With the help of the urban farming company Square Mile Farms, Architecture + Cities Climate Action Task Force (ArCCAT) student representatives have been learning how to to look after the hydroponic wall which was installed at Westminster’s Marylebone Campus in 2021.
The hydroponic or ‘green’ wall was set up after students in the School of Architecture + Cities received funding from the Green Fund scheme to install it at the entrance to Marylebone Campus. The Green Fund Awards were set up by the University’s Centre for Education and Teaching Innovation (CETI) along with the Sustainability Team to provide students with the opportunity to carry out sustainability related projects.
The hydroponic wall demonstrates a sustainable method of growing plants without soil, by using water through which nutrients are pumped. This method produces crops quicker and uses 90% less water than soil-based growing methods, as well as requiring no pesticides. The ability to grow plants indoors also allows ‘farmers’ to control temperatures and lighting schedules to improve plant production.
This year, the ArCCAT student reps have been trained by Dhiresh Tailor, Farm Operations Manager at Square Mile Farms, to look after the hydroponic wall, including how to carefully monitor the nutrient solution, and adjust iron and PH levels weekly.
The wall has been a great success, harvesting a wide variety of vegetables and serving as a learning tool for students. With 63 individual growing pods, the wall has produced three abundant crops of lettuce, pak choi, kale and basil. Each crop not only feeds the students and staff involved but is also given to the campus canteen and incorporated into their day’s menu, completing the sustainable cycle on a completely local level and nourishing everyone involved.
Speaking about the success of the hydroponic wall, Dr Ro Spankie, Assistant Head of the School of Architecture + Cities and ArCCAT Convenor, said: “This is a wonderful example of students taking charge and running a project with the help of the expertise of an external provider.”
The ArCCAT student reps involved in the project are Anna Prideaux, Architecture and Environmental Design BSc Honours; Julie Beech, Interior Architecture BA Honours; Antoni Canyelles, Architecture BA Honours; Maja Kurantowicz, Architecture MA; and Marie Laura Polselli, Interior Architecture MA student.
Find out more about ArCCAT on Open Studio’s website, and follow them on Twitter and Instagram.
Find out more about Architecture, Interiors and Urban Design courses at the University of Westminster.
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