Design: “Cultivating” new habits

Central Image: Glow (Studio Roosegaarde) | Source: thisiscolossal.com

Design and architecture have been synonymous with intervention in the natural environment and rightly so. There are, however, cases where design can contribute to the development of agriculture, thus contributing to the redefinition of its practices, while also promoting or questioning new eating habits and our relationship with food. In this article, we will examine a few projects that deal with a broad spectrum of issues, from agriculture to the overconsumption of food products. 

The role of design in agriculture

New, sustainable ways of farming are the focus of government and private interest, without significant results so far. Yes, it is still early to judge since efforts have only intensified in recent years, however, they may be undermined by the way cultivation is approached. How sustainable are farming practices? What is the amount of fertilizers used annually? And above all, how can we produce more but cause less harm to the environment? These are some of the questions that are yet to be answered, however, it seems that a new generation of designers has started experimenting with new practices and solutions that are considered particularly promising. An example of such efforts is Terra Nova, inspired and designed by Ryan Waterhouse. This portable device can monitor the cultivated soil, checking the levels of nutrients (such as potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus) and moisture. Thus, by monitoring it, each grower can conclude how healthy the soil is, but also which nutrients pass into the cultivated food and in what amount, while any malfunction can be dealt with faster and more easily. In addition, due to its design, this smart device is non-polluting, easy to understand and use and the results are digitally sent to a computer.

Terra Nova (Ryan Waterhouse) | Image source: stirworld.com

Studio Roosegaarde’s work also deals with the development of improved agriculture with projects such as Glow. The 20.000 square meter installation uses red, blue and UV lights to illuminate open-field crops in the Netherlands - a leading country in agricultural production. Daan Roosegaarde's goal, however, was not only to highlight the beauty of the crop but to help improve it, since new studies that have come to light show that photobiological lighting can help the quality growth of plants, removing the risks of parasites and other diseases. Thus, by activating the plants' defence mechanism through light, the use of fertilizers and other harmful pesticides is avoided, contributing to the easier development of organic culture.

Glow project | Image source: belmoncreative.nl

The efforts to promote and protect biodiversity are also interesting, in an era where bees are at risk of extinction in big cities due to the lack of green areas. A proposed way of countering this issue was the Brighton & Hove city council’s initiative - similar policies were embraced by other cities in the U.K. such as Cornwall and Dorset. According to the proposal, the solution can be found in the structural part of buildings and more specifically in using special bricks that are permeated with numerous porous holes in them, which can host and shield the bees. The bee bricks, as they were dubbed, constitute replicas of beehives, which, according to Faye Clifton of the company Green&Blue (which produces the specific building material), unfortunately, seem to be disappearing due to the ever-increasing construction activity.

Image Source: img.crocdn.co.uk

In the building sector, Agrotopia, a work by Meta Architectuurbureau and Van Bergen Kolpa Architecten, is an innovative initiative that opens farming to the public. Taking advantage of the roof of the produce market in the town of Roeselare, Belgium, the architects integrated a greenhouse into it, which is now connected to the produce market, while also enabling market visitors to inform themselves and see how the crops of the food they consume are grown. In this way, the annex building (made of steel and glass) also functions as a "school" for edible raw materials.

Agrotopia, Belgium | Image source: floornature.de

But is design even more deeply connected to food and eating habits?

Design and overconsumption

The project Volumes by Marije Vogelzang, distinguished by intelligent and original design, gives us a taste of the food overconsumption culture. As one barely realises, the volumes (simple rocks covered by a layer of heat-resistant silicone) placed in the middle of a large plate of food, create the illusion of a large quantity of food. This project/experiment aims at showcasing that the human brain is affected by the visual aspect of food, with a food portion that is mistaken as large heightening the sense of satisfaction. Vogelzang aims to deconstruct this behavioural pattern of food consumption, which can possibly lead to the desire for more food and subsequently, overconsumption.

Volumes (Marije Vogelzang) | Image source: marijevogelzang.nl

But perhaps the change in people's attitude towards food, and especially towards grown foods, will be achieved when we understand how they are grown and consider the effects of over-cultivation on the soil, especially now that veganism has become a trend. An initially promising trend - since it promotes sustainability and the reduction of animal exploitation - but, if not managed correctly and wisely, it can bring the opposite results.

Further reading and Sources:

Terra Nova soil monitor. From: theindexproject.org.

S. Marsh (2022). Brighton bee bricks initiative may do more harm than good, say scientists. From: theguardian.com.

P. Pintos. Agrotopia Research Center for Urban Food Production / van Bergen Kolpa architects + META architectuurbureau. From: archdaily.com.

**More on Glow του Studio Roosegaarde, at: studioroosegaarde.net.

**More on Volumes της Marije Vogelzang, at: marijevogelzang.nl.