Platinum Winner of the International Architecture & Design Awards 2026

Future Farm: Architecture as Hydro-Ecological Infrastructure

Architecture

Sustainable & Green Architecture

Concept / Professional Category

Architect / Designer:

Qing Duan

Studio:

Q.D Spatial Practice

Design Team:

Qing Duan

Copyright:

Images © Qing Duan

Country:

United Kingdom

Future Farm proposes a new architectural model where buildings operate as hydro-ecological infrastructure integrating food production, water circulation, and community life.

Responding to increasing urban density, climate instability, and food system vulnerability, the project reimagines agriculture as an active component of the built environment rather than a remote rural activity. The proposal introduces a modular vertical farming system that combines hydroponic cultivation, rainwater harvesting, greywater recycling, and communal food spaces within a single architectural framework.

Water functions as the primary organisational element of the architecture. Rainwater is collected through roof structures, filtered through ecological systems, and redistributed to support both agricultural production and domestic use. This closed-loop cycle reduces water waste while establishing a visible relationship between environmental processes and everyday urban life.

The architecture is composed of adaptable modules that integrate planting systems with public programmes such as shared kitchens, greenhouses, educational spaces, and community markets. These spaces encourage residents to engage directly with food production, transforming agriculture into a collective social activity embedded within the city.

Designed as a flexible and scalable system, Future Farm can be integrated into existing urban conditions, reused structures, or new developments. Its modular logic allows the architecture to expand or adapt in response to changing environmental conditions and community needs.

Through the integration of ecological systems, modular construction, and public participation, the project proposes a shift in how cities relate to food, water, and infrastructure. Future Farm presents architecture not as a passive container, but as an active participant in ecological production and urban resilience.

Q.D Spatial Practice

Q.D Spatial Practice is an independent spatial design studio founded by Qing Duan, working across architecture, interiors, installations, and speculative design research.

The studio explores how architecture can operate beyond static form, investigating space as a system that connects environmental cycles, social interaction, and spatial storytelling. Its work often focuses on the reuse and reinterpretation of existing structures, transforming overlooked spaces into adaptable and meaningful environments.

Through research-led design methods, the practice integrates sustainable systems, material experimentation, and narrative spatial strategies. Projects frequently explore themes of ecological infrastructure, emotional experience, and the relationship between architecture and everyday life.