Architecture x Agriculture x 4
image credits left to right: Medium - Ancient Origins / Karl Weule, Zak Ghalayini, Fabian Frei, Medium - Evan Folds
This is part 4 in a series that we originally hosted on Instagram where we shared ongoing research, precedents, and agriculture related practices that have inspired us at MOTIV.
On this week's series we feature soil-less agriculture — looking at traditional methods (more to come on how it evolved into hydroponic farming today).
The Aztecs utilized concepts of hydroponics around 1250 CE; creating floating gardens known as "chinampas". Compiled of stalks and roots bound together, these small stationary islands were loaded with lake sediment and decaying plants that supported crops such as maize, beans, chilies, squash, tomatoes, and greens. Anchored to the ground with reeds, the roots of the plants grew through the floor of the chinampas, providing a constant water source and root oxygenation. They sometimes joined together to form islands as large as 200 ft long, resulting in a system of canals and gardens that served as healthy fish & bird habitats. Today, similar floating islands can be found in Burma's Inle Lake at approx. 3,000 metres above sea level and surrounded by mountains.
In East Asia, rice is one of the most common crops that rely on aquaponic systems. Archaeological evidence may suggest it began in soil, but the Ancient Chinese discovered the current method to be far more beneficial following the flood and drain cycle. During seasonal flooding, the crop seemed to thrive and become more resistant to pests – while developing into a diverse ecosystem for fish and other crustaceans. Fish waste provided better nutrients for the rice and the fish could eat any waterborne pests. This type of hydroponic system is referred to as aquaponics, due to the symbiotic relationship with fish.
In 1929, Dr. William F. Gericke was credited for his early foundations in soil-less agriculture, publishing a guide to his research in "aquaculture". At the time, he converted his nutriculture laboratory into a commercial crop production operation, with 25 ft tomato plants using hydroponic systems. “The American Press hailed it as the most colossal invention of the century, reporting…that farmlands had become relics of the past.”
Click the image for a BBC October 2022 feature “The return of Aztec floating farms” by Soumya Gayatri for an interesting insight into a new appreciation for an ancient technique.