Building-integrated agriculture's role in supporting urban food cycle

Abstract

Current urban food systems are categorized as unsustainable, for the well-being of urban consumers and the environment. Furthermore, health risks are higher in urban areas compared to rural areas. This is caused by soaring prices and difficulty of accessing nutritious food. Most of the raw produce sold in markets, lost half of their nutrients due to logistics from out of town, which results in high carbon footprint. On the other hand, the COVID-19 pandemic has created a shift within consumer behaviour that impacts health and waste. This phenomenon encouraged the authors to analyze effective food systems, in the design of building-integrated agriculture. The overall study questions criteria for sustainable processing, agriculture design strategies, and implementation of agriculture systems in urban space design. Research methods used are theoretical reviews, precedent study of Sunqiao Urban Agriculture District located in Shanghai, China and survey analysis conducted through online questionnaire. The results cover a set of conceptual strategies which include site design, mass compositions, spatial programming, lighting and ventilation, spatial forms, fa ade, and energy patterns which are then applied to create a building-integrated agriculture that plays a role in pandemic mitigation, community resilience, and promotes sustainable development within the food sector.