Research & reports

Danny Santoso Mintorogo, Wanda Widigdo, Anik Juniwati · Advanced Science Letters · Global

This research investigated pakis-stem blocks as a growing medium for green roofs, evaluating their 3-in-1 function as a lightweight growing medium, an easy-to-form urban farming system, and an eco-friendly external roof insulation. Measurements on rooftop surface and room thermal behavior showed that pakis-stem green rooftops reduced surface dry-bulk temperature by 16.4°C and ambient room dry-bulk temperature by approximately 7°C at noon compared to conventional rooftops. The surface and ambient room air temperature differences between pakis vegetative green rooftops and miana scrub green rooftops were approximately 7°C and 3°C, respectively.

Izyan Ayuni Mohamad Selamat, Shahida Mohd Sharif, Januarius Gobilik · Journal of BIMP-EAGA Regional Development · Malaysia

This study shared the experience of Universiti Malaysia Sabah's Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture in developing green infrastructure (GI), specifically a rooftop garden, as a medium for Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). The project was conducted in four phases: planning and management team formation, participatory planning, site inventory and analysis, and GI design and development. Through this project, participants were directly exposed to identifying environmental issues and their solutions, implementing sustainable initiatives within the campus environment.

PS. Arsitektur Lanskap Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Tribhuwana Tunggadewi, Irawan Setyabudi, Nuraini Nuraini, PS. Arsitektur Lanskap Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Tribhuwana Tunggadewi, Rizki Alfian, PS. Arsitektur Lanskap Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Tribhuwana Tunggadewi, Balqis Nailufar, PS. Arsitektur Lanskap Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Tribhuwana Tunggadewi · Review of Urbanism and Architectural Studies · Indonesia

This qualitative architectural design study, conducted with the school committee of SD Lowokwaru 3 Malang, aimed to develop an alternative model for recreational and educational garden design for students. The research identified problems in school gardens and proposed a concept for an educational garden divided into aesthetic, productive, and vertical garden zones, allowing students direct involvement in its creation, maintenance, and management. The study concluded that the garden serves as an outdoor education facility for students.

Erminia D’Itria, Loredana Di Lucchio · The Design Journal · Global

This article discusses the growing interest in urban agriculture, driven by factors such as healthy food access, green space, and community engagement. It suggests that architects and designers can play a strong role in expanding urban agriculture by developing innovative practices to enable more people to farm in their own spaces. The text emphasizes the need to amplify the benefits of urban agriculture to a larger population.

Cynthia Natalia, Yusita Kusumarini, Jean Francois Poillot · Intra · Indonesia (Surabaya)

In Surabaya, an interior design for a hydroponic education facility was developed to address the lack of farmlands and sub-optimal existing facilities. Using a design thinking methodology, the project resulted in a design incorporating a climate control system for optimal plant growth and visitor comfort. This design aims to optimize educational activities through the use of eco-friendly materials, maximized natural light, and good air quality.

최희준, 이정아, 손희정, 조동길, 송영근 · · South Korea (Seoul)

This study analyzed the landscape ecological characteristics of green spaces in the high-density built-up area of Yeoksam-Dong, Seoul, and evaluated the potential for establishing green networks through urban garden introduction. The current condition of green spaces was identified across five categories: street trees, private gardens, public pocket gardens, rooftop gardens, and parks, followed by landscape index analysis and connectivity assessment. Results indicated that street trees, private gardens, and public pocket gardens show high potential for creating green networks in high-density urban areas.

ANTONIO JOSE CHAGUENDO DORADO, Sandra Morales Velasco, Fabio Alonso Prado Cerón · Biotecnología en el Sector Agropecuario y Agroindustrial · Colombia (Popayán)

A study in Popayán's Comuna 2 evaluated PET bottle urban agriculture practices, examining two crops (cilantro and lettuce) and three bottle orientations (horizontal, vertical, 45-degree inclined). Agronomic variables like height, coverage, vigor, and biomass were analyzed using SPSS 22. Results showed that vertical bottles yielded better production in terms of vigor and fresh weight for both species, attributed to the relationship between container size and root development.

