TIS Projects - a.y. 2022/23
Digital Technology // Rural // Urban
From Farm to Table
The fertile area of Pianura Padana plays an important role in the national economy of Italy. Located in the North part of the country, is surrounded from the Alps on the North part and extends until the Adriatic sea. The production of agricultural products is various and plenty as well as the people who are engaged with this sector.However, the overpopulation in the cities that are surrounded from this area is growing fast, especially in the territorial area of Lombardy. Because of the high population density, the food that is produced in the area is not sufficient and many cities in the region are relied on imports. Other problems that arise from exogenous factors, such as pollution and climate change contribute more to the food insufficiency of the territories. On the other hand, emphasizing in the Province of Cremona and Cremona city, there is plenty of arable land and food production, but still not sufficient to supply the cities around.A better management of the food production in a sustainable way, as well as a better diffusion of them to the urban areas would be crucial. In this case the access to the food would be easier, the production could be enhanced, and the gap between the rural and the urban areas would be minimized. The aim is that both rural and urban areas could benefit from each other, and this could be done through spatial strategics and actions always having as a goal the food efficiency in a sustainable way.Across the surrounding cities there is formed an urban and peri-urban macro-region which creates the largest Macroregion in Italy. Cremona’s position in this area, stands in the middle.What is the role of Cremona Fiere?Creating opportunities and developing new occasions in the food field, and acting as a director, the company can utilize the riches of the region emphasizing in food sustainability. In this way, Cremona can act as prototype and a virtuous model for other cities. The food is directed from farm to table, addressed from the farmers to the consumers, narrowing the gap between the rural and the urban and connect production to consumption. But what are the needs of the farmers and the consumers?
The farmers need a place in the city and the consumers need food sufficiency, having awareness about locavorian culture. This will be achieved through changing trading policies and educational practices. Technology is a crucial part in this process.The users can meet in the Metaverse, having options to educate themselves, be informed and purchase directly from there dairy products. Being a part of the community in the Metaverse, they can choose the farm they want, select the specific producers and get informed about nutrition, availability and sustainable practices that are used in the process. They can find the products in various places in the city, such as public squares and parks, distributed directly in physical lockers.The lockers will be located inside of pavilions with mixed uses, where the user can be educated about farmer’s practices, having training experiences and later purchasing directly the products.The experience with the lockers is blended, as the user can participate at the same time in interactive exhibitions, VR experiences, tasting of culinary heritage products. The aim is to raise awareness and inform the consumers about the local products, blending the boundaries between interior and exterior, rural – urban, landscape and buildings, technological and physical. The design is based on a modular system and according to the site and the needs of the space it can be easily adaptable. It is created from sustainable materials emphasizing in the ideas of food sustainability. Do you have appetite for change?