Rooftop Vineyards in Paris

Last Summer, a group of engineering students from Texas A&M University, led by Professor Sergiy Butenko, traveled to Paris. The City of Lights served as the perfect backdrop to their studies, providing ample case studies in the economic analysis of engineering projects, large and small, throughout Paris. One such example was UrbAgri, a peaceful rooftop vineyard located in the heart of this global metropolis.

Founded in 2015 by Virginie Dulucq, UrbArgi was soon boasting over 120 vine stocks over 300 square meters of space, producing wine, grape juice, and, later, a very successful trade in beer brewed in nearby Montmartre. Virginie met with the students and gave them a tour of the facilities, breaking down how the business profits and how an agricultural project such as this can succeed in a dense urban environment.

The aim of Professor Butenko’s course was to provide students the analytical tools to approach and streamline engineering projects, knowledge the students skillfully utilized during their visit, providing a number of insightful suggestions to increase profits and efficiency. Virginie, too, explained her plans for expansion, having already opened a second location and begun work on a new product—in this case, grape jam.

To round out a successful visit, the students then did push-ups on the turf beside the flourishing grapevines and sang the Aggie fight song.

In each of its Study Centers, Accent has deep networks of businesses, from startups and local shops to large companies with an international presence. Visit to such businesses provide interesting additions to programs in various disciplines. To find out more about these opportunities with Accent, contact us at development@accentglobal.com