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Food Garden
Bookmarked Fruit Walls: Urban Farming in the 1600s (LOW-TECH MAGAZINE)

The fruit wall reflects sunlight during the day, improving growing conditions. It also absorbs solar heat, which is slowly released during the night, preventing frost damage. Consequently, a warmer microclimate is created on the southern side of the wall for 24 hours per day.

Serpentine fruit wall in the Netherlands – Wikimedia Commons

Cool wall design that’s visually appealing but also adds extra functionality I wouldn’t have guessed!

Although it’s actually longer than a linear wall, a serpentine wall economizes on materials because the wall can be made strong enough with just one brick thin. The alternate convex and concave curves in the wall provide stability and help to resist lateral forces. Furthermore, the slopes give a warmer microclimate than a flat wall.

By Tracy Durnell

Writer and designer in the Seattle area. Freelance sustainability consultant. Reach me at tracy.durnell@gmail.com. She/her.

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