The Design Trust for Public Space is a nonprofit organization dedicated to making a more dynamic, livable and sustainable New York City by bringing design innovation to its public spaces. In the 18 years since its inception, the Design Trust has worked on such projects as “Reclaiming the Highline,” the “Taxi of Tomorrow” and “Making Midtown.” A recent initiative takes on New York City’s booming urban agriculture movement.

New York City is not necessarily a place one would expect urban agriculture to thrive. It is one of the most densely populated cities in the country with some of the highest real estate values. But with more than 700 food-producing farms and gardens citywide, New Yorkers have turned vacant lots, rooftops and schoolyards in all five boroughs into places to grow food. New York is a leader in the practice of urban agriculture, which encompasses a wide range of activities that extend beyond food-producing spaces. Participants compost food waste, capture storm water for reuse, earn income at farmers markets, teach others about nutrition and the environment, and create safe, attractive public spaces that foster greater connectedness within communities.

Yet at present, there is no citywide policy or plan to coordinate farming-related activities in New York City and no cohesive city-based infrastructure to support the movement. Many active land use sites are not currently secured with solid legal arrangements, and while there are many people involved in the movement at the grassroots level, there is little in the way of standardized communication or shared information among them. Even city officials and stakeholders who feel inclined to support urban agriculture have a hard time fully grasping all of its activities and benefits. And the farming community has a hard time expressing the impact the movement has on the lives of everyone outside of it.

The Five Borough Farm project was conceived to address these issues. With an interdisciplinary team of fellows including urban farmers and experts in food policy, public health evaluation and sustainable design, the Design Trust embarked on this two-plus-year initiative to research the current state of urban agriculture in New York. They sought to compile a set of policy recommendations and metrics that would help local communities make a stronger case for the movement’s benefits and for increasing resources, from soil and compost to growing space and funding. All of the research and recommendations would then be synthesized in a detailed report and a comprehensive website.

Read the full case study with juror comments here: [http://www.aiga.org/case-study-five-borough-farm/]

Each element of the design system captures the creative tension between unexpected bedfellows: New York City and farming. With a light touch, the website and infographics marry hand-drawn interventions with crisp photography and modest type treatments to create a scene that is both accessible and motivating. The system is informative, clear and understated. This execution sets the bar for visually articulating urban agriculture in a confident and appropriate way. —Valerie Casey