This program sets out a brief to deign a network of adaptive, scalable architectural interventions in an contexture sub-urban/ edge-land neighbourhood. Connected by a layer of new farming technology. Which can enable the local communities of suburban Hong Kong to respond to the collapsing food system crisis that the world is facing.
“the single biggest threat of climate change is the collapse of food systems.”
Jerry Hatfield, The USDA scientist
In 2014 The International Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) report has predicted that by mid-century the world may reach a threshold of global warming beyond which current agricultural practices can no longer support large human civilisations.
“Our food systems have not been designed to adapt to major disruptions like climate change” says environmental journalist Amanda Little. She shows how the climate crisis could devastate our food supply - and introduces us to the farmers, entrepreneurs and engineers who are radically rethinking what we grow and how we eat, combining traditional agriculture with state-of-the-art technology to create a robust, resilient and sustainable food future. Over the past few decades, the share of locally grown fresh vegetables has dropped from over 30 per cent of the Hong Kong market in 1986 to just 1.7 per cent in 2016, which means the territory relies heavily on imported food.
Can plant based farms produce make self-sufficient neighbourhoods within the city of Hong Kong ?
In this project I will argue that the answer may be found with the existing community and Neighbourhood infrastructures. This is achieved by proposing local community farming. A New circular economy model into local products, regenerate edge land and add an additional layer of a spiritual journey to the natural resources. Rather than the current exploitation of natural resources.
Architectural spatial intervention are networked together by a layer of meditative natural walking and distribution routes. Bringing sustainable farm crops and produce closed to every citizen. By doing so increasing community interaction. encourage responsible consumption area, greener healthier diet.
About 10,000 years ago, humans began to farm. This agricultural revolution was a turning point in our history and enabled the existence of civilisation. Today, nearly 40 percent of our planet is farmland. Spread all over the world, these lands are the pieces to a global crisis we're all facing: in the future, how can we feed every member of a growing population a healthy diet? And in the meantime ensure the agricultural industry won’t consume our natural environment?
New farming technologies can bring us closer to it, they can restore the natural habitat. Increasing crop diversity will be crucial to building resilient food systems. And so will decentralising agriculture so that when farmers in one region are disrupted, the others around, can keep growing.
Here is where the architect and designer become involved. The rise of vertical farms, such as Areo urban farm in US, built inside a former steel mill in Newark, New Jersey, can play a key role in decentralising agriculture. Aeroponic farms use a tiny fraction of the water that is used in in-ground farms. They can grow food much faster, about 40 percent faster. When located in and near cities, where the food is consumed, they eliminate a huge amount of trucking and food waste. It struck me at first as creepy in kind of a "Silent Running" way that we'd be growing our future fruits and vegetables inside, without soil or sun.
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