London Designers Create Unique Car-Powered Aquaponics Urban Farm that Grows Vegetables

A world first eco+arts+design project, stemming from a sustainability partnership between Hyundai, designers Something & Son and London’s Design Museum.

This week Hyundai unveiled a unique piece of design theatre to educate people about the real-life benefits of hydrogen fuel cell technology. Deputy Mayor of London, Kit Malthouse, showed his support for the project by opening the Hyundai Fuel Cell Farm – the world’s first aquaponics ecosystem powered by Hyundai Motor’s zero-emission ix35 Fuel Cell. The Fuel Cell Farm was positioned outside the front of the Design Museum in London.

To design and create the installation, Hyundai Motor UK collaborated with highly- acclaimed sustainability creatives, Something & Son. This design practice is rooted in a long history of British inquisitiveness and experimentation, applied to the creation of a more sustainable world.

Aquaponics is a sustainable farming solution; a combination of hydroponics (growing plants in water) and aquaculture (raising fish in tanks). The Fuel Cell Farm operates by taking the water emitted by the hydrogen-powered Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell and filtering this water into the fish tank. The aquaponics technology then harnesses minerals from the fish waste to grow the plants on the farm.

Essentially the Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell, which is the world’s first production fuel cell vehicle, is the heartbeat to the lifecycle of the installation. It powers and facilitates the functionality of the aquaponics farm, using clean emissions (only water) to fuel sustainable agriculture.