As Above, So Below
As Above, So Below is an architectural exploration that transforms the site’s dark and neglected qualities while encouraging presence and slowness within a fast-paced, disconnected environment. Set beneath the Mancunian Way in Manchester, the project proposes an urban farming scheme that reclaims the site through nature, creating a community space and a hub for sustainability.
At the heart of the scheme is a modular system of vertical farming towers that rise and fall on mechanical pulleys. These towers function as productive ecosystems, responsive to light levels and climatic needs, while also forming an evolving architectural landscape above the highway, that invites curiosity and engagement. Beneath the viaduct, a series of shelving structures line the southern edge of the site, serving as the primary farming zones. The joinery system used throughout is designed for ease of assembly, disassembly, and future adaptability, allowing the structure to respond to environmental shifts and evolving social needs.
With each phase of development, the scheme grows in complexity and richness, gradually evolving into a thriving, intelligent ecosystem beneath the viaduct. As it expands, new elements are introduced, such as a community kitchen, a gardening shop, and market stalls for a monthly harvest festival. The site’s hidden river is also carefully excavated and re-integrated into the landscape, reinforcing the project’s core themes of slowness and presence. Together, these additions invite deeper community engagement, transforming a once-forgotten space into a place of connection, care, and productivity.
