Seeing Countryfile last weekend reminded me of a scheme I had seen a few years ago for my ideal home-from-home, New York.

A New York architectural firm, Work Architecture Company, produced some brilliant ideas for an urban farm and apartment building as part of an ideas competition for a block in the city. The site was visible from all sides, and the architects decided to bring the farm back to the city, though in this case stretch it vertically. The designers – Dan Wood and Amale Andraos were interested in urban farming and ways to cut food miles.

It was Mark Twain who said, “Buy land, they’re not making it anymore”. You can see the attraction of vertical farming. Especially in New York – where they are very used to high-rise. We are less inclined to go here in Nottingham!

As much as Central Park in New York is considered a green lung for the overcrowded city, imagine the benefit these vertical lungs could provide? But they also provide much more – local produce for the local area. This is real green living. Cutting down the miles food travels is an important part of getting the CO2 emissions down. Of course the location of the plants adjacent the living city means that the air is cleaner.

I love the thought that it can also be a piece of art – and provide shelter below, for cafes and the like – no doubt serving food grown above!

Sadly it didn’t get built – but what a great idea. Playing golf between the 10th and 12th floors would be stunning! It would bring a whole new meaning to the expression “fore”!

There is a great video showing a French take on the idea – la tour vivante, the living tower. Imagine working in an office overlooking the forest of trees. Or having your apartment with a similar view? The only thing would be they would need to quieten those wind turbines!

Some of this architecture and ideas would be fantastic here. The only issue, I suspect, will be cost?