THE "urban farm" continues to grow in popularity and necessity on the back of concern over food shortages. That's according to a design consultancy firm which is calling for developers to turn unused land into fruit and vegetable production spaces, in the hopes of incorporating localized food systems into communities.
Urban design and planning business, Hatch RobertsDay has backed one of its Queensland-based senior urban designers, Catherine Simpson, to see what can be done in the space. Ms. Simpson is a director of Brisbane Food City, a collaborative, community-led initiative consisting of several agriculture experts.
RobertsDay contributed to the Brisbane Food City initiative during its early stages. The idea reimagines Brisbane as a sustainable, localized food system, bringing food production to 190 Brisbane suburbs through farms and hubs by 2050. Ms. Simpson's expertise, along with Brisbane Food City's project vision, prompted the firm to engage with developers to create urban farms throughout the city.
"It is common for developments to have 'undevelopable land' that is often leftover from a project," Ms. Simpson said. "This can include land that is flood-prone, situated close to powerlines, near creeks, adjacent roads, or on easements. While you cannot build on this type of land, developers and councils could use this to provide the community with gardens and other green spaces."
Read more at Good Fruit and Vegetables