Farms and Forests

In the Evening Standard last night there was an article called 'Architects Go Green For 2010' so obviously my ears pricked up. Mitchell Taylor Architects are taking the site where Rogers' "cheesegrater" building is supposed to be going and temporarily will be an urban farm (above).

Another, WWM Architects, are turning the area outside Tate Modern and turning it into an urban forest. The article highlights that it's these community projects not the supposedly "iconic" buildings which make the most difference.
Also I really like the different ways in which the architect firms present their ideas, most especially these mixed media montages! Hopefully mine will turn out just as successfully!

Grown Your Greens

I'm a big fan of vegetables, all sorts. Some I really love: peas, courgettes (which we live off as students, they are literally coming out of our ears!), corn on the con... some not so much: cauliflower, brussel sprouts. But when I eat them they make me feel good about myself, healthy!

In our project we wanted to incorporate allotments into the design, as urban gardens are really beginning to spring up everywhere! A great example are the urban gardens or organopónicos in Havana, Cuba where vegetable farms are set in any vacant spot in the city, car parking lots, site of demolished buildings. Consequently only 10% of produce is imported into the country, so with much more space available surely we could do the same!

Top is a poster by the Keep Calm Gallery, whose stuff and Alphabet bags are great! They have Keep Calm and Carry on posters too and other nostagic slogans!

The High Line

The High Line is a park on Manhattan's West Side, a park with a difference. It is situated on old railway tracks 30 feet off the ground and has been turned into an urban oasis!

images via the high line

For my current project we are masterplanning a derelict site in Dover and so I'm looking at difference precedents of urban design. I think this idea is so different and such a good example of 'Make do and mend', taking what we already have and making the most of it!