Documentation:Open Case Studies/FRST522/2025/Edible Urban Landscape and Sustainable City Design: Evaluating the Sunqiao Urban Agricultural District in Shanghai, China
Positionality Statement
I am not from Shanghai and do not have living experience in Shanghai or working in Chinese planning institutions. My knowledge of the project relies on published literature, secondary reports, and course materials rather than direct fieldwork or community consultation. I do not represent Shanghai residents, Chinese planners, or Sunqiao’s managers.
Abstract
The Sunqiao Urban Agricultural District in Shanghai is an experiment in high-tech urban agriculture, aiming to address the problems of current urban agriculture, such as land scarcity, soil pollution, and vulnerable food supply chains. Sunqiao is a multifunctional district, now integrating high-tech farming systems, public education, and research facilities. It clarifies the benefits of high-tech agriculture on efficient land use and water control, but also faces challenges like high energy consumption and limited crop diversity. Sunqiao is a hopeful yet imperfect model of urban agriculture, which still requires further improvement and innovation, but holds strong potential to inspire global sustainable city planning.
Keywords
Urban agriculture; Edible urban landscapes; Controlled environment agriculture; Vertical farming; Urban sustainability; Urban Resilience; Green urban planning; Shanghai
Introduction
Rapid global urbanization has caused a lot of relevant urban problems, including land scarcity, ecological degradation, and vulnerability of food systems.[1][2] These pressures have led cities to develop sustainable and resilient food systems to safeguard long-term urban resident health and well-being.[3][4] Urban areas have unique agricultural problems: limited space, degraded and polluted soils, and deep dependence on global food supply chains. In the agriculture practices, cities must explore innovative models of local food production. Shanghai, a high-density, commercialised coastal metropolis, is an example of a city facing these challenges: shrinking farmland, soil pollution, and high reliance on imported food.[5][6]
In response to these pressures, the Sunqiao Urban Agriculture District was designed as an advanced experiment in Edible Urban Landscapes (EUL). Sunqiao integrates edible landscapes, high-tech farming systems, educational zones, research institutions, and recreational spaces into a multifunctional district.[5][2] It built a new urban farming system with techniques including hydroponics, vertical farming, and controlled environment agriculture, helping food grow efficiently and cleanly.[1] By combining high-tech urban agriculture technologies with accessible public space, Sunqiao shows how edible urban landscapes can serve ecological, technological, social, and governance functions at the same time.[3]
This paper evaluates Sunqiao across these four dimensions and argues that Sunqiao provides a hopeful but not perfect model for future edible urban landscapes. These conclusions will contribute to the understanding of how edible landscapes and high-tech urban agriculture can shape the future of sustainable city design.
Background of Agriculture in Shanghai
Over the past forty years, rapid industrial expansion, population growth, and large-scale infrastructure development have dramatically reshaped the land use structure in Shanghai. Large areas of farmland have been converted into housing, industries, and commercial districts, which has significantly reduced the amount of land available for agriculture.[2] This process has not only reduced the amount of food production but has also fragmented remaining agricultural landscapes.
Because of the pressure of rapid development, traditional farming has become increasingly difficult to sustain within urban areas. Research on high-tech urban agriculture (HTUA) argues that “serious pollution of agricultural soils around urban and industrial areas” is now a major barrier to safe food production in big cities such as Shanghai.[1] Soil contamination with heavy metals and industrial residues not only limits the use of traditional farmland but also poses threats to food safety and human health. These environmental problems directly lead to declining agricultural productivity and reduce public trust in locally grown food. As a result, Shanghai has become more dependent on external food sources, further weakening the resilience of the local food system.
The quantity and quality of local agricultural products are no longer sufficient to meet the demands of Shanghai’s rapidly growing urban population.[4] The city food system has therefore become increasingly reliant on long-distance supply chains to transport vegetables, grains, and animal products from other regions of China and from overseas.[6] However, these extended supply chains are highly vulnerable to climate change, transportation disruptions, public health crises, and higher economic costs. Although Shanghai has a strong economy, this heavy dependence on external food supplies still exposes the city to significant food security risks.
