Vertical Farming

[Anonymous]

Hi! 

I am trying to model a vertical farm design for a school project. I am trying to figure out the best materials or find a design that someone has used previously to better model my design. Anyone have any helpful parts or tips when it comes to designing something like this?

Neal B.

[bin]

Try Google maybe.

[ennujozlagam]

are you talking about vertical framing and not farming? you can use curtail wall for vertical framing. thanks

[barthbradley]

Vertical Farm? Sounds like a fun project. Not in my wheel house, but the first thing I'm thinking of is the vertical loads.  It would be incredible.  Are you planting in soil.  a cubic foot of soil weighs around a 100 lbs.  Hydroponics?  Growing plants in water?  A cubic foot of water weighs about 65 lbs.  A project like that is going to require a lot of math and calculations and research.  Think about all that is required to grow a single house plant.  Everyone I have ever had died.  Lack of water, lack of space to grow, lack of sunlight, too much shade, too cold, too hot, insects, lack of love, etc. etc.  Those are all the things you are going to have mitigate for in the planning.     

[ToanDN]

Must be lead lined soil.

[barthbradley]

You haven't done much digging in your life, have you? I guess it would be less if it had no moisture content.  But that's pretty useless soil to grow crops in.  

[Anonymous]

I guess for more context. I have worked on a farm personally. It was for a restaurant in my area and was how they got a large chunk of their food for the kitchen. 

I'm more so looking to get any tips on any previous designs or possible models others have made to see what needs to be factored in. My group already has a pretty good design, but I want to know if there's anything other people are including that I should be considering. 

[Anonymous]

Hydroponics and aeroponics mainly. Possibly adding in Aquaculture (fish farming) underneath but we're still discussing it. It has been a lot of math to come up with a smaller scale design but we did find a really helpful research paper that gave us a lot of up front information. I just want to make sure every floor is properly designed (ex. climate control floor, growing floors, distribution center, etc.)

[barthbradley]

Give us an idea of what you have so far.  You can post pictures.  Have you looked into building codes? That might give you some additional info too.  

[barthbradley]

Have you thought about fumigation? Control of Substances Hazardous to Health? I'd research those codes.  Compliance may involve changes or additions to your plans.    

Actually, now that I think about it, the FDA may have regulations that govern design as well.  

Any plans to include cannabis?  Government wants those facilities secured tighter than a drum. Research Prison planning as well.  Just half kidding.      

[RobDraw]

Yeah, @barthbradley, your weights are way off. 

[RobDraw]

---

@RobDraw wrote:

Yeah, @barthbradley, your weights are way off. 

---

Sorry, I should have fact checked before posting that.

[ToanDN]

---

@barthbradley wrote:

You haven't done much digging in your life, have you? I guess it would be less if it had no moisture content.  But that's pretty useless soil to grow crops in.  

---

No I haven't.  But my landscape sub says a 40 lb feels like a 100 if he was weak or sink so you might be onto something.

[Anonymous]

I used to design farmhouses and stables...is that what you are looking for?

[barthbradley]

You guys joke, but this is really a thing. You ought to read about it. It's fascinating. Vertical Farming is the future of farm design. Autodesk is probably developing Revit-AG for the Vertical Farming Industry right now -- for use by the next "crop" of Architects headed into that "field".  ..or maybe not.   🙂 

https://vertical-farming.net/blog/2017/11/22/vertical-farming-infographics/#more-508633

Read why Vertical Farms fail.  According to this article, it because of the Architect.  

https://urbanverticalfarmingproject.com/2016/03/29/problems-with-vertical-farm-designs/

[vyasgopal]

Did you ever find the answer to your question? I'm doing the same thing right now and can't come across any Revit families for my model

[ToanDN]

---

@vyasgopal wrote:

can't come across any Revit families for my model

---

Wall based family, Face based family, Work Plane based family, Curtain Wall with custom panels, Curtain System on a Mass with custom panels, Curtain Panel pattern based on a divided mass surface, Adaptive family on a divided mass surface.