Planting a circular foodscape

Planting a circular foodscape: Solving spatial conflicts in South-Holland by changing to circular behavior in the food chain

van der Rest, Iris (TU Delft Architecture and the Built Environment)
van Engelshoven, Samuel (TU Delft Architecture and the Built Environment)
Ding, Xiaoling (TU Delft Architecture and the Built Environment)

Wandl, A. (mentor)
Newton, C.E.L. (mentor)
Qu, L. (mentor)

Delft University of Technology

Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences | Urbanism

AR2U086 R&D Studio – Spatial Strategies for the Global Metropolis

2021-04-15

Elsewhere, deserts emerge as we flood, yet we continue to consume at our leisure. Our food is shipped all over the world for our convenience. Our behavior causes serious problems in the world but also on our own ground. Right now the province of South Holland copes with a conflict of space, as there is a need for more housing, renewable energy infrastructure, food, and nature. There is not enough land to keep up with the current trends and this creates many conflicts. The behaviour of the actors within the food chain leads to a linear food sector which is cost efficient but needs a lot of land for export of products. Furthermore it produces a lot of unnecessary waste and pollution.These conflicts could be prevented by changing the way we consume and use our land. The agricultural sector needs to be more space efficient, by using new technological advances. We can make the sector more efficient by changing the behaviour of the actors in the food chain. In the future everyone should be able to live in a healthy and sustainable South Holland. By changing consuming behaviour and methods of farming we can create interesting new foodscapes while solving the conflicts.The following steps are recommended for the development of circular economy. First, we will consume more consciously by eating more local and less meat. As a result, exports are no longer important and a lot of space is freed up in the port. Later, the farmer will use new technology and can produce, through vertical farms and withcultured meat, more on smaller pieces of land. This frees up a lot of space, leaving enough space for people and nature.This not only means that in the future it will be possible to buy a house in South Holland. It also shows that we relate differently to nature and the world around us, reducing climate change and boosting biodiversity.

Circular economy
food chain
behavior
conflict of space
foodscape

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© 2021 Iris van der Rest, Samuel van Engelshoven, Xiaoling Ding