Edible Residential Balconies in the Mediterranean Climate: Architectural Design Guidelines

In an era in which more than half of the world’s population resides in urban centers, cultivating food within cities, close to consumers, is increasingly crucial. Given the limited availability of arable land in urban centers, food can be cultivated on a large scale within residential buildings equipped with balconies, in both current and future Mediterranean cities. This research defines the term “edible balconies” as a subtype of Zfarming and urban agriculture, indicating that the floors, walls, edges, and overhead spaces of edible balconies offer horizontal and vertical surfaces suitable for cultivating edible plants. The primary objective of this article is to propose a series of design guidelines for architects interested in designing edible balconies. It also highlights major obstacles that architects may encounter during the design process. To identify key design guidelines, determine significant obstacles, and develop design proposals, a comprehensive literature review was conducted on urban agriculture, horticulture, building-integrated agriculture, and Zfarming. By considering these suggested guidelines, architects can incorporate edible balconies into residential buildings. Such a design approach aims to develop a multifunctional housing typology that not only provides habitat but also promotes food cultivation.