Urban agriculture : responding to the needs of the cities of yesterday, today and tomorrow

Abstract

The cities of today have to house a variety of people coming from different places and cultural backgrounds in denser spaces than before. In this essay, we will see what role urban gardens can play in improving the cohabitation of a heterogeneous population by providing spaces that strengthen local communities on many different levels. The aim of this paper is to answer the following three questions: “What role has urban agriculture played in cities through history, what can urban agriculture spaces do for the increasingly heterogeneous and stressful cities of today, and what is the current situation and areas of opportunity for Reykjavik?” The results of this research points out that urban gardens are a suitable tool for building community spaces that encourage diversity and participation in cities. Furthermore, analysis of the city of Reykjavik shows that the local government is supportive of community gardens and that they currently exist. Finally, we will discuss some ways of strengthening the development and reach of urban gardening in Reykjavik.