An increasing need to use space as sustainably, efficiently, and economically as possible has resulted in a growing trend for urban agriculture. Constructed on the roof of a vegetable and fruit auction on a ring road of Roeselare, Belgium, rooftop greenhouse Agrotopia is Europe’s largest research centre for urban food production.
A transparent sculpture of glass and steel, the slender greenhouse construction stands out against the sky. The entire building, completed by van Bergen Kolpa Architects and META Architectuurbureau, is one standard greenhouse with diffused glass.
The 9,500 m2 building contains high-tech research facilities for the cultivation of fruit and leafy vegetable with an educational route for the public. The public are guided through four different climate zones where the cultivation of tomatoes and lettuce, but also peppers and strawberries can be found.
The façade conservatory on the ring road features a double-height conservatory for innovative vertical cultivation. The base of the double-height façade conservatory is used to store rainwater from the roof, which in turn irrigates crops. Municipal residual heat from the nearby Mirom waste incinerator heats the greenhouse.
In short, Agrotopia lives in circular symbiosis with the city.