In response to these challenges, China has changed its urban development strategy toward ecological civilisation and sustainable urban systems.[7] National initiatives such as the National Forest City program promote nature-based solutions (NBS), urban greening, and ecological restoration as key activities of resilient urban development.
Under this background, Sunqiao Urban Agricultural District promotes controlled environment agriculture (CEA), hydroponics, and vertical farming as an alternative to traditional agriculture.[2][5] It creates a high-tech farming system that allows food to be produced in highly controlled indoor environments, reducing the influence of unstable weather and soil conditions.[8] It aims to rebuild a more secure, efficient, and resilient urban food system under conditions of severe land scarcity and environmental stress.
History of the Sunqiao Urban Agricultural District
Sunqiao was first designated as an agricultural area in the 1990s. At that time, Pudong was undergoing expansion, and the government began setting aside land for vegetable production. It mainly supported traditional outdoor farming, providing leafy greens to nearby markets.[9]
By the early 2010s, the Shanghai municipal government began to set Sunqiao as a strategic site for modern agricultural innovation. Build a high-tech agricultural demonstration zone, including hydroponics, aquaponics, vertical farming, and other controlled environment systems.[2]
In 2016, Sasaki, with his international design teams, was invited to reimagine the Sunqiao district. They emphasized the idea of a multifunctional agricultural district, combining food production with public education, recreation, ecological restoration, and tourism.[5] From that, as he said, Sunqiao shifted from urban farmland to a sustainable urban design that shoulders the responsibility of educating the next generation. Over time, Sunqiao evolved into a hybrid landscape that blends scientific research, public engagement, and commercial activities.[3][5]
The development of Sunqiao reflects Shanghai’s planning shift from traditional peri-urban farming to high-tech, multifunctional agricultural districts. The edible urban landscape has become a central strategy for urban sustainability.[3]
Introduction of Sunqiao Urban Agricultural District
Architecture design
The Sunqiao Urban Agricultural District is made up of several sectors, including greenhouses, vertical farming buildings, aquaponic facilities, outdoor demonstration plots, and visitor spaces.[5] The large glass greenhouses are for hydroponic cultivation, indoor vertical farming facilities have stacked growing racks, and experimental areas are used for research tests. These areas are connected by internal roads, pedestrian pathways, and landscaped green corridors.[2][5]
A key feature of Sunqiao is the integration of edible plants with visible public spaces. The demonstration beds, greenhouse displays the growth of plants for visitors, allowing them to observe directly. This approach reflects the concept of edible urban landscapes, that food production becomes part of everyday city life rather than something distant and invisible.[3][10]
The overall spatial design of Sunqiao emphasizes multifunctionality. Visitors could not only be educated through high-tech agriculture like hydroponic and vertical farming systems, but also relax by water features, sit on open lawns, or walk along shaded paths.[5] In this way, Sunqiao successfully blends productivity, education, and recreation into a single environment into one urban agricultural environment.[3]
Technological systems
Sunqiao is a high-tech urban agriculture system, with key technologies like hydroponics, vertical farming, aquaponics, and controlled environment agriculture.[2] These technologies help food grow efficiently in a highly controlled indoor environment and reduce the impact of external factors like natural soil and weather conditions.[8]
Hydroponics
Hydroponics is the most widely used system in Sunqiao. In hydroponic systems, crops grow in nutrient solutions instead of soil, which allows precise control of plant nutrition. Hydroponics is always used in the cultivation of leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, and herbs.[5] Hydroponics could significantly reduce water consumption and help to achieve high planting density, fast crop turnover, and stable year-round production.[1]
Vertical farming
