Vegetable and Gardening Tower of Othmar Ruthner in the Voivodeship Park of Culture and Recreation in Chorzów—The First Example of Vertical Farming in Poland

Abstract

<jats:p>The purpose of this paper is to analyze the possibility of introducing urban vertical agriculture in Poland through the example of the only comprehensively implemented facility of this type so far. Through the example of Othmar Ruthner’s no longer existing vegetable and gardening tower in Chorzów, the benefits and damages resulting from an attempt to construct such facilities are presented. The paper also contains an analysis and an attempt to critically assess the phenomenon of the vertical greenhouse that was built in Poland, along with an attempt to assess the real causes of its failure. Based on source material analysis, examples of implementation, and available literature on the subject, an analysis of the possibilities of transforming the facility at the time of its demolition and now was made. The phenomenon of the vertical farm in Chorzów, as a trace of the contemporary architectural heritage of Upper Silesia, is a topic for a broader discussion about the architectural heritage created by buildings which are not so much industrial as technical, with a role so far only secondary to what we call the main architectural functions.</jats:p>

Urban Vertical Farming as an Example of Nature-Based Solutions Supporting a Healthy Society Living in the Urban Environment

“…The greenhouse was to be a prototype facility for the production of vegetables and flowers. The vertical greenhouse complex consisted of the main greenhouse building and the main one-story facility, housing the laboratory, wardrobe, as well as sanitary and utility rooms [63]. The tower has is of a cylindrical shape, with a diameter of 11 m and a height of 54 m, and includes 1200 m 2 of cultivation area.…”

“…Interestingly, the innovative investment of Othmar Ruthner's vegetable and horticultural tower is located in Upper Silesia, which is the heavily industrialised heart of the country and part of the Metropolis of Upper Silesia and Zagłębie. The production line system for a fresh fruit and vegetable factory, combining hydroponic technology for soilless cultivation with fully automated production line technology, was developed and patented by Othmar Ruthner [63]. After the Second World War, similar experimental hydroponic towers were built by Ruthner in Berlin, Oberlaa Park in Vienna, and Grossenzersdorf near Vienna, and a small tower in Iran producing peppers and tomatoes.…”

“…The tower in Chorzów was dismantled in the mid-1980s. The reasons for this were erosion of panels as a result of high humidity inside the greenhouse, and internal stresses in panels resulting from strong wind pressure [63].…”

Vertical Farming: The Only Way Is Up?

“…At the In the 1930s, William Gericke laid the groundwork for hydroponic cultivation in his book The complete guide to soilless gardening, which was a milestone in the history of vertical farming [2,[10][11][12]. Later, in the 1960s, the Austrian engineer Othmar Ruthner constructed multiple greenhouse towers that use hydroponics [13]. Although the principle of Ruthner's invention remains important to date, the concept of vertical farming lost its appeal due to the high energy and maintenance cost.…”