Agropolis

24/11/2023, h. 16:30
Politecnico di Milano, Campus Leonardo, Edificio 2, AULA 2.23

Living the high life

Agriculture and cities used to be closely connected, but changes in production, transportation, and urban population growth after the Industrial Revolution separated them. Present developments make this set of circumstances hard to sustain; the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is predicting a massive increase in agricultural demand of 50% by 2050, while the conversion of forests to agricultural land is estimated to be happening, at a mind-boggling speed of around 10 million hectares every year. A growing consciousness of the unsustainable cost of deforestation has created a growing trend in the last 25 years for agriculture to become part of the urban environment again. Empty lots to be used as farms are scarce in most large cities, but rooftops present a unique opportunity for agricultural production.

Agritopia linked new housing design with farming on rooftops. The aim was to create a sustainable food-producing neighborhood in a downtown area of Oakland, California, and introduce agricultural, horticultural, and landscape issues. The seminar focus on the complex relations between buildings, agriculture, landscapes, and the environment.

Relatore: Ferdinando Boero

Responsabile: Alessio Battistella