Vertical farming represents a solution to the limitation of urban agricultural land. Crops are grown in multiple layers on vertical racks and are always supported by environmental control technologies. Artificial LED lighting provides the necessary light for plant growth, and other living conditions like temperature, humidity, and CO₂ levels are carefully regulated.[1][8] This stacked production significantly increases the food yield in a very small land area. It is especially important in a megacity facing land scarcity like Shanghai.[2]
Aquaponics
Aquaponics is another important technology in Sunqiao. This system combines fish farming with hydroponic plant production in a closed-loop cycle.[2][4] Fish waste provides nutrients for plants, while plants help purify the water for the fish. This circular system shows how waste can be reused in agricultural production, reducing resource inputs and environmental pollution.[10][11]
All these systems worked together, creating a framework of sustainable urban agriculture. The automation systems and digital monitoring technologies are used to regulate environmental conditions. This human control allows Sunqiao to maximize yield and reduce the influence of pests and weather. Compared with traditional outdoor farming, it is more stable and predictable.[8]
Institutional and Policy Context
The development of Sunqiao is closely linked to China’s policy framework of sustainable urban development and agricultural modernization.[12] At the national level, China has promoted ecological civilisation, emphasizing harmony between human activities and the natural ecosystems.[2]
Shanghai’s municipal government actively supports high-tech urban agriculture as part of its long-term sustainability planning. Sunqiao has received strong support from government agencies, planning bureaus, and agricultural research institutes. This top-down governance framework enables large amounts of investment in infrastructure, research, and finance. If only with a community lead, it is difficult to achieve the goals.[12]
Sunqiao is also a research district. It closely collaborates with universities, scientific institutes, and technology companies to test new agricultural techniques, crops, and management methods. In this way, Sunqiao plays an important role in transferring agricultural innovation from laboratories to real farming.[2][10]
Benefits
Agriculture benefits
One of the most direct benefits of Sunqiao is to increase urban food production. The plants could be grown all year round and without the effects of weather conditions or soil pollution, with technology like hydroponics, vertical farming, and controlled environment agriculture (CEA).[1][2] The technologies ensure stable and predictable yields, reducing the impact of pests, seasonal fluctuations, and environmental degradation.[8]
In addition, indoor production reduces risks associated with soil contamination, which is a major issue in peri-urban areas of Shanghai.[6] Because of hydroponic and aquaponic systems, many vegetables grow in nutrient solutions instead of soil polluted by industries, ensuring safer food production on the city land.[6][13] This contributes to improved food quality and rebuilds consumer confidence in local agricultural products.[3]
In addition, local production at Sunqiao also shortens supply chains. Consumers can obtain fresher local vegetables more quickly, reducing the need for food transported from other provinces or countries, thereby lowering transportation costs.[8][10][13] In a densely populated region, food transportation contributes heavily to carbon emissions. Shorter food supply chains can also indirectly support climate mitigation goals.[13] Overall, Sunqiao is an effective pathway for improving urban food security under conditions of limited farmland.
Ecological benefits
Sunqiao helps improve environmental sustainability. One of the major environmental advantages of the Sunqiao is that it increases the land use efficiency. Vertical farming stacks crops in layers, reducing the need for horizontal land. It helps reduce pressure on remaining rural farmland and further land conversion.[1][8]
Water efficiency is another important benefit. Compared with traditional soil irrigation, hydroponic and closed-loop irrigation systems could reduce water consumption by up to 90–95%.[1][13] Because water is recirculated within the system, only a little of the irrigation water is lost through evaporation or runoff.[13] That helps to solve the freshwater resources limitation in urban agriculture.
