by FFE EU News Staff  

Do you take your meals on the go? You might like this mind-blowing concept by a Belgian architect.

Can you see your office share the floor with rice paddies, apple trees and milking cows? This is how Belgian architect Vincent Callebaut envisions the future of city living: urban farms.   Callebaut said urban farms are what we need to ensure a healthier, happier future in cities. The idea behind his design is to create buildings that are self-sufficient ‘living organisms.’   ‘The city of tomorrow will be dense, green and connected. The goal is to bring agriculture and nature back into the urban core so that by 2050 we have green, sustainable cities where humans live in balance with their environment.’

Callebaut: ‘We need to invent new ways of living in the future.’

The 36-year-old avant-garde architect has been inspired by dragonflies to create his design. Each tower in this twin structure is connected to a glass-and-steel wing that has areas for meat, dairy production, orchards and rice fields, sharing floor space with offices, flats, gardens and recreation areas.   The vast wings also capture sunlight and water. Hot air trapped in the wings can provide heating in winter while natural ventilations will cool the structure in summer.   While the concept behind the design is logical, many critics have slammed Callebaut’s architectural wonders for being daft and blight to the landscape.   Sustainable living through urban farming is not a new concept and has been seen as a solution to lack of farming space in the urban setting and to resource management as many people move from rural to urban areas. The town of Todmorden in West Yorkshire, England is an example of a sustainable living success story since they launched their ‘Incredible Edible’ campaign. The campaign encourages residents to grow and share their produce, making them self-sufficient and helping the community grow closer together.