Chair of Architectural Design and Participation - Prof. Francis Kéré (TUM)
Team: Esteban Álvarez, Felix Bodenmüller, Hannah von Pander, 2022
The “Venice of Africa” - Ganvié in Benin is located on Lake Nokoué, which is severely threatened by increasing pollution from domestic and industrial waste. Of the 20,000 people who live in the lakeside village, more than 80% make their living from fishing, resulting in unstable business and competition.
The floating farm is a proposal for local food production combined with an architectural infrastructure for Ganvié. Local farming has the potential to reduce transportation costs and CO2 emissions and improve food security.
The community of Ganvié will grow its own food on the floating farm. For food production, lake water will be purified in a large filtration basin. A rotating water arm (so-called pivot center irrigation) applies the clean water to the field in a circular pattern. Food grows on the floating beds, which will be produced inside the building. Families in the Ganvié community can participate in the farm by building their own personal floating bed.
The Floating Farm offers a wide variety of nutritious fruits and vegetables grown in a hydroponic system that uses only 10% of the water compared to conventional agricultural growing systems. Once the food has sprouted, villagers can harvest their cells together and enjoy their self grown food.