Increasing climate resilience is another key benefit of controlled environment agriculture. In Sunqiao district, indoor farming protects crops from weather conditions that threaten outdoor agriculture, such as extreme heat, heavy rainfall, typhoons, and air pollution.[2] Automation systems and digital monitoring technologies enable precise control of temperature, humidity, and air quality, providing optimal growing conditions.[6][8][10][13] These high-tech methods ensure year-round production and high yield, even in unpredictable climate conditions.[10]
Sunqiao's localised food production also reduces transport-related carbon emissions. Traditional food supply chains often involve long-distance transportation, refrigeration, and storage, which heavily rely on fossil fuels. By cultivating vegetables directly in the city areas, Sunqiao shortens food supply chains and lowers the energy required for transport. This not only reduces carbon emissions but also helps build a more sustainable urban food system.[3][13]
Finally, Sunqiao has potential indirect benefits for biodiversity and ecological restoration. It reduces the need for traditional farmland and relieves pressure on rural ecosystems. These rural farmlands could be restored to forest, wetland, or other habitats that support biodiversity.[3] High-efficiency agriculture could make space for ecological restoration in the long term.
Social benefits
Sunqiao provides important social benefits by creating opportunities for public engagement, education, and interaction with food-producing landscapes.
Many urban residents rarely see the growth process of food, and this disconnect may weaken awareness of environmental issues and the challenges of food systems.[3] The Sunqiao project emphasizes the importance of education for the public. Research indicates that urban agriculture can enhance environmental awareness by making food production visible and accessible within daily life. In Sunqiao, residents have chances to see the greenhouses and demonstration fields, learn about modern agricultural techniques, and enhance their confidence in food safety.[10]
In addition, Sunqiao also provides recreational value. Walking through greenhouses filled, viewing fish-plant systems, or relaxing in shaded outdoor areas could create a positive experience and deepen people’s connection with nature. These contact with plants and natural environments supports mental health, reduce stress, and encourage community well-being, especially for urban residents who are always far away from forests and nature.[3]
Economic benefits
A major economic advantage of Sunqiao lies in leafy greens. The leafy green vegetables are an important part of Shanghai's diet. Around 56% of the vegetables consumed in Shanghai are leafy greens, including spinach, kale, bok choy, and watercress.[5] Because these crops grow very well in hydroponic and aquaponic systems, they are perfect crops to plant in Sunqiao. Leafy greens grow quickly, do not require complex conditions, and are lightweight, which makes them cheap and efficient to produce in vertical farms.[1]
Sunqiao also contributes to Shanghai’s local economy by creating new employment opportunities and supporting high-tech agricultural activities. Operating hydroponic systems, vertical farms, and controlled environment facilities requires diverse technical skills, generating jobs for horticultural specialists, engineers, IT technicians, and facility managers.[2][8] These roles signify a shift from traditional agricultural labour toward knowledge-intensive positions. Sunqiao also stimulates employment growth in education, tourism, and services through exhibitions, workshops, and research collaborations.[8]
In addition, Sunqiao provides significant branding value. As a benchmark for urban sustainability and high-tech agricultural development, it attracts investors, academic partners, and technology companies that focus on sustainable agriculture innovations.[12]
Challenges and limitations
Sunqiao Urban Agricultural District is an innovative practice, and it also faces several significant challenges and limitations. The most pressing concern is energy consumption.[1][10][13] LED lighting and climate control systems require large amounts of electricity.[13] With the energy consumption, the carbon footprint of vertical farming may offset some of the environmental benefits achieved through reduced land use and improved water efficiency.[10]
A second major limitation is economic considerations. The initial costs of hydroponic and vertical farming infrastructure are much higher than those of traditional agriculture. Building and maintaining advanced agricultural facilities is also expensive. Higher operational costs, including labour, energy, and maintenance, increase financial pressure.[1] Without strong government support or alternative funding, it might be difficult to maintain such a scale.[2] This casts considerable doubt upon the long-term economic sustainability of Sunqiao.[14]
Crop diversity is another significant challenge. Although Sunqiao systems are suitable for producing leafy greens, herbs, and other fast-growing vegetables, they struggle to meet the demands for staple crops like rice, wheat, and maize.[8] Consequently, at this stage, Sunqiao could only serve as a supplement to Shanghai's existing food supply system, and cannot replace it.
