
All crops at B. Bylon are precultured in baskets at grower Lindenhoff and are sent to mature on the roof. This makes it possible to serve fresh greens at Bureau, the rooftop restaurant, while maintaining a full and healthy garden. A large water storage system was also installed, collecting rainwater underneath the roof floor, providing water to the plants and soil. All green waste from Bureau and the gardens is placed into compost bins where worms produce the compost to feed and grow the rooftop park. Sometimes green waste is also fed to the resident chickens, who also contribute to the compost and lay fresh eggs for use in the restaurant. Through the design and development of the space, GrownDownTown has created a circular experience.
Through creating this space, Van Traa hopes that B. Bylon will be enjoyed by resident employees, Amsterdam residents, and city visitors. “It’s really a unique space. It provides people with the opportunity to relax, or even host an event. Come have a drink, or just sit and enjoy.” On a sunny day B. Bylon receives a regular flow of visitors.
GrownDownTown believes that future cities will be able to sustain themselves on locally grown produce. Next to making cities healthier and greener, this organization wants to make production processes local and visible. In doing so, they hope to strengthen the link between city dwellers and their food. By creating spaces like B. Bylon, GrownDownTown changes the way citizens experience food. By growing crops on top of urban architecture, unused space is used to create a more efficient and healthier city.
In collaboration with Unlocked, we explore the future of hybrid space and how the cultural sector and events industry can reap the benefits of this new urban frontier in the post-COVID city.
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