Designer plans to build urine-recycling farm on CBD rooftop Joost Bakker wants to build the farm on the rooftop of 271 Collins St. Picture: Andrew Tauber Source: Herald Sun A SKY-HIGH farm that recycles urine to fuel its crops could sit on top of Melbourne's bustling city centre in an experimental plan. Melbourne-based designer Joost Bakker wants to build a two-storey venue with a windmill, stonemill, bakery, glasshouses, a composting facility and a restaurant on the rooftop of 271 Collins St. "The idea is that we can use the city's roofs to grow food in a really professional way," Mr Bakker said. We use practices and methods that a lot of the commercial growers use, but utilise a city rooftop to do it. There's real opportunities to start growing serious quantities of crops. But while Melbourne Council last night rejected the idea Mr Bakker said he would take his plan to Planning Minister Matthew Guy. The radical idea would see agriculture brought to the heart of the city, on top of a building housing offices, retail shops and cafes. Mr Bakker said the plan had the full support of the building's owners. Mr Bakker is known for his vertical garden designs and Greenhouse sustainable restaurants, which have been built in Sydney and Melbourne. But in a move that might make some diners queasy, the eco-entrepreneur plans to use waste harvested from waterless urinals in the restaurant to fertilise over 1000 citrus and stone fruit trees grown in the farm. "It's safe, it's sterile, it's high in potassium, nitrogen and phosphorous, as well as other trace elements, and it's abundant," he said. Melbourne City Council passed a report last night that said while Mr Bakker's idea was praiseworthy, it would exceed mandatory height restrictions.