New spaces (and places) for living architecture

Spring has exploded and so has the big living architecture news across North America.

BrightFarms, known for its rooftop greenhouses in hyper urban settings, is the first of the frontrunners to open a location in America's heartland, Kansas City. Does this mean it's ready to take on the established hydroponics industry? We may look back at this week as a turning point in the hydroponics industry.

-While the BrightFarms behemoth is getting off the ground, school kids in Dallas are in the midst of creating their own youth lead urban farm operation. 

-The aquaponics field had it's own huge announcement, as a 100,000 square foot state-of-the-art production facility will be producing medical marijuana. Early projections suggest first year sales of $25 million with a market valuation in excess of $500 million!!!

-It just recently came to my attention, but in 2013 Wal-Mart produced their green roof case study, profiling a store in Chicago and the massive benefits it has enjoyed. If Wal-Mart gets behind green roofs, like they did organics...watch out world!

Last, but not least. If you have a little time on your hands check out this well-researched article on the botanical diversity of our cities.

Green roofs, a symbol of bad or good architecture + breathless in France over urban ag

A ton happening on the urban agriculture front around the world:

-Urban ag enthusiasts in Vermont have another week to voice their opinion on the recommendations made by Burlington's Urban Agriculture Task Force. A stone’s throw away, Somerville Massachusetts is encouraging its residents to grow by planting an urban garden at its city hall. 

-In France, they are just beginning to investigate this thing called “urban agriculture” and the author of this article seems amazed by it all. It made me chuckle at first, but when I step back for a moment and think about it, it is pretty amazing. Maybe 10 years ago the nutty neighbors were the ones growing vegetables, these days its less and less likely that your neighbors would label you so and in places where urban gardens were slashed and burned, they are now less often targeted.  

-How a week can change things! Green roofs on this New York City building go from being possibly good to very bad when community groups take a look at some renderings. 

-Last month the National Resources Defense Council released a paper detailing how California could reduce its energy expenditure with green and white roofs. Sorry for not posting that sooner, it has been waiting in the queue!