PROJECT PRESENTATIONS + CONVERSATIONS | WEDNESDAY 12.4 | RAINIER BEACH URBAN FARM + WETLANDS
This year our LA 404 studio addressed the design of urban agriculture that centers youth learning and agency to advance food justice and resilience in a changing climate. The final design work is intended to illustrate diverse visions that can serve as catalysts for the youth garden groups’ continued community conversations and next steps. As such, the work intentionally uses language meaningful to non-designers in explaining ideas.
We are grateful to collaborate with two nonprofits who engage BIPOC youth in growing food and learning in community: Clean Greens (youth garden at Amy Yee Tennis Center); and iUrban Teen (youth garden at Rainier Community Center)—as well as Seattle Parks & Recreation Urban Food Systems (UFS) program leadership. Both gardens are part of the Seattle Parks & Recreation’s Urban Food Systems program, and both hold potentials to expand. These potentials frame the studio’s design focus—imagining alternative futures broadly and boldly as well as more immediate, incremental changes that groups can undertake themselves.
BLA Student Grace Chong engages with visitors to the exhibition of LARCH 404 studio work
The studio’s iterative process included: visiting the sites and meeting with the youth garden and UFS leaders, exploring local precedent gardens with leaders of those gardens, an in-house design charrette, a design workshop with garden leaders and designers, and mid-review presentations with faculty, design professionals, and site leaders.
Our project presentations on Dec 4th afforded us the opportunity to share design ideas and learn from youth. We met with youth from the Rainier Beach High School Garden Club and children from Emerald City Commons. Our youth garden leaders, leaders from RBUF and Bradner Gardens Park, and local design professionals also joined in conversations and feedback. This exuberant, energized afternoon with children, youth, and community members provided diverse insights on the ideas shown on the posters and short videos, and how design can engage everyone in the possibilities of more just and resilient futures.
