Circle Farming is an experimental system by Dutch designer Floris Schoonderbeek that replaces rectangular fields with 30-meter (98-ft) circular plots centered on a rotating robotic arm. The arm can carry tools or workers on reclining beds while integrated sensors monitor crop health and provide guidance. Advocates say the design could reduce soil compaction, create wildflower-rich margins to boost biodiversity, and bring fresh produce closer to cities, though pilots must prove cost-effectiveness and scalability.
Circle Farming: Rotating Robotic Arm Could Reimagine Fields and Boost Biodiversity
Circle Farming is an experimental system by Dutch designer Floris Schoonderbeek that replaces rectangular fields with 30-meter (98-ft) circular plots centered on a rotating robotic arm. The arm can carry tools or workers on reclining beds while integrated sensors monitor crop health and provide guidance. Advocates say the design could reduce soil compaction, create wildflower-rich margins to boost biodiversity, and bring fresh produce closer to cities, though pilots must prove cost-effectiveness and scalability.
12:03, 03.11.2025Environment
Designer unveils "Circle Farming" — a rotating system that aims to change how we grow food
Dutch industrial designer and inventor Floris Schoonderbeek is piloting an experimental agricultural system called Circle Farming that replaces conventional rectangular fields with 30-meter (98-foot) circular plots. At the center of each plot sits a slowly rotating robotic arm that can carry implements — from mechanical weeders and irrigation heads to monitoring instruments — and even transport workers on specially designed raised beds.
The rotating arm is paired with integrated sensors and software that monitor crop health, collect data, and offer actionable recommendations. The platform is also designed as a training aid, enabling farmers to learn on the job with guided tools and automated assistance, which could make some farming tasks more accessible.
Potential benefits
- Reduced soil compaction — eliminating tramlines and heavy tractor traffic across fields.
- Better space for nature — circular plots can leave natural margins between fields that support wildflowers, insects and biodiversity.
- Precision farming — sensors and software provide continuous monitoring and tailored advice to improve yields and crop health.
- Urban and community integration — compact circular farms could be placed near cities to supply fresh local produce and help reconnect people with food production, including in food deserts.
"Agriculture actually determines how the landscape looks, and when I look at it, it doesn't seem healthy. When I drive through the landscapes now, I see rectangular blocks. Our fields are round, and between those circles, there's space for the rest of the landscape." — Floris Schoonderbeek
Supporters argue Circle Farming demonstrates how automation and nature can be complementary: robotics and AI can enable a patchwork landscape that balances productive agriculture with ecological value. The concept is intended for flexible placement, from peri-urban plots to smaller commercial farms experimenting with regenerative practices.
Considerations and next steps
While promising, the approach is still in testing. Important practical questions remain about upfront cost, retrofit feasibility for existing farms, maintenance of the rotating infrastructure, crop compatibility, and labor practices. Wider adoption would require pilot results demonstrating economic viability, clear environmental benefits, and scalable designs for different climates and crop types.
Whether Circle Farming becomes a mainstream method or remains a niche innovation, it provokes a valuable conversation about how design, robotics, and ecology can be combined to reshape agricultural landscapes.