An Industrious Hub in a Post-Industrious Landscape … 

The Urban Food Exchange is a project aimed at combining agricultural practices and production with the pressing demand for sustainable food growth and distribution in rapidly expanding urban environments.

Through the collaborative spirit of the communities along Glasgow’s Forth and Clyde Canal, the scheme offers a place to exchange knowledge, expertise, skills and experiences through the prism of food cultivation and production.

Informed by the studio catalysts of ‘Energy, Landscape and Culture’, the proposal investigates the idea of collective memory through the site’s industrial vernacular and cultural identity.

The communal heart of the proposal, The Hub, is constructed from modular structural components. The kit-of-parts assembly allows the building to grow and adapt over time; securing the longevity of the building, even after it has outlived its context.

The campus-style House accommodates the residential quarters, yet also combines the rejuvenation of existing buildings with gardens and productive urban farming. This tangible experience of being amongst agricultural practices whilst partaking on a short course intends to leave a lasting impression on the participants.