Finally, the Sunqiao model is not replicable by all cities. Shanghai has unique advantages in agricultural innovation. Sunqiao benefits from strong government support, supportable policy conditions, and close collaboration with research institutions.[12] These favourable conditions may not be present in other cities, especially those with different governance systems or limited financial resources.[3] So its model may not be easily replicated in other cities.
Assessment of Sunqiao as a model for edible urban landscapes
The Sunqiao Urban Agricultural District has become one of China’s most hopeful projects of edible urban landscape planning. It responds to the main challenges of urban agriculture in Shanghai, including soil pollution, land scarcity, and population growth.[2] Sunqiao adopted natural-based solutions to create a more controlled and reliable food production system.[10]
One of Sunqiao’s main strengths is its multifunctional landscape design, which combines food production with public green space and education.[5] Compared with other global examples, Sunqiao stands out because it focuses on not just one function. In Tokyo, for instance, Mirai vertical farm relies on indoor LED systems to control environmental agriculture and create better growth conditions. But it is only on a small scale and focused mainly on production efficiency.[15] In contrast, Sunqiao combines production with tourism, public education, and scientific research to create a multifunctional public place.[3]
The governance model in Sunqiao is also different from edible urban practices in some Western countries.[16] Beacon Food Forest in Seattle focuses on community engagement and encourages volunteer participation and shared decision-making.[17] Berlin’s Prinzessinnengarten also asks residents to co-create and manage urban agriculture spaces.[18] In contrast, Sunqiao is a top-down approach. Government agencies and research institutes play a big role in promoting large-scale green projects, which ensure strong funding and rapid implementation.[12]
The Sunqiao project similarly faces challenges common to other urban agriculture practices. The primary issue is energy consumption, which makes the agricultural model unsustainable.[1][10][13] High costs are another limitation.[1][2][14] Building and maintaining indoor farms is expensive, and the costs cannot be covered by the revenue only from selling leafy greens.
However, even with these limitations, Sunqiao is still an important and influential practice. It is a good start to the innovation of urban agriculture and sustainable city design. Sunqiao represents a hopeful but incomplete model. The edible urban landscapes can play an important role in sustainable city design, but the projects must be adapted to local policy and specific environmental conditions.[2][3]
Recommendations
Environmental: Strengthen Renewable Energy Integration
One of the biggest environmental challenges for Sunqiao is the large amount of energy consumption. Lighting, temperature control, and water circulation all consume significant power.[19] To reduce these costs, Sunqiao could integrate more renewable energy sources, such as rooftop solar panels. Combining controlled environment agriculture with clean energy would lower carbon emissions and make the system more environmentally friendly. However, it is important to balance the installation costs of renewable technologies with the environmental benefits they offer, to make sure Sunqiao systems are financially practical.
Social: Expand Community Participation and Local Opportunities
Although Sunqiao has educational and tourism activities for residents, community involvement is still quite limited.[3][5] They could create local hiring plans, prioritizing nearby residents for diverse roles, including management, resource procurement, monitoring plant growth, pollination, harvesting, quality control, and IT personnel.[8] Make sure local people can actively participate in and benefit from.
Economic: Build Sustainable Business Models and Support Small Enterprises
Because high-tech agriculture is expensive to build and operate, Sunqiao needs diversified income strategies to maintain long-term financial stability. One suggestion is to support small businesses connected to the project, such as cafes, food processing shops, or educational workshops.[14] These enterprises would expand the economic activities and create jobs. These collaborations not only expand their product range but also diversify the local economy.[12]
Research: Continue Monitoring and Adaptive Improvement
As a major demonstration project, Sunqiao should continue serving as a research site. This includes ongoing monitoring of crop yield, water and energy use, operating costs, and community impacts.[10] Regular evaluations and summaries of this data would help identify weaknesses and areas for improvement.
