Living Labs:

Anthroponics

Adventures in urban farming

Mediamatic has its own urban agriculture system in the form of a now Anthroponics greenhouse at the Biotoop Dijkspark, near Amsterdam Central station.

We first started with an aquaponics system, which is a way to grow plants and fish together in a closed system. The fish excrete ammonia, which gets transformed by bacteria into nitrate, the latter being used from the plants.

Now, after some ethical considerations and practical hindrance, we're solely relying on human excrement and canal water.

What we offer

Tours

If you are interested in a short tour of our Aquaponics greenhouse you can make an appointment by sending a mail to mail@mediamatic.nl.

Workshops

We offer one-day building workshops for making living-room scale systems. Check our calendar for dates.

Custom workshops / hiring a system for an exhibition or project

We offer consultancy sessions with our highly experienced team members in case you want advice or practical information and knowledge. These sessions can take place by phone, e-mail, or appointment. We offer a 30% cultural discount for schools, cultural organizations, students, and freelancers. Please contact mail@mediamatic.nl for more information and possibilities.

Blog

Anthroponics unravelled

Ever heard of this unconventional horticulture technique?

Now you have! Let's find out what is it about

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by Calamitha Deranger

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Determining the optimal nitrogen level for the anthroponics greenhouse

Nitrogen is a key component in chlorophyll, so it plays a crucial role inside the plant: but what happens when it's too much?

Various researches have shown the correlation between pests infestation and nitrogen leaf content - which depends on the amount of fertilizer you add. What is, then, the fertilizer amount we can safely add, to prevent pests from spreading?

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While transitioning to an anthroponic greenhouse, we need to calibrate the amount of nitrogen we're going to add to our system, taking into account that excessive fertilization will lead to the proliferation of sap-sucker insects. Indeed, many studies have shown the correlation between these two parameters: excessive nitrogen fertilization will cause luxuriant plant growth, making it more attractive to pests. This implies that the added nitrogen should match the nitrogen uptake of the plant to…

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Updates from the aquaponics

Bad news, good news: a critical examination of what happened in the greenhouse

The accident arises doubts on the ethic of this practice

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It is with a heavy heart that I provide an update on recent developments within the greenhouse, particularly concerning the aquaponics farm—a project that was conceived to grow plants and fishes with minimal environmental impact while fostering a symbiotic relationship among various organisms. Since the inception of Mediamatic, the company has maintained a commitment to celebrating life and nurturing an environment where all living creatures, from plants to animals and bacteria, coexist…
Leaf Miners

Leaf miners destroy a plants aesthetic and can risk the vitality of a plant.

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The mines in this leaf are pathways of a leaf miner. By: Andreas Buben
Can the aquaponics Catfish withstand saltwater?

Research notes

Most fish live either in freshwater or saltwater. Just like plant cells, their cells contain water and solutes. The law of osmosis states that water moves into the direction of high solute concentration to create a balance of water and solute concentration. Freshwater fish cells take up water from…

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Marine fish (Euryhaline) on the other hand lose a lot of water through their skin, as the salt balance in the surrounding water is higher. To balance this out they drink a lot of seawater, but both mechanisms increase the salt build-up. To balance this, marine fishes' kidneys will produce highly concentrated urine for excretion. Also, the same chloride cells in the gills work in reverse and additionally remove salt from the organism. (Zadunaisky, 1996) Some species are able to adjust to… By: Bubbels

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Zeevenkel

Discovering Seafennel, the upcoming hypebeast of maritime kitchens

Sea fennel ( Crithmum maritimum ) is a halophyte occurring wild on maritime rocks, piers and along sandy beaches of the mediterranean and black sea. It’s also native in coastal regions of the Netherlands and south Britain. The plant was rediscovered as a gastronomic ingredient in Mediterranean…

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Culinary After the leaves of the sea fennel are washed they are cut into small pieces and added to salads for its sensory attributes. These include a salty taste, traces of celery, accompanied by a common fennel and citrus aroma. This makes the plant great for seasoning purposes. Medicinal properties It is reported that fennel was used by sailors against scurvy, as for its high vitamin C content. Next to that, shoots of the plant were used to treat prostate and urinary tract inflammations, as…

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