Foodscapes are expressions of farming or community growing in a landscape. Foodscapes grown in urban spaces are unusual and striking. They inspire, provide food for the community, and offer significant opportunities to contribute to the evolution of city main streets and neighbourhoods.
Hoffmann Hayes consults with developers, real estate asset firms, commercial building managers, planners and funders to bring foodscape programs and site designs to life in North America. We connect commercial clients to growers and community developers. We support the development of well paid, equitable and meaningful work for people as a cornerstone of making these projects work. In the Greater Toronto Area, we provide full growing and community development services for select partners.
Connect with us if you are looking to develop, enhance or design urban spaces like these.
We’re proud that our work with 95 St. Clair Ave. West helped the Desjardins and Colliers International team win The Outstanding Building of the Year (International TOBY® Award) for the highest standards in building management, design and community impact. The 2022 Landscape Ontario Environment Award was awarded to Colliers in recognition of the work as well. Foodscapes were featured as a trend to watch in The Toronto Star online and Saturday print editions earlier this year. See here for more information.
There’s still much to learn about growing commercial foodscape gardens that enhance buildings, main streets, and neighbourhoods, and that also help communities thrive. Our team is resolved to grow gardens that can demonstrate solutions and also stimulate deeper conversations, create and share well-paid and meaningful work, and explore what community food production can look like on the ground and on rooftops in cities. Where possible, let’s share food with tenants, neighbourhood communities, community food centres, community fridges and community meal programs.
Foodscapes, in our experience, have many benefits. They enhance personal and community health and wellness, improve building culture, and provide community access to food and inspiring green space. Foodscapes likely provide ecological services too, from storm water retention, to pollinator habitat and carbon sequestering. We believe foodscapes could be a part of a just and resilient food system, even as we face the ongoing impacts of the pandemic, climate change, and economic disparity.
“Setting aside the environmental and social benefits of more city based community gardens, it is always heartening to see corporate support for these types of programs. Programs like this not only demonstrate a desire to work towards a better, more supportive and stable city life but also a company’s desire to be a participating member in the community. These types of gardens show that the almost mandatory front facing flower patch can be used in an aesthetically pleasing and ergonomic way.”
Community member comment, 2021
Thanks to Erin Mulhall, lead grower, and Dave Misener, grower and media support for helping grow the gardens and engage the community.