Urban Farming: Cultivate NYC

Growing Green Connections in Your Neighborhood

Trigonie Kaykas, Hans Christie, Anjali Harris

tkaykas@gmail.com / chrih993@newschool.edu / harra369@newschool.edu

KEYWORDS

Project

Urban Farming is a more sustainable alternative to the more commonly used method of
industrial farming. There are a variety of urban farming methods that exist, all of which have
been proven to be more environmentally friendly as well as healthier. Due to these wide ranges
of benefits these methods have been on the rise around the world. However, the average New
Yorker doesn’t know how to support these rising businesses nor why it is so important.
Throughout this project, we explore ways to get New Yorkers more engaged in locally sourcing
their food. New Yorkers need these resources now, more than ever due the increase in food
scarcity and food desert communities brought about by COVID-19 as well as the constant
deterioration of the environment due to industrial farming practices.

challenge

Through the development of this project, we faced many challenges around our growing
uncertainty in approaching the balance between what is achievable within our ambitions, and
what the clients, Sci4NY, can use confidently going forward. Beginning our research into the
world of urban farming, we struggled to adapt our large-scale ideas to meet our clients' goals in
overcoming local challenges and making science accessible to policymakers and the public in
New York City. From this, we looked to reevaluate what we can offer as designers, and where
we can best focus to create both meaningful and achievable solutions that can be implemented
on a city level. Through these challenges, we began to readjust our approach through each
meeting with the clients until we found our solution in visual design initiatives, where we could
use our ambitions to educate, inspire, and connect people in NYC with local urban farming
resources.

Outcome

The resources around urban farming already exist in NYC, so our project Cultivate NYC is a
platform that consolidates all the resources and information that is already available to help New
Yorkers have an easier time accessing locally sourced food. Aspects of our website include a
map composed of locally grown food retailers, restaurants and farmer’s markets. The site also
enables visitors to get further involved in other urban farming initiatives around the city,
community gardens, DIY gardening tips & activities, and education around the different forms of

urban farming and the consequences of industrial farming. We plan to market our website
through our Social Media campaign and subway Ads that we designed for Sci4NY.