Krushna Oza

IR3006

The enormously ordered, disciplined and seemingly infinite space enveloped by surrounding wild vegetation sitting close to the airport is a defunct industrial building waiting for attention. To revive the building I am proposing to create a complex revolving around growing and consuming fresh food to promote healthy food habits. It would be a place to witness the production of food that is a daily part of our routine. It is a place to learn hands-on gardening, healthy eating and an opportunity for various people to form social groups and communities. Gardening itself is a very relaxing and healthy activity and with its biophilic properties, the space can exert therapeutic effects just by its environment. With our worlds becoming more plastic day by day, this space with greens being its integrated part can be designed to bring one closer to nature and consume the space with all the senses. It is believed that we are what we eat, but do we really know what we eat? Food travels far and we as a consumer have a very little say in what and how food is produced. The designed space would be a place of growth and experiences amidst the city increasing access to locally grown food. This means higher control over production and overall food security. With climatic imbalances and poor quality of soil, The space seems to be a viable solution to grow foods with more efficient usage of land, water and space. And growing in controlled environments results in higher security in production. This space could be an opportunity to re-introduce people and spread knowledge about many aspects of food that we lost as a culture.