Vina Febriani, Evy Nasrika, Tri Munasari, Yoan Permatasari, Talitha Widiatningrum · Journal of Creativity Students · Global

This paper introduces "Mba-Gening," an urban gardening innovation for cultivating Brassica oleracea microgreens, as a solution for limited land and the demand for organic food. Microgreens are harvested in 10-14 days and possess up to six times the nutritional value of mature green vegetables. This production is said to meet the demand for organic broccoli and offers a good business opportunity due to a wide market and lack of competitors.

Steve Badanes · · Global

This abstract describes a design/build studio process where authors collaborate with clients on grant writing and program development for students. The studio aims to help clients define their needs and constraints, with clients funding materials and authors providing design and construction services. The Supershed location is selected with the Center for Urban Horticulture before the studio begins.

Eka Rastiyanto Amrullah, Ani Pullaila, Akira Ishida, Haruka Yamashita · Asian Social Science · Indonesia (Banten)

In Banten, Indonesia, the effects of the Sustainable Home-Yard Food Garden (KRPL) program on participants' household income were evaluated. The program was shown to contribute to dietary diversification through the harvest of various fresh vegetables and resulted in reduced expenditure on fresh vegetables and/or increased household income. OLS regression results indicated that participants with more pots and/or more vegetable varieties tended to enjoy gardening, were not passively motivated, grew vegetables for sale, and resided in the more developed northern part of Banten.

Susan C. Haedicke · Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems · France (Paris)

Aroma-Home, an artist-initiated community garden in Villetaneuse, France, transformed a bleak construction site into an urban agricultural commons starting in 2013. Local inhabitants and an artist reclaimed public spaces, creating a community garden that wove together food-growing, storytelling, and place-making through cultural practices around growing, preparing, and sharing food among multi-ethnic participants.

Chysanthi Chimona, Sophia Rhizopoulou · World Journal of Research and Review · Global

This global study observed the water deficit resistance of six plant species grown in long tubes and rhizotrons over one month. Mediterranean plants (Ceratonia siliqua, Myrtus communis, Nerium oleander) demonstrated resistance to water deficit, unlike Ligustrum japonicum and Pittosporum tobira, which are common in parks. Rosmarinus officinalis exhibited an intermediate level of drought endurance.

강미영, 김영희, 김용현, 진종현, 이민희, 허무룡 · · South Korea

This study conducted in South Korea investigated the influence of urban farming activities on changes in eco-friendly diets. Urban farming participants were often office workers living in apartments with 4-person families, and tended to have over 10 years of rural experience in childhood. They participated in activities for 1-2 hours on weekend mornings once a week for over 3 years. Eco-friendly food education influenced crop yields, and difficulties with weed removal and the need for eco-friendly farming education were noted. Participants reported satisfaction with the type and quality of harvests, changes in diet, reduced food costs, and health benefits.

Georgia Pollard, Philip Roetman, James Ward · Kobra (Universitätsbibliothek Kassel) · Australia (South Australia)

While urban agriculture is seen as a sustainable approach to improving food security, there is a significant knowledge gap regarding the financial accessibility of urban food production for all households. If urban agriculture remains primarily a middle-class discretionary activity, its role in city-wide food security improvement will be limited. This paper demonstrates that citizen science offers an effective approach to investigate the inputs (labor, costs, water use) and outputs (produce yields, value) of urban food gardens, using the Edible Gardens project in South Australia as an example.

Pulido Barbosa, Cindy Gillary · · Global

This report details the results of the "Guardians of Nature" environmental project, which aimed to raise student awareness of environmental care through building a school garden and making compost. The project utilized recycled materials like plastic bottles for planting various vegetables and provided workshops to the entire educational community on environmental topics. This initiative led to changes in students' cognitive and procedural skills, fostering critical reflection and problem-solving, culminating in the successful construction and maintenance of a school garden.

