About

Overview

The Carrot City Initiative examines how design at all scales can enable the production of food in the city. It explores the relationship of design and urban food systems as well as the impact that agricultural issues have on the creation of urban spaces and buildings as society addresses the issues of a more sustainable pattern of living.  The focus is on how the increasing interest in growing food within the city, supplying food locally, and food security in general, is changing urban design and built form. Carrot City showcases projects from around the world. The exhibit contains a range of projects, some recently completed or in progress, and others intended as visionary, speculative design proposals. The featured projects are the work of professional designers, students and people from all walks of life.

The travelling exhibit was first mounted from February to April 2009 at the Design Exchange in Toronto. It has since been shown in New York City, Providence, RI and Hartford, CT in the US. In Canada, it has been exhibited at a number of venues in Toronto and in Montréal, QC. Carrot City was shown for the first time outside North America when it travelled to Casablanca and Rabat, Morocco, in the Spring of 2011. It is currently touring a number of venues in Germany and further exhibits in Europe are in the works (follow us on Facebook or Twitter to stay informed on upcoming exhibits). Carrot City exhibits have been translated into a number of languages including French and Arabic as it has travelled around the world. See the Archive for information about past exhibits and other events.

A major website (www.carrotcity.org) containing the materials from the exhibit and other relevant content has been set up. New information boards are continuously being produced and uploaded and a research index is in the works. A book based on this initiative was published in September of 2011 by Monacelli Press and is available at booksellers everywhere.