EAT: Design-Build as a Method for Advancing the Physical Constructs of the Slow Food Movement

An underlying structure of architecture and designed landscapes exists as a complex spatial armature for the grass roots Slow Food USA movement. Architectural research and drawn analysis of these underlays is critical for establishing a baseline for understanding specifically if design-build as a method for project design delivery can be a significant factor in influencing the future growth of the movement in the United States, and if so what are the characteristics of the most successful design-build delivery for Slow Food spaces. From farmers’ markets and public school edible gardens, to local fare restaurants and small farms, the current role of design-build for creating built architecture and landscapes associated with Slow Food USA has not previously been comprehensively documented and analyzed. The Slow Food USA movement is inextricably linked to physical infrastructures and manifestations at varying scales, and this paper describes research and analysis of community-based design-build as an often used method for actualizing the spaces for Slow Food activities and educational spaces. This paper describes drawn analytical research and investigative graphic representation which communicate a layered taxonomy of existing underlying architectures associated with Slow Food USA. Then it isolates projects that specifically utilize design-build for actualization and characterizes the specific design-build delivery process. The research then analyzes a sample of these design-build “foodspace” projects in comparison to traditionally delivered architectural projects. Funded by a modest intramural grant from xxx university, the research pairs the drawing analysis with interviews conducted with advocates and leaders of Slow Food USA in the Southeast and in the Northeast. This research aims to assist the advocates and leaders in determining best design practices and best design-build delivery practices for advancing the movement at different scales. Utilization of the visual medium of drawing analysis makes the information accessible to people not trained in architecture or design by offering easily digestible image-based analysis not only to the audience of involved designers, but also to non-designers, Slow Food USA leaders and members. This identification of best design practices and best design-build delivery practices has the potential to assist the leaders, farmers, and affiliates in the Slow Food USA organization in their ongoing and future efforts to mitigate environmental impacts of contemporary slow food production systems, to promote issues of food justice and food security, and to advance health and wellnesss of citizens in communities affiliated with the physical infrastructures of the Slow Food USA movement.

Volume Editors
Sergio Palleroni, Ted Cavanagh & Ursula Hartig

ISBN
978-0-935502-94-7