# Floating Vegetation Stations The Green Machine Allows Vegetation to Grow in Harsh Climates By Michael Baxter | Published 2014-03-21 | Eco Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-green-machine References: [designboom](http://www.designboom.com/architecture/stephane-malka-architecture-the-green-machine-03-20-2014/) & [stephanemalka](http://www.stephanemalka.com/en/) The Green Machine by Malka architecture is bringing green to the sandy and barren desert. The machine is a giant platform that houses a [small industrial city](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/living-sphere) on its back. To make the project even more impressive, the Green Machine is actually mobile as well. This project looks like a moving city of plants with balloons attached at the top. It's a strange-looking platform, but the idea could have amazing ramifications. For desert cities and communities that may not have access to food, this [moving garden](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/greenpublic) provides them with a [sustainable source](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/treesoil). The Green Machine will make use of the Sahara's resources that often go unused to create up to 20 million tons of crops annually. Photo Credits: [designboom](http://www.designboom.com/architecture/stephane-malka-architecture-the-green-machine-03-20-2014/), [stephanemalka](http://www.stephanemalka.com/en/) ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.5/10 - Popularity: 59% | Activity: 68% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Eco](https://www.trendhunter.com/eco) > [Eco Architecture](https://www.trendhunter.com/ecoarchitecture) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Moving Gardens:** The concept of a mobile platform that houses a sustainable source of food in harsh desert climates presents opportunities for disruptive innovation in agriculture and urban planning. - **Desert Farming:** The Green Machine's use of unused resources in the Sahara to create massive quantities of crops annually opens up opportunities for disruptive innovation in sustainable farming and resource utilization. - **Mobile Cities:** The idea of a giant platform that can support an entire industrial city and move around could lead to disruptive innovation in transportation and urban development. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Agriculture:** The Green Machine's ability to grow crops in harsh desert environments could revolutionize agricultural practices in arid regions. - **Urban Planning:** The concept of moving gardens and mobile cities presents new possibilities for sustainable and adaptable urban planning in challenging environments. - **Transportation:** The development of a mobile platform capable of supporting an entire city opens up opportunities for disruptive innovation in the transportation and logistics industry. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Urban Greening Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/urban-green.md) - [Architecture-Inspired Indoor Gardens](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vegetment-vegetable-cultivator.md) - [Haute Hydroponic Gardening Systems](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/oasis-smart-farm.md) - [Foldable Greenhouse Kitchens](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/your-greenhouse-is-your-kitchen.md) - [Greenhouse-Roving Agricultural Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/greenhouseroving-agricultural-robot.md) - [AI-Powered Autonomous Planters](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gardyn.md) - [Automated Indoor Gardens](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-evergrow.md) - [Mini Mess-Free Garden Units](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hydroponics-garden.md) - [Autonomous Aquafarming Robots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cultivation-robot.md)