Milano Stadt Krone 2030

Studio Shift’s Stadt Krone proposal is one of twelve that offers a conceptual solution for the densification of Milano. The result is striking on the surface, but also comes with some inspiring methodology in terms of blending people with productive agricultural space.


:: image via Arch Daily

Aside from being aesthetically dynamic, the proposal aims to augment food production lands displaced due to urbanization (via Arch Daily):

"As the population increases, the Italian regions responsible for the country’s food production will be met with increasing demands, yet, the amount of arable land will decrease. Studio Shift has created a raised and angled agricultural surface that will provide the necessary farm land, while also allowing the new residential components to slip under this plane."

:: image via Arch Daily

The practicality of proposals of this sort leave more questions than answers, particularly the overall productivity, along with maintenance to be able to 'farm' the surface.


:: image via Arch Daily

A lot of attention has been paid in the proposal, which relies on innovative mechanization for service (via Arch Daily):

"Agricultural wise, this “arable façade” will promote growth for different plant species. Crops that flourish in drier soil conditions are located higher on the façade while those that require more moist conditions are found in the lower region. An integrated mechanical movement system allows workers to traverse the agriculturally laden facade/farm in carts that travel along a network of rails and facilitate the harvesting of crops."

:: image via Arch Daily

Again, time will tell if this is practical, but it's heartening to see more attention paid to some, if not all, of the specific life-cycle elements beyond the visuals.