The Morgenfarm Berlin concept

The trough construction for the 16th section of the Berlin city motorway, which has already been built, will be used as a vertical farm. Morgenfarm Berlin will be part of the worldwide trend towards sustainable urban farming. Major investments are being made in this emerging market, particularly in Asia and the USA, and an enormous vertical farm is currently being built in Denmark. Vertical farms operate independently of external influences (sun, rain, temperature), which means they can produce food all year round – such as fruit, vegetables, edible mushrooms, algae and insects. These closed-loop systems unite hydroponics with close proximity to consumers. Vertical farms make highly efficient use of resources and do not require any pesticides. They provide a reliable supply of fresh and vitamin-rich food for the local city population, even in times of crisis.

In order to calculate Morgenfarm Berlin’s yield in detail, the next step would be to produce a feasibility study involving various experts and a detailed concept for the cultivation process. However, given the enormous progress that has already been made in relation to the necessary technologies (robotics, renewable energy, LED technology) as well as the huge surface area of 100,000 m2 (3.2 kilometres x 31.5 metres standard section), it is already possible to claim that the food grown in the “Berlin trough” could make a significant contribution to the city’s food supply.

Urban planning approach:
Respond to the surroundings and take advantage of existing structures

Historically speaking, the 16th section is being built in an area that was integrated into Berlin’s growing metropolis quite late. It is home to the once world-famous Späth’sche tree nursery and in previous centuries, only the extension of the nursery came close to reaching the outskirts of the city. Today, gardens still border the area to the east, the Neukölln-Südring industrial area has sprung up to the south, there is housing to the west and space for leisure and recreation to the north in the form of Treptower Park and the River Spree.

The motorway’s location and monofunctional trough structure actually have several qualities that would facilitate its conversion into a highly efficient, high-tech farm capable of operating all year round. The subterranean location a few metres below ground level and its robust construction effectively protects the space against external influences such as wind, sun, temperature fluctuations and vibrations. And even though we are currently considering using cargo bikes to distribute Morgenfarm products to Berlin’s neighbourhoods, the existing motorway, waterway and S-Bahn railway connections offer ideal conditions for an expanded logistics concept.

A park and a network of cycling and walking paths wind their way along the 3.2-kilometre Morgenfarm. In the middle of the park, the farm’s production area is interrupted for a few hundred metres to create a space where visitors can enter the trough construction. An educational visitor centre invites children and adults to learn about where their vegetables come from and how they are produced. There is also a farmers’ market and a restaurant serving freshly harvested food.

By converting the A100 trough into a vertical farm, large areas of land will become suitable for the construction of new housing. Houses and neighbourhoods could be built in the immediate vicinity of the farm because, unlike a motorway, it will not produce any noise pollution or exhaust emissions. A study (S) calculated that up to 22,000 people could potentially live here. A row of high-rise residential buildings between the new Estrel Tower in the south and the Treptowers building complex in the north would fit in well with the current cityscape.

How it all began:
Why a section of motorway became a political issue

It’s 3.2 kilometres long, 32 metres wide, 7 metres deep and runs from Neukölln’s industrial area to the Elsen Bridge at Treptower Park: The 16th section of the Berlin city motorway has been under construction since 2011 and is scheduled to open in 2024. And yet there are still fierce debates about whether its construction should continue or if the project should be abandoned and demolished. The key arguments in this debate are:

Congestion

Without an extension (a 17th section) to Friedrichshain (Frankfurter Allee) and further to Lichtenberg (Storkower Strasse), the 16th section does not make sense in terms of traffic management. Even according to highly outdated and conservative forecasts (S), the new section would enable 80,000 vehicles (compared to today’s 50,000 vehicles) to pour across the Elsen Bridge and into the surrounding neighbourhoods – creating unparalleled traffic congestion. 

Cost

The 16th section is already the most expensive stretch of motorway in Germany (more than €200,000 per metre (S)) and it will become even more expensive through the construction of the required 17th section due to complicated tunnel works.

Symbolism

Around the world, the beginnings of a global climate crisis are already evident. Cities are increasingly vying to become more climate-friendly by redistributing the space occupied by roads or removing some roads altogether. In this context, how should we interpret the climate policy of Germany’s capital city, which has decided to open a new city motorway in 2024?