A growing city: agriculture and food security in the growing urban context

摘要

There are different kinds of growth, some of which are beneficial to life and some not. Sometimesudit may look good on the surface but underneath the surface the roots are rotten and diseased.udPhysical growth is often related to food and resources, while mental health is related to stress.udWhat can be found is that often different types of growth are in competition with one another.udThis is what is happening between our urban industrial systems and our food systems. They areudcompeting for the same land at the expense of each other.udThis thesis delves into the various systems that affect urban growth and agricultural growth inudthe South African context. When looking at food security in the South African context, one findsudthat even though the country as a whole is food secure, a large portion of the population are stilludhungry and malnourished. One finds further that food insecurity is not an isolated problem – thereudare numerous issues of concern which share the same roots. These issues and concerns are inudfact linked to the stresses that can affect wellbeing.udThus this thesis explores how physical health and mental wellbeing can come together in theudproduction of a farm which heals a scar in the inner city landscape. Through considering theudeffects that urban conditions have on humans in contrast to the effects that the naturaludenvironment has on humans, this thesis addresses a design problem which seeks to unite theudtwo extremes. It seeks to join the city with agriculture, allowing the city to continue expandingudwithout losing arable land, and agriculture can improve the quality of the inner city. The design isudformulated through response to context and climate, using biomimicry as a tool to create conditions conducive to life.