The Grow(in)’ On! Visioning Summit, held September 17-19, 2024, in Portland, Oregon, bridged agriculture and urban design, exploring ways to integrate farming within urban spaces. Hosted by the University of Oregon’s Institute for Health in the Built Environment, this summit convened experts to tackle sustainable building-integrated agriculture. Through workshops and discussions, participants gained insights into global practices, fostering collaboration aimed at reshaping food production in urban settings.
Attending the Grow(in)’ On! Visioning Summit was transformative, especially hearing from industry leaders like David Ceasar (Lead Agronomist at Agritecture), whose passion for urban agriculture innovations was infectious. Joel Cuello’s (University of Arizona Professor) expertise in bioengineering and quantum dots brought futuristic insights into sustainable urban food systems, and Pat Lando captivated us with his hands-on approaches that blend waste recovery and food production with urban resilience. Equally impressive, Adrian Parr inspired with her perspectives on social and environmental justice and trans-species design, while Mark Buehrer grounded the discussions in practical applications for sustainable design.
Each speaker not only brought a unique angle to the challenges and opportunities in building-integrated agriculture but also sparked actionable ideas for reshaping our urban landscapes to nourish both people and the environment. This summit reinforced the critical intersections of technology, sustainability, and community-driven innovation that we need to move forward.
One of the highlights of the Grow(in)’ On! Visioning Summit was the time spent in small action groups, where we organized around shared themes and goals. These self-formed groups fostered deeper connections and allowed us to dive into specific challenges in building-integrated agriculture. It was inspiring to see the diverse strategies we came up with and to know we’re collectively moving forward on these fronts. I’m excited to see the impact of our ongoing work and look forward to reconnecting and sharing our progress soon.
For more details about the summit and speakers, visit the event website.