I’m an architecture student working on a design project for a new type of greenhouse in Versailles, France, and I’d love to hear what you think.
The idea is inspired by *Moray* in Peru the inkas used a terrace design to test crops and adchieved 15°C celcius difference between the top and bottom levels (30meter difference) . I want to explore whether a similar stepped, (circular) structure could be applied *inside a greenhouse in combination with climate installations* to create varied climates on different levels and potentially use it for testing crops on future climates.
Here’s the concept in short:
* The greenhouse would be about **20 meters tall**, half **below ground (10 m)** and half **above ground (10 m)**. diameter is 30 meters.
* Thet part below the groudn would stabilize the climate year-round at around **10–13°C**, while the upper terraces would get more sunlight and heat.
* The stepped terraces inside create microclimates that could be used to study how crops adapt to different conditions or to grow diverse plants within one controlled environment.
* It could work as both a **research center** (to demonstrate climate variation and plant adaptation) and a **productive greenhouse**.
I haven’t found any research on this particular set up. There’s research showing temperature differences between the top and bottom of greenhouses, and about the stabilizing effect of earth walls on energy use, but I haven’t found anything that combines both in one circular, stepped design.
My design idea is shown in the second photo.
I’d love to know from people with farming or greenhouse experience:
* If this design could be potentially usefull. (it is a student project and won’t be realised, but could be interesting to think of as a concept.)
* Do you think these vertical temperature differences could be effectively used for plant research or production?
* Are there specific crops that could benefit from such varied microclimates in one structure?
* And are there major technical challenges (humidity control, light distribution, energy use) that I might be overlooking?
Thanks a lot for your thoughts, I’d really appreciate any input, even if it’s just practical doubts or examples I should look into
Administrative_Cow20
Data exists on greenhouses dug into the ground. You didn’t mention what climate you’re in, and that makes a difference. What hypothetical plants will be grown? What is the diameter of the circle? How will you access the bottom, and also make use of the space above ground? What’s the depth of the local water table?
How did you come up with 10m deep and 10m above ground?
Will you import soil to each level? (Extant soil in the well is unlikely to be similar enough to local topsoil that that alone would skew any attempts at using it for experimental crop production.)
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Hi everyone,
I’m an architecture student working on a design project for a new type of greenhouse in Versailles, France, and I’d love to hear what you think.
The idea is inspired by *Moray* in Peru the inkas used a terrace design to test crops and adchieved 15°C celcius difference between the top and bottom levels (30meter difference) . I want to explore whether a similar stepped, (circular) structure could be applied *inside a greenhouse in combination with climate installations* to create varied climates on different levels and potentially use it for testing crops on future climates.
Here’s the concept in short:
* The greenhouse would be about **20 meters tall**, half **below ground (10 m)** and half **above ground (10 m)**. diameter is 30 meters.
* Thet part below the groudn would stabilize the climate year-round at around **10–13°C**, while the upper terraces would get more sunlight and heat.
* The stepped terraces inside create microclimates that could be used to study how crops adapt to different conditions or to grow diverse plants within one controlled environment.
* It could work as both a **research center** (to demonstrate climate variation and plant adaptation) and a **productive greenhouse**.
I haven’t found any research on this particular set up. There’s research showing temperature differences between the top and bottom of greenhouses, and about the stabilizing effect of earth walls on energy use, but I haven’t found anything that combines both in one circular, stepped design.
My design idea is shown in the second photo.
I’d love to know from people with farming or greenhouse experience:
* If this design could be potentially usefull. (it is a student project and won’t be realised, but could be interesting to think of as a concept.)
* Do you think these vertical temperature differences could be effectively used for plant research or production?
* Are there specific crops that could benefit from such varied microclimates in one structure?
* And are there major technical challenges (humidity control, light distribution, energy use) that I might be overlooking?
Thanks a lot for your thoughts, I’d really appreciate any input, even if it’s just practical doubts or examples I should look into
Data exists on greenhouses dug into the ground. You didn’t mention what climate you’re in, and that makes a difference. What hypothetical plants will be grown? What is the diameter of the circle? How will you access the bottom, and also make use of the space above ground? What’s the depth of the local water table?
How did you come up with 10m deep and 10m above ground?
Will you import soil to each level? (Extant soil in the well is unlikely to be similar enough to local topsoil that that alone would skew any attempts at using it for experimental crop production.)