City Fields: Integrating Sustainable Architecture with Urban Agriculture

Q: Who wrote "City Fields: Integrating Sustainable Architecture with Urban Agriculture"?

This article was written by UNI Editorial and published on uni.xyz, a platform for design professionals and creative thinkers.

Q: What is "City Fields: Integrating Sustainable Architecture with Urban Agriculture" about?

This article covers topics related to Educational Building, Urban Design. City Fields blends landscape and urban design into a sustainable architecture model, uniting farms, markets, and public spaces.

The project City Fields_wrapped up reimagines the role of sustainable architecture in reshaping urban environments. By embedding landscape principles into dense city fabrics, it transforms underutilized urban land into a thriving ecosystem of fields, markets, and public hubs. Designed by Marina Mihailovic, Kristina Verušeski, and Jelena Z, this concept was awarded an Honorable Mention in the Urban Meal Mine competition.

Rethinking Urban Space through Architecture

Cities today struggle with rapid urbanization, fragmented public space, and food insecurity. City Fields addresses these issues by merging agricultural production, marketplaces, workshops, and communal gathering areas within a single, holistic architecture framework. This integration allows the city to function as both a producer and consumer of resources, reducing dependence on external food supply chains while reinforcing community bonds.

A top view of sloped, pool, cascade, and flat gardens integrated into the sustainable roof design.

A Productive Ecosystem

The architectural strategy is grounded in creating a self-sustaining urban ecosystem. The design integrates:

Sloped gardens and rooftop farms that transform building surfaces into fertile agricultural zones.
Public workshops and hubs where knowledge sharing and community participation strengthen local culture.
Markets and cafés that connect food production directly with consumption, minimizing waste and transport.
Aquaponic and hydroponic systems on upper floors, showcasing technological innovation in food growth.

This layered approach positions architecture not merely as shelter, but as an active agent in ecological and social sustainability.

Layout showing markets, workshops, cafés, and community hubs connected through green corridors.

Indoor space where families engage with fresh produce and urban farming displays.

Morphological and Functional Connectivity

One of the defining features of City Fields is its ability to forge new morphological and functional links within the city. By weaving agriculture into the built environment, the project creates continuity between fragmented urban districts. Roofs, gardens, and plazas overlap to generate multifunctional zones that serve both ecological and social needs.

The scheme emphasizes:

Circulation systems that connect markets, farms, and recreational areas.
Flexible urban modules adaptable to different city contexts.
Community-driven spaces that prioritize inclusivity and education.

Sustainable Architecture for the Future

At its core, City Fields envisions a city that is resilient, adaptable, and self-sufficient. It demonstrates how architecture can balance productivity and livability, offering a model for future urban developments. By merging food production with social infrastructure, it ensures that sustainability is not an afterthought but a foundational principle.

The project stands as a visionary blueprint for cities seeking to reclaim agency over food, public space, and ecological health.

Honorable Mention – Urban Meal Mine Competition

Project by Marina Mihailovic, Kristina Verušeski, and Jelena Z