Jaipur – Architecture student Eliza Hague's design for inflatable greenhouses could help communities to grow their own food.
Made from shellac-coated bamboo, the greenhouse covering offers a more sustainable alternative to the polythene sheeting most commonly used in India, which needs replacing yearly and generates excessive plastic waste. To create the paper-like material, Hague used bamboo and covered it with a shellac coating to make the covering weather-resistant and longer-lasting.
‘In light of the pandemic, the idea that architecture can provide spaces to encourage self-sufficient living has become more prevalent as we rely on supermarkets more than ever,’ explains Hague. 'This notion stimulated the desire to create a design that not only responded to its local environment, but also proposed innovative solutions to these challenges.’
As India faces the challenge of feeding an ever-growing urban population, Hague is empowering citizens in Jaipur to make New Urban Farms more sustainable and accessible.