AGRI-TAINMENT AT LIM CHU KANG : AGRICULTURE + ENTERTAINMENT + EDUCATION

Abstract

The thesis is a reaction to the global competition for food, and attempts to address issues of land scarcity and food security in Singapore. The process of research revealed the recent development of local agricultural scene into a potentially new enterprise, the “Agri-tainment” industry. This new industry hinges entertainment and educational programs with modern high tech agricultural practices, supported by government and private initiatives alike. Therefore, this thesis takes the opportunity to investigate means of intensifying farming to address issues of land scarcity and food security, at the same time explore and capitalize on the recreational and educational potential of high tech agricultural technology. This thesis suggest that vertical intensive farms can be a possible means of intensifying farming by optimizing limited land resources to provide food security in the future. In addition, this thesis also seeks to explore methods of integrating sustainable technologies into the new farms to make use of renewable energy for its operation.

The site selected is located in Lim Chu Kang Agro-technology Park, Singapore’s largest modern intensive farm which is in the process of being master planned to promote Eco-tourism. Broadly, the planning concept of the development includes establishing the agricultural produce structures and interfacing the entertainment and educational programs such as sky “farmstays” to create spatially novel and exciting spaces.

In addition, this thesis can serve as a precedent for further exploration to rethink the model of “green architecture” in Singapore. Intensive farming systems or “sky farms” can be integrated to replace “sky parks” in high rise housing. Potentially, cosmetic landscapes can one day be replaced with edible vegetables that address the important issue of food security and food supply resilience in Singapore