Farming Our Future: Diversity and Design Ingenuity in NYC Urban Agriculture

New York City boasts more than 1000 farms and gardens across approximately 50 acres of reclaimed vacant lots, rooftops, schoolyards, and public housing grounds. Surprisingly, our densely populated metropolis is a national leader in the growing urban agriculture movement. Building on Five Borough Farm: Seeding the Future of Urban Agriculture in New York City, a new study by the Design Trust for Public Space, this discussion will explore urban agriculture through the lens of design, public space, and the built environment. A diverse panel of designers, landscape architects, and community leaders will showcase different models of urban agriculture, highlighting sustainable design practices, community engagement strategies, and innovative ways to transform underutilized sites into productive landscapes.

Moderated by Susan Chin, FAIA, Executive Director, Design Trust for Public Space.

Speakers:

Colin Cathcart, Partner, Kiss + Cathcart Architects

Pat Kirshner, Director of Operations & Planning, The Battery Conservancy

Elliott Maltby, Principal, thread collective

Toby Tiktinsky, Director Bright Farms

Michael Wadman, Vice President, Phipps Houses

Lee Weintraub, Principal, Lee Weintraub Landscape Architecture