Garden city: Dragonfly-shaped skyscraper could feed Earth's booming population

By Claire Bates
Last updated at 2:48 PM on 22nd May 2009

A dramatic vertical greenhouse shaped like the wings of a dragonfly could revolutionise farming in cities around the world, according to its architect.

The bizarre looking 600m tall building was designed by Belgian designer Vincent Callebaut and would be based on Roosevelt Island in New York.

Spread across 132 floors it would provide urban farming space with enough room to raise cattle and poultry and 28 different types of crops.

There would also be space for housing and offices with walls and ceilings used to grow kitchen gardens. Each level would be cultivated by the residents.

The Dragon Fly has two central towers arranged around a huge greenhouse that are linked together via two wings made from glass and steel.

The ecological city aims to reintegrate the farming function on the urban scale in the use and reuse of natural resources and biodegradable waste