EDIBLE CITY
TACKLING FOOD INSECURITY AMID CLIMATE CHANGE
Professor Danielle Zoe Rivera’ s Design Studio, UC Berkeley, 2024
Project Location: Pajaro, CA
P.S. This was a team project; however, all the work displayed on this website was completed solely by me, with the exception of assembling the model.
PROJECT INTRODUCTION
In the winter of 2023, the central coast of California experienced severe flooding after years of drought. From December 2022 to March 2023, the Pájaro Valley faced repeated storms, culminating in mid-March when the Pájaro River levee breached, inundating Pájaro City. This disaster not only caused extensive damage to the city but also disrupted the region's food system, as farmlands were flooded and polluted, losing their capacity for food production.
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As one of California's key agricultural hubs, the Pájaro Valley supplies food nationwide. The flooding devastated farmland, leaving many farmworkers unemployed and threatening regional food security. With 100-year flood risk projections indicating that nearly half of the farmland could be submerged—and climate change likely to exacerbate the situation—urgent solutions are needed.
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This studio project addresses the crisis by exploring alternative food production strategies across regional, city, and neighborhood scales. By repurposing underutilized green spaces, public areas, and rooftops for food production, the project proposes a comprehensive program called the Food Campaign, which includes three components: Eco-Food Loop, Urban Food Loop, and Food Picks.
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Eco-Food Loop: Converts underused spaces outside the city into croplands with pollinator strips to support ecosystems while enhancing food production.
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Urban Food Loop: Establishes thematic farmers' markets along the city-farmland interface, offering affordable, fresh food to the community.
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Food Picks: Optimizes neighborhood spaces such as parking lots, industrial rooftops, and community gardens to create accessible food sources within walkable distances.
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In collaboration with community partner Watsonville Wetlands Watch, schools are involved in implementing the Food Campaign at the neighborhood level. Pajaro Middle School serves as a pilot site for the Food Picks program, where its schoolyard is transformed to support food production, provide educational opportunities, and meet students’ outdoor needs.
