Israelis are renowned not only for their clean tech innovation, but also smart, savvy and water-efficient agriculture. This genius will be on display at the 2015 Milan Expo with a living pavilion designed by Knafo Klimor Architects.
The 40,000 or so Jews who flocked to Palestine in the early 20th century to escape European pogroms and establish the “Land of Israel” found themselves with very little water and a lot of desert, but that didn’t deter them from pursuing their long held dream.
Instead, these hard working families were among the first Israelis to turn an immense natural challenge into an innovation opportunity, something for which the nation, despite all its political controversies and troubles, has since received great recognition.
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Contemporary agricultural developments, which are shared ubiquitously through academic programs and small startups to help developing countries and other modern nations meet their own resource challenges, will be on display at the 2015 Milan Expo with a fabulous living pavilion called Fields of Tomorrow.
Knafo Klimor Architects worked with an Italian firm PRR Architetti to design the 995 square meter pavilion. In addition to showcasing the agricultural history described above, it boasts a living wall planted with Israeli cereals and produce.
This unique vertical garden is comprised of a series of modular tiles planted with various crops that are then fixed to a slanted steel frame. In order to irrigate the plants, the team have integrated a computer-controlled drop watering system that demonstrates another Israeli specialty – water conservation.
“The cultivation of rocky land, the growth of vegetables in the desert, the invention of new methods of irrigation, the upgrading of seed quality are part of the inception of modern agriculture marked by creativity, dare and achievements,” the architects told World Architecture News.
Consistent with the 2015 expo’s theme “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life,” the pavilion will showcase other innovations to an estimated two million visitors from the beginning of May to the end of October, next year.
Related: Qatar’s Sahara Forest Project grows its first cucumbers from saltwater
Author: Tafline Laylin
As a tour leader who led “eco-friendly” camping trips throughout North America, Tafline soon realized that she was instead leaving behind a trail of gas fumes, plastic bottles and Pringles. In fact, wherever she traveled – whether it was Viet Nam or South Africa or England – it became clear how inefficiently the mandate to re-think our consumer culture is reaching the general public. Born in Iran, raised in South Africa and the United States, she currently splits her time between Africa and the Middle East. Tafline can be reached at tafline (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
I was wondering if the designers envision soil crops, hydroponic crops or aquaculture crops on these giant vertical walls?