# Urban Food Ecosystems This Living Sphere Presents a Self Contained Food Production System By Amy Duong | Published 2025-12-09 | Art & Design Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/living-sphere References: [vikingdome](https://vikingdome.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorC9b9SY7ygwlhXp8MgFkMCuk9V0fY0DcczA7qieAkLnadR6jy8)  Living Sphere introduces a vertically layered food ecosystem inside a transparent geodesic dome designed for compact urban environments. The structure integrates aquaculture tanks below with hydroponic growing beds above to support both fish and plant cultivation within a single closed system. Different water zones allow salt-tolerant and freshwater crops to grow simultaneously using nutrients produced by fish waste. Sunlight passes through the dome structure to maintain internal climate balance while supporting year-round food production. Water continuously circulates through biological filtration, where beneficial microbes convert waste into usable nutrients for plants before being returned to the tanks. This closed-loop design reduces the need for external fertilizer or large water exchanges. The system is intended for rooftops, narrow city sites, and regions with limited arable land. Image Credit: Viking Dome ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 3.9/10 - Popularity: 35% | Activity: 26% | Freshness: 57% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Art & Design](https://www.trendhunter.com/artdesign) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Vertical Farming Innovation:** Combining vertical farming with integrated aquaculture, a new paradigm emerges for sustainable urban agriculture. - **Aquaponics Expansion:** The incorporation of salt-tolerant and freshwater crops in aquaponic systems enables diverse food production in limited spaces. - **Urban Climate Adaptation:** Transparent geodesic domes facilitate year-round food production by leveraging natural sunlight for climate control. ### Who This Affects Most - **Sustainable Agriculture:** Innovative systems like Living Sphere rejuvenate sustainable agriculture by eliminating dependency on external fertilizers and extensive water use. - **Urban Development:** The self-contained food production systems cater to urban development needs, effectively utilizing rooftops and narrow spaces in city environments. - **Renewable Energy:** Maximizing the use of passive solar energy within geodesic domes creates intersections with renewable energy advancements. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Design-Forward Concept Stores](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/target-soho.md) - [Ultra-Sculpting Neck Masks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sculpting-neck-jawline-mask.md) - [Desktop Display Gadgets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/minitoo-retro-pc-style.md) - [Game Style Navigation](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/need-for-speed-mini-map.md) - [High-Performance Residential LED Lighting](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/residential-led-lighting.md) - [Sculptural Artisanal Christmas Trees](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mirrors-of-hope.md) - [AI Book Translation](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/translate-a-book-with-ai.md) - [Futuristic Grand Tourers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/meta-turismo.md) - [AI Report Builders](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/easyreports-ai.md)