food chain
The Food Chain is an architectural and planning intervention which aims to eradicate hunger in urban areas. Utilizing existing infrastructure, the Food Chain includes a series of vertical "food walls" capable of providing the homeless and economically disadvantaged immediate access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The Food Chain is designed as a green path, comprised of a network of vertical farming walls, for growing produce, and kitchen/education hubs that serve as community centers. Included within the vertical farming walls are storage containers for gardening tools that also serve to display donor names and identify the project. There is also a "mobile kitchen" element in the form of pedicabs retrofitted with food prep surfaces that travel to local neighborhoods showing residents how to prepare meals with food from the walls.
The walls are made up of a total of 180 growing panels with approximately 4,000 fruit and vegetable plants including tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, strawberries, leeks, spinach, onions, melons, and a variety of other plants which will rotate as the seasons change. Storage boxes for tools, seeds, and soil are installed on the walls. Anyone can harvest the food, free of charge at any time. The kitchen and classroom facilities which are within walking distance of the walls are inserted into existing vacant or underused structures such as garages and loading docks, where local chefs and educators will teach workshops and classes that are free and open to the public. Watch a short video about the Food Chain. . .
Find out more about Grow Studio, our urban agriculture design consultancy. . .
In 2011, the Food Chain was recognized in the AIA Los Angeles chapter's Design Awards.
Client: Various
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Area: 4 vertical farming walls with storage boxes
Completed: Ongoing
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