Vertical Farm Manni Group Design Award 2025
The sixth edition of the Manni Group Design Award explores the world of Vertical Farms—cutting-edge buildings that will increasingly populate our cities, becoming places of sustenance and an integral part of the landscape and collective imagination.
VI Manni Group Design Award
Brief
Agriculture has shaped human history, preserving an image of balance with nature for centuries. However, faced with a growing population and the declining availability of fertile land, the traditional model is revealing its limitations.
Vertical farms high-tech buildings that optimize cultivation in limited spaces offer a potential solution. These innovative structures will redefine the urban landscape, becoming the new symbols of food sustainability.
The Vertical Farms competition, promoted by YAC and Manni Group, invites designers to envision the architectural identity of these machine-buildings, contributing to shaping the future of agriculture.
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Los Angeles, an iconic and ever-evolving city, embodies the American dream and pop culture. Nestled between the ocean and the mountains, it now faces critical challenges, including a shortage of fertile land and the climate crisis. In this context, vertical farms provide an innovative solution by optimizing agricultural production in limited spaces while reducing environmental impact.
Vertical farms, modular high-tech structures, ensure sustainable cultivation by minimizing water consumption, emissions, and food transportation. In Los Angeles' arid climate, they offer fresh and consistent produce year-round, seamlessly integrating into the urban environment and skyscraper architecture.
Design Features:
- Modularity, allowing for easy expansion of cultivable areas.
- Energy sustainability, incorporating passive solutions and photovoltaic surfaces.
- Safety, with strict controls on access and public spaces.
Urban and Climatic Context:
South Los Angeles, a historic and densely populated neighborhood, will host the vertical farm, ensuring access to high-quality agricultural products. The city's climate alternates between dry and rainy seasons, exacerbating wildfire risks, such as the devastating fires of 2025. The design must address these challenges with resilient solutions and off-site technologies, essential for thermal performance and fire safety.
Building a vertical farm here means rethinking the future of urban agriculture, creating a sustainable and innovative model for Los Angeles.