Long-term monitoring and adaptive learning are essential for improving Sunqiao’s model and sharing useful lessons with other cities. Through that, Sunqiao can contribute valuable knowledge to the global field of edible urban landscapes and sustainable urban design.[12]
| Theme: Edible Urban Landscape | |
| Country: China | |
| City: Shanghai | |
This conservation resource was created by Zichang Ge. It is shared under a CC-BY 4.0. | |
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 Kalantari, Fatemeh; Tahir, Osman; Joni, Raheleh; Fatemi, Ezaz (2018). "Opportunities and challenges in sustainability of vertical farming: A review". Journal of Landscape Ecology. 11: 35–60.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 Zhou, Yuning (2024). "Technological innovation and significance of vertical farming system in high-density urban areas". E3S Web of Conferences. 579.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 Specht, Kathrin; Siebert, Rosemarie; Hartmann, Ina; Freisinger, Ulf; Sawicka, Magdalena; Werner, Armin; Thomaier, Susanne; Henckel, Dietrich; Walk, Heike (2014). "Urban agriculture of the future: An overview of sustainability aspects of food production in and on buildings". Agriculture and Human Values. 31: 33–51.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Adjie, K; Srinaga, F; Mensana, A (2021). "Building-integrated agriculture's role in supporting urban food cycle". IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science. 881.
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 Grove, Michael (2016, October 4). "Sunqiao Urban Agricultural District". Sasaki. Check date values in:
|date=(help) - ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Hosseinifarhangi, Mohsen; Turvani, Margherita; Valk, Arnold; Carsjens, Gerrit (2019). "Technology-driven transition in urban food production practices: A case study of Shanghai". Sustainability. 11.
- ↑ Dong, Zhanfeng (2025). "The historical evolution and modernization path of China's ecological and environmental governance". Energy & Environmental Sustainability. 1.
|first2=missing|last2=(help);|first3=missing|last3=(help) - ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 8.10 8.11 Despommier, Dickson (2013). "Farming up the city: The rise of urban vertical farms". Trends in Biotechnology. 31: 388–389.
- ↑ Garfield, Leanna (2017). "Shanghai is getting an entire 'farming district' with towering vertical farms and seed libraries". Business Insider.
- ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 Zaręba, Anna; Krzemińska, Alicja; Kozik, Renata (2021). "Urban vertical farming as an example of nature-based solutions supporting a healthy society living in the urban environment". Resources. 10.
- ↑ Tyson, Richard; Treadwell, Danielle; Simonne, Eric (2011). "Opportunities and challenges to sustainability in aquaponic systems". HortTechnology. 21: 6–13.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 Wang, Cheng; Jin, Jiali; Davies, Clive; Chen, Wendy (2024). "Urban forests as nature-based solutions: A comprehensive overview of the National Forest City action in China". Current Forestry Reports. 10: 119–132.
- ↑ 13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 Benke, Kurt; Tomkins, Bruce (2017). "Future food-production systems: Vertical farming and controlled-environment agriculture". Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy. 13: 13–26.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Beacham, Andrew; Vickers, Laura; Monaghan, James (2019). "Vertical farming: A summary of approaches to growing skywards". The Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology. 94: 277–283.
- ↑ Kozai, Toyoki (2018). Smart plant factory: The next generation indoor vertical farms. p. 12. ISBN 978-9811310645.
- ↑ Tsui, Emma; Wurwarg, J.; Poppendieck, J.; Deutsch, Jonathan; Freudenberg, Nicholas (2015). "Urban agriculture: Long-term strategy or impossible dream? Lessons from Prospect Farm in Brooklyn, New York". Public Health. 129: 336–341.
- ↑ McLain, Rebecca; Poe, Melissa; Hurley, Patrick; Lecompte-Mastenbrook, Joyce; Emery, Marla (2012). "Producing edible landscapes in Seattle's urban forest". Urban Forestry & Urban Greening. 11: 187–194.
- ↑ Clausen, Marco (2015). "Urban agriculture between pioneer use and urban land grabbing: The case of "Prinzessinnengarten" Berlin". Cities and the Environment (CATE). 8.
- ↑ "Vertical farming: Skyscraper sustainability?". Sustainable Cities and Society. 18: 74–77. 2015.