Huertas Urbanas
Creating an ecosystem of communal food source
Huertas Urbanas is a concept that envisions a sustainable ecosystem of readily available edible plants for the community of San José, Costa Rica.
Project Background:
Our design challenge was to reimagine public spaces in San Jose with a focus on fostering community-centred living. The concept was developed over five days during the Designing for Better Urban Living course at CIID with Ana Acevedo (Costa Rica), Sammy Creeger (US), and Maria Jose Tamayo (Peru).
Design Opportunity
The proliferation of American fast-food chains in Costa Rica since the early 1980s has led to a nearly fourfold increase in obesity rates. Despite initiatives like leading the UN World Food Safety Day in 2018, the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated food access issues due to high unemployment and soaring food costs. This urgent scenario calls for innovative solutions to reshape Costa Rica's food environment.
Meanwhile, the mild climate in San José, the capital city, has resulted in pockets of lush green spaces. These areas present a unique opportunity to leverage existing natural resources and cultivate a more sustainable and health-conscious food culture throughout the city.
How did we get there?
To identify challenges and opportunities, we conducted guerrilla research with local community members and conducted immersive role-playing activities. We also consulted with subject matter experts to explore sustainable ways to ensure the long-term viability of the initiative.
What would this ecosystem look like?
Huertas Urbanas (‘Urban Gardens’ in Spanish) is a programme in partnership with local youth groups that encourages communities to collaboratively transform the vast array of green spaces across the city into communal food sources. The program includes community-driven workshops on produce harvesting and a digital application to guide the community through the harvesting process. By integrating IoT technology, such as mobile applications and urban farms equipped with sensors, Huertas Urbanas promotes healthier dietary choices and provides communities with an additional source of fresh produce.
Huertas Urbanas not only addresses food accessibility but also fosters a sense of belonging and connection among community members. It revitalizes public spaces, transforming them into vibrant hubs of shared harvests and cultural exchange. With this concept, we envision a future where San Jose thrives as a community-centred city, where residents are nourished both physically and emotionally by the sustainable bounty of their surroundings.
