Friday 13 December, 1900h-2030h

Seminar Room One, Sackler Centre, V&A 

How do new food systems impact on our towns and cities? 

Chair:  Gabriel Wulff (University of Brighton)

Panellists:

Alma Clavin, (Liveable Cities, CPRE)
Doina Petrescu, (University of Sheffield)
Matt Skinner, (FutureGov)
Andre Viljoen, (University of Brighton)

Food has re-emerged as a central concept in debates regarding how we design our cities.Current practices linked to the growth, production and distribution of food are being questioned as contemporary cities become larger and more populated.In these landscapes, the desire to re-design our relationship to food is reflected in the emergence of alternative food focused urban initiatives – from community supported agriculture systems (CSAs) to rooftop gardens and urban farming projects. Re-thinking food has also been combined with the delivery of public services, improving the urban environment and enhancing community cohesion. These projects are varied in their methods,visions and goals and have socio-cultural, economic and environmental repercussions, as well as the potential to catalyse a politically active citizenship. What can we learn from these food based initiatives? What are their aims and approaches and how far do they achieve their goals?

Alma Clavin has worked in Ireland and the UK on planning, energy and sustainability issues. She is currently Project Officer and expert panellist at Liveable Cities, CPRE, London. This project is an ambitious five year programme of research to develop a method of designing and engineering low carbon, resource secure, well maximised UK cities.

Doina Petrescu is Professor of Architecture and Design Activism, University of Sheffield. She has written, lectured and practiced individually and collectively on issues of gender, technology, (geo)politics and poetics of space. She is the editor of Altering Practices : Feminist Politics and Poetics of Space (2007), co-editor of Architecture and Participation (2005) and Trans – Local – Production: Cultural practices within and across, (2010).

Matt Skinner works for FutureGov, where he is Project Leader for Casserole. This initiative works to reduce social isolation and improve meals on wheels services by coupling the willingness of regular people to cook an extra portion of dinner to share with the needs of local community members who struggle to cook for themselves.

Andre Viljoen, joined the University of Brighton in 2001, acting as subject leader for undergraduate architecture.  Andre is a leading figure in the field of urban food production, its rationale, urban and architectural design implications. His work is cross disciplinary, engaging with artists, design and development practitioners/researchers and the public.  Currently he oversees the undergraduate and postgraduate architecture programmes.

The salon will be chaired by Gabriel Wulff, PhD researcher at the University of Brighton. His interests include socio-ecological spaces, community gardening and neighbourhood activism.

Free. Booking here is essential. If the V&A website says that the event is fully booked, please email l.armstrong[at]vam.ac.uk to book.

See ‘Future Salons’ section of this site for full programme of Design Culture Salons.