Praptiningsih Gamawati Adinurani · · Global

Massive urbanization without adequate human resources support will cause problems, including the provision of food. Urban farming activities by urban communities, utilizing yards or abandoned land, can address food needs. Increased knowledge and skills of urban farming practitioners can be achieved through counseling, discussion, and training in various agricultural techniques such as verticulture, hydroponics, and polybag systems. After participating in training, urban agriculture practitioners can produce vegetables and fruits for their consumption and for sale, produce seeds and fertilizer, and model various farming practices.

김승현, 고영지, 김지원, 신상은, Yu Seun Kim · 한국색채학회 학술대회 · South Korea

A 2017 study proposes a color design for the Korean urban farming kit "Naega Geurin Eco Farm" (My Green Eco Farm) as a case study. It identifies that existing urban farming kits show large differences in tone and tend to favor primary colors, resulting in colors that can look unsophisticated and fail to evoke the character of the kit, and, using KS C&D 155a to visually analyze the colors of existing kits, proposes a color design applicable to this kit.

David Arredondo Garrido · ZARCH · Spain

This study analyses initiatives developed over the past decade in the centres of four Spanish cities with significant historical heritage -- Seville, Barcelona, Madrid and Zaragoza -- as responses to the growing homogenisation of the urban landscape that leaves little room for uniqueness, unregulated activity or public participation. These projects use urban agriculture and gardening to escape prevailing banality and create spaces for culture, social relations and imagination, but the study notes that their management faces difficulties and their impact remains minor.

Jens A. Geißler, Tim Schumann · Bibliotheksdienst · Germany

The public library in Bad Oldesloe, Germany, launched the "Ernte deine Stadt" ("Harvest Your City") project series in 2015, linking sharing and urban gardening trends with makerspace concepts to position the library as a modern, innovative learning venue. The library space was offered as a meeting and creativity venue on the theme of sustainability and was able to spark new initiatives in the city.

Birte Mehrkens, Jan Ole Oßenbrink, Cord Petermann, Andreas Ulbrich · 52. DGG & BHGL Jahrestagung · Germany

This paper describes the "Urbaner Gartenbau" (urban horticulture) project (2017-2019) carried out in the Hamburg metropolitan region, Germany. It argues that fast-growing metropolitan regions such as Hamburg could benefit in future from horticultural production areas in an urban context, provided these areas are preserved under land-use pressure. The project combines two research approaches: a production-oriented approach aimed at developing innovative concepts through model projects to strengthen horticultural businesses, and a participatory approach centred on mediating between urban gardening actors in Hamburg and professional horticulture. At the project's outset, three categories of planned practice projects were identified: existing innovation projects from other metropolitan regions, promoters/multipliers, and innovation businesses.

RESET · RESET · France

Article from the German web media outlet RESET describing La Caverne, an underground farming project by startup Cycloponics in a disused 3,500 m² Paris car park. It grows mushrooms, endives, and microgreens, with yields ranging from 2 kg for herbs up to 300 kg for endives depending on the crop. The project uses energy-efficient LED-lit hydroponics, won the City of Paris's 'Parisculteurs' competition, and plans deliveries by electric bike and fully electric vehicles.

· Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy · Global

Proposes an economic assessment framework aimed at achieving sustainable composting quality in low-cost, small-scale composting contexts in developing countries.

· Horticulturae · Australia

Compares DIY wicking beds (capillary rise from a self-contained coarse-material reservoir) with precision surface irrigation using tomato, finding equal or better water use efficiency and yield with fewer irrigation events.

· The Journal of Development Studies · Burkina Faso

Analyses the diffusion of smallholder drip irrigation in Burkina Faso, focusing on the role of development brokers.

Pierpaolo Mudu, Alessia Marini · Antipode · Italy

In Italy, the occupation of abandoned urban spaces for "orti urbani" (urban gardens) has increased within the squatting movement over the last 10 years. The city of Rome shows widespread activity in organizing self-managed spaces for growing fruits and vegetables. These initiatives support food autonomous configurations and represent a strategy to re-appropriate and commune urban space.