical Networks which won "Citation in the FuturArc Prize 2013" award. Dyv-net is located in the second largest administrative district of Hong Kong, Tai Po District.

Javier Ponce Architects

From the Architects:

Strategic rethink of the Asian City: China’s limited space for farming

Since 2000, China’s cities have expanded at an average rate of 10% annually. Although China’s agricultural output is the largest in the world, only about 15% of its total land area can be cultivated. China’s arable land, which represents 10% of the total arable land in the world, supports over 20% of the world’s population. Of this approximately 1.4 million square kilometers of arable land, only about 1.2% (116,580 square kilometers) permanently supports crops and 525,800 square kilometers are irrigated.The land is divided into approximately 200 million households, with an average land allocation of just 0.65 hectares (1.6 acres).

China’s limited space for farming has been a problem throughout its history, leading to chronic food shortage. While the production efficiency of farmland has grown over time, efforts to expand to the west and the north have held limited success, as such land is generally colder and drier than traditional farmlands to the east. Since the 1950s, farm space has also been pressured by the increasing land needs of industry and cities.

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Tai Po District, with an area of some 14,800 hectares in the northeast New Territories, is the second largest administrative district in Hong Kong.We chose this site because we believe it’s proximity to the high-rise developments of the Kowloon-Hong Kong area is a positive aspect to propose a low food mileage production infrastructure which can fed the city population (close to the urban centers). 

The proposal deals with the development of modern, efficient and environmentally acceptable farming structures in China ,where food consumption in relationship to food transportation distances is a crucial factor for a sustainable future.We foresee a paradigm shift to vertical agriculture structures which can be integrated into a territorial network along the country. 

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Inspired by the traditional China’s rice farming agriculture amazing shifting terraces and by the earlier agricultural hardware which consist basically of a tensile use of materials to produce lightweight and resistant structures, our proposal emphasizes the use of shifting floorplates and light structural systems which incorporates recycled metallic material.The 187.50 meters structures will attract locals & international visitors and become new places for education and agricultural research.

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Project features:
* Vertical structures which provide food,save land and at the same time act as a biodiversity magnet
* Paradigm shift: create more agricultural land by building upwards / No soil erosion, now Food will be grown hydroponically in a series of vertical process-connected structures
*360 degree viewing platforms and new spaces research on farming techniques
* Close-by Industry: processing healthy food& create work places
*Opportunity to use towers to install laboratories and research hubs

Project: Dyv-net, Dynamic Vertical Networks
Designed by Javier Ponce Architects
Location: Tai Po District, Hong Kong, China
Website: www.atjapa.com

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