Precht has designed a timber skyscraper concept that combines modular housing with vertical farming. The concept was created by Penda co-founder Chris Precht and his wife Fei to reconnect people in cities with agriculture. In their proposal, the modular housing units would be built so that residents can produce their own food. Dubbed the Farmhouse, the concept aims to create more sustainable ways of living as city dwellers are increasingly losing touch with food production.
As the core unit of the design, prefabricated A-frame housing modules were created that would be made from cross-laminated timber. These living spaces would combine with farming so that residents can grow food for individual families or to share with the larger system and neighborhood. The team hopes the tower concept can help reestablish a physical and mental connection to nature. Each housing module features an integrated system for electricity, insulation and structure. These combines with an external layer of the module that holds the unit's water supply and elements for gardening.
Precht created the concept so that single-family users could build their own homes. These personalized spaces would offer a range of programs, from kitchens and living quarters to bedrooms, balconies and gardens. The modules were made so that they could work together with different units containing different systems, from harness electricity with solar equipment to waster management and hydroponic units for growing food. At the project's base, public programs like markets and food storage spaces could be created to embrace the streetscape and surrounding neighborhood.
