CS12__MVRDV's Pig City

Pig City is the resulting work of MVRDV as part of cooperative study with Netherlands’ Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Fisheries. The notion of rethinking the pork industry was brought into light with consideration of the land-consuming populations of both Dutch citizens as well as swine and the increasing demand on the industry’s export market. This proposal was meant to address several concerns: Space and land conservation, disease management, curving transportation resource expenditures, as well as better energy efficiency in pork industry operations.

The resulting scheme featured 76 high-rise towers with flats at each level for pig farming. The towers were proposed to be located near both ports and urban concentrations in address of transportation. On top of the 600+ meter tower is a fishery that accounts for a portion of the food consumption needs for the swine. Energy capture + processing systems also incorporate into the scheme with the intention of using byproducts of the farming operations and occupancy to sustain the facility with energy.

This swinish fantasia has caught the attention of many. Some architects applaud its imagination and dramatic measures. But most architects and others have raised critical concern about its danger of centralization. Some have questioned the ethical responsibilities and credibility of architects who propose extreme solutions as these.

Sources:

www.mvrdv.nl/_v2/projects/181_pigcity/index.html
inhabitat.com/blog/2006/06/15/mvrdvs-pig-city/
www.archined.nl/archined/3251.html

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