“Farming the Fragmented” envisions new agro-ecological imaginaries that empower alternative food-growing practices in fragmented territories, particularly peri-urban landscapes. This approach expands beyond traditional rural agroecological perspectives, recognizing the importance of integrating food production with other communal priorities at the landscape level. By transcending isolated land fragments, this vision sees family farmers as central actors in managing and transforming fragmented land-use, fostering ecological balance, and food sovereignty.
Our early research in Sunset Park uncovered an intricate, invisible network of self-reliant linkages shaped by Chinese immigrants from Fuzhou, Fujian, who relocated from Manhattan’s Chinatown. This network, centered around Buddhist temples, intertwines food production and waste management. We identified two temples that have evolved from purely religious spaces into dynamic hubs, offering diverse programs that include vegetarian restaurants, food drives, festivals, and community blessings. These temples act as community anchors, connecting people at multiple scales and representing the diaspora, identity, and borders of Chinese immigrants.
A key design element in our project is the courtyard, a central space that defines thresholds and body spaces. Inspired by the SESC Pompeia project, courtyards are integrated with water elements and plants to create microclimates, fostering intimate social interactions and communal gatherings. The architecture, featuring slanted roofs, openings, and pitched CLT wood structures, not only facilitates natural ventilation and light but also shapes the interior spaces.
In the daily life of Farmer Jo, agroecological practices come to life. She starts her day in a residential block before heading to an education center to learn techniques for cultivating Asian vegetables. These skills are applied in courtyards for herb gardening and larger farming plots. During harvest season, the vegetables move from farm to table at the temple’s vegetarian restaurant, and food waste returns to the composting center. This cycle highlights the seamless integration of farming, food processing, and ecological balance.
“Farming the Fragmented” redefines urban agroecology by creating resilient networks of food production, cultural preservation, and ecological balance, offering a fresh vision for fragmented peri-urban landscapes
