As humans have become increasingly urban creatures, a disconnect between our life in the city and our food sources has created numerous challenges. These include the distances our food travels, contributing to global warming and the diminishing quality of produce grown in large-scale farming operations. Looking to bridge the gap between cities, the hinterlands and beyond, architecture firm Kono Designs have built a model for urban farming in the form of the offices of Pasona, a recruitment firm located in Tokyo.
The 50-year-old building was refurbished with various vegetable and fruit-bearing species, ranging from melons and lettuce to rice. According to WilderUtopia, as much as 20% of the 19,974 square meter office was repurposed for both soil-based and hydroponic farming.
Take a look inside the office, where eggplants grow in the lobby and tomatoes hang from conference room ceilings:
[Photo via Kono Designs]
