1. Design principles
This conceptual design focuses on creating a completely self-sustaining organism that not
only utilizes solar, wind, and water energies, but also addresses the pending food shortage
problem. The modern structure also accumulates rainwater to irrigate the farming.
The mixed programs in Dragonfly are centred around two main towers. These symmetrically
arranged towers allow growth to expand vertically rather than horizontally to account for the
crowded Manhattan conditions. A sprawling greenhouse links the two towers, which defines
the shape of the design, supports the load of the building. The complex is arranged in a way that
housing units and work offices are interspersed between meadows and farms.
Plant and animal farming is arranged throughout the Dragonfly’s steel and glass
set of wings so as to maintain proper soil nutrient levels and reuse of biowaste.
The spaces between the wings are designed to take advantage of solar energy
by accumulating warm air in the exo-structure during winter. Cooling in the
summer will be facilitated through natural ventilation and evapo-perspiration
from the plants.
Exterior vertical gardens filter rain water which is then mixed with domestic
liquid waste. Together they are treated organically before being recirculates for
farm use, preserving and distributing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
At the bottom of the complex, there would be a floating market on the East River for growers to sell
their organic produce.
Vincent Callebaut established an architectural firm known as "Vincent Callebaut
Architecture" which specifically specializes in sustainable design and development.
Currently Vincent Callebaut resides in Paris, France where he continuously proposes
various ecological and sustainable architectural projects. Vincent, being extremely
determined and driven, regularly attends conferences all over the world from Hong Kong to
Paris insufflating and raising important questions on ecological situations and projects within
our society.
Vincent is known for his eco vision. The way that he combines nature and raw concrete and
steel is incredible. The results are at least magnificent.

2. You will ask yourself, what drives the mind of this architecture genius to create such
amazing examples of sustainable building. The answer is these wonderful examples of
genius are simply meant to show us that people like Vincent Callebaut are here to remember
that our future as a society is conditioned only by the power of our vision.
If you want to know more about him, go to his company official website
www.vincent.callebaut.org