InnerCity 里市

InnerCity | LEGO Greenhouse
Revolutionising urban food production

Linking interdisciplinary technologies
We have innovated by using our interdisciplinary skills and by choosing diverse approaches in the way we developed our concept. New questions and ideas emerged through many dialogues, the goal being to build the Greenhouse of the future. After countless hours of research, we discovered that there are many technologies outside the market that have not yet been linked together. Our Greenhouse is designed to set new standards for what urban farming could become in the future. CAP and other investors can develop a market champion while at the same time having a high socio-ecological impact on the community.

LEGO greenhouse
What makes us different? The building structure is flexible, just like LEGO. In the building you can find the primary production process, a market, a food court, the research centre, community and social gardening programs, our own energy production facilities and the hotel with a restaurant for a complete experience. The Greenhouse can adapt to changes in market demand. For example, let’s say that based on the data provided, we realise we need to increase the aquaponic production. How? The specific levels can be easily expanded by using modules of prefabricated reusable elements, reaching the ideal size in just one day. This allows investors to stay ahead of their competitors. To keep costs as low and efficient as possible, a prefabricated wooden structure with steel knots is used as support. The elements are compatible in every part of the construction. The facade is generated using an adaptable pattern to give each part of the building the best matching functions.

Thinking big to ensure circularity
In terms of circularity, we decided to think big. We reuse the water in the most efficient way, even making it possible for plants to grow in ecologically purified wastewater. In terms of energy, we produce more than we consume by having a diversified energy source mix: a biogas plant, solar windows and solar panels, and a geothermal plant. Furthermore, we are a part of the neighbourhood, by providing them with food and energy, and converting organic residues to green energy.

The power of data
Consumer trust in the production of safe food is extremely important for the Chinese market. This is why our production process is fully transparent and traceable. A further goal is to revolutionise the way we as a society think about the value of data, by giving the user the power and benefits over their own data. In this way our customers become our partners, with the ability to set the amount of data they want to share in a transparent open-source process via the InnerCity 里 App. Additionally, consumers are given discounts according to a bonus system based on their cooperation. This helps to produce the food that is needed in a waste-free manner, because our products meet the precisely determined existing market demand. Hence, we minimise waste caused by unsold products and generate additional income streams.

Changing the way we think about urban food production
And there is more... We have a diversified income stream portfolio consisting of the primary food production business, catering services, energy, tourism and data usage in order to provide a safe place to invest money and gain relevance with socio-ecological impact. We adopt the concept of community gardening, so the neighbourhood develops a closer relationship with the production process and increases its biodiversity. We have created the world’s first flexible, adaptable and economically sustainable Greenhouse that is changing the way we think of urban production.