Aquaponics cycle: VAC-Library by Farming Architects

'VAC-Library' by Farming Architects is a self-sustaining ecosystem on a miniature scale, one that unites three components – gardening, aquaculture and animal husbandry – in a cyclical process. The acronym 'VAC' stands for the first letters of the Vietnamese words vườn (garden), ao (pond) and chuồng (cage).

The koi carp swimming in the adjacent pond are part of an aquaponics system in which waste products are used as nutrients for cultivation of useful plants and for vegetable gardening; in other words, the fish food provides the fertiliser required for growing the plants. The chickens kept at the site lay eggs for nutrition and contribute to maintenance of the ecosystem by providing manure for fertilising the vegetables.

Solar panels make up the roof of the VAC-Library's wooden climbing frame. This acts both as a playground and library, thus enabling children to become acquainted with the ecological closed-loop model at close quarters. The gaps between the wooden beams are filled with such elements as shelving units filled with books, concrete seating and reading areas, lights inside acrylic lampshades, and planters.