The Ecocity The Green Urbanism lectures were recorded at the Danish Architecture Centre, December 10th 2009, in connection with the COP 15 climate summit in Copenhagen.

Steffen Lehmann is Professor of Architecture at the University of Newcastle in Australia and holds a chair in the Sustainable Urban Development for Asia and the Pacific council. He is also a visiting Professor at TU Munich, Tongji Shanghai and NUS Singapore. Steffen is also the founding director of s_Lab, Space Laboratory for Architectural Research & Design, which operates from Sydney and Berlin.

The urban agriculture movement has grown vigorously across the nation. The concept of urban agriculture, which is integrated into the urban economic and ecological system, has taken unprecedented forms. The agricultural zeitgeist of today has gained popularity for many urbanites, however, the concept is anything but new.  Its roots are born of the need and the inability to access decent and affordable food. As more and more people are concerned about the provenance of their food, urban agriculture provides a complementary and multifaceted approach to reduce urban poverty, food insecurity, and enhance urban environmental stewardship. This new version of urban agricultural or as I like to say, “Urban Agriculture 2.0” is all about space, and has morphed from the growing concerns of a worldwide culture conscious of global warming, food scarcity, health problems and a growing need to “reconnect” with nature. 

According to Siemens’ Green City Index, San Francisco and New York City are   leaders in developing sustainable cities.  Even though it’s best to take any ranking with a grain of salt and avoid jumping to erroneous conclusions, it’s fair to say that NYC and SF are largely influential when it comes to urban agriculture and sustainability. If you visit the either coast you will discover gardens on rooftops, windowsills, fire escapes, sidewalks, and even gardens on buses. You may even wonder if you have stepped inside the gardening world of Dr. Seuss.  So, where does Los Angeles fall in this urban agricultural scheme? Should Los Angeles look to New York City and/or San Francisco for guidance?