The Hydroponic Garden: Facilitating Urban Agriculture in Northern Cities using 3D Printed Ceramics

Abstract

This thesis explores *3D-printed ceramic facades* as a sustainable strategy to integrate food production into urban architecture. Responding to critiques of superficial “greenwashing,” the research leverages ceramics’ material properties—water retention, thermal regulation, and adaptability—to create modular biofacades that actively support edible plant growth. Combining biomimimetic design with digital fabrication, the project develops a prototype ceramic panel system designed for passive irrigation and climatic resilience. Methodologically, it bridges environmental analysis, digital modeling (Rhino3D), and physical prototyping (clay 3D printing) to align ecological needs with architectural assembly. Contextualized within Edmonton’s post-industrial Rossdale Power Plant, the proposal demonstrates how such facades can transform underutilized infrastructure into productive urban ecosystems. By merging ceramic materiality with agro-ecological principles, this work redefines facades as living interfaces—mediating urban resilience, biodiversity, and human-nature engagement through built form.