SEE(K)DER: Vertical Farming Architecture in the Heart of Hong Kong

Amidst the hyper-dense skyline of Central Hong Kong, where air pollution levels often surpass safe thresholds and traditional ground-based agriculture becomes impossible, a visionary architectural solution emerges—SEE(K)DER, a vertical farming tower designed by P G and Pelin Yalçın. This shortlisted entry for the Seed Bank competition reimagines the urban landscape as a vertically stratified agricultural ecosystem.

Hong Kong's Central district is known for its tightly packed urban fabric and severe air pollution, making it a challenging environment for human health and ecological integration. SEE(K)DER proposes to elevate the ground itself—literally. By raising the primary ground plane 20 meters above street level, the project escapes the toxic lower atmospheric layers and creates a new agricultural stratum in the sky.

At the core of this vertical farming architecture is a structural spine that acts as both a circulation and service core. This vertical axis efficiently connects a series of floating volumes that function as agricultural plots, living areas, research labs, observation spaces, and seed exchange hubs. Each volume is positioned according to sunlight availability and functional need, ensuring both passive energy performance and efficient spatial organization.

A layered architectural tower in Hong Kong redefines urban farming with raised platforms and dynamic circulation systems.

Visual breakdown of vertical farming tower—showing zones for agriculture, circulation, public plaza, and technical infrastructure.

A shaded courtyard with blossom tree and seed exchange station promotes local participation and environmental awareness.

Agriculture Elevated

The highest levels of the tower are dedicated to soilless and greenhouse-based agriculture, strategically located for optimal solar exposure and air quality. These farms are not isolated; they are directly linked to communal spaces and food labs, encouraging farm-to-table practices within the building itself.

Urban Circulation Reimagined

Circulation is key to the tower's organization. Multiple vertical cores handle human movement, product transport, and water circulation independently. This separation ensures efficiency and sanitation while making the system scalable for larger urban implementations. Elevators and ramps link each level with the Seed Square at the base—a commercial and social node designed to draw people into the tower ecosystem.

Seed Square and Subterranean Innovation

At ground level, the Seed Square is a civic plaza where public engagement meets environmental education. It includes seed exchange offices, urban cafes, and small shops promoting sustainable consumption. Beneath it, a technical substructure hosts labs, warehouses, and service functions crucial for the upkeep of the tower and its agricultural cycles.

Adaptable Urban Volumes

The volumes themselves are not rigid. Designed to accommodate exhibition spaces, research zones, amphitheaters, and educational facilities, they are dynamically adapted based on the sun's angle and user needs. This flexibility positions SEE(K)DER as not just a tower, but a living, evolving vertical ecosystem.

SEE(K)DER exemplifies the potential of vertical farming architecture to tackle some of the most pressing urban issues of our time—from pollution and food scarcity to spatial inefficiency and ecological disconnection. It brings agriculture back to the city, not at ground level, but high above it.

Project by: P G, Pelin Yalçın

Shortlisted entry of: Seed Bank