Combining methods for urban farming with design thinking, MetaboliCity is a design-research project by Loop.pH that explores how designers can help create models for sustainable urban food creation. Set on catalyzing positive changes in the built environment, the name is derived from a vision of a city that metabolizes its resources and waste to supply its inhabitants with all the nourishment they need and more.
MetaboliCity is “currently installing urban grow-kits accompanied by a set of guidelines to be tested and developed at a broad sample of communities in London, UK and Brussels, Belgium. This is a design-service system that integrates both traditional and hi-tech industrialized agricultural techniques into the fabric of the built environment whilst simultaneously being rooted in an ethical systems thinking.”
Although the majority of people now live in cities, much of the population still lacks the resources to feed, power and process the needs of their bodies. However, pro-urban agriculturalists believe that there is a way to change. They are committed to showing that urban food production can use less energy, produce better quality food, strengthen local communities and create educational opportunities to teach people about nutrition and nature.
Check MetaboliyCity out, and if you are inspired let us know. We’d love to hear about your projects.
+ MetaboliCity
+ Loop.pH and their photostream
This is a terrific idea- I really hope this will take off in the United States.
All the capital-intensive things we do for food, housing and healthcare have been demonstrated to not work in the long-term, and the current Great Recession is only the tip of the iceberg.
We should not be thinking about how to return back to the high roaring times. Instead, we should be thinking about how people can grow their own food, live closer to work, and move in with their kids when they get too old to take care of themselves- that way, blows like recessions, retirement and unemployment won’t be so crippling for the whole damn country.
Its looking so beautiful….thanks for sharing them..