GREEN NEXUS HUB. Ricerca sullo sviluppo di nuovi servizi ecosistemici tra Agricoltura urbana e spazi sostenibili

In post-pandemic society, the 2030 Agenda emphasises the growing need for sustainable development. Extreme events like droughts and floods make it urgent to adopt resilient solutions for food chain stability. This research proposal focuses on autonomous and resilient urban food systems, analysing Social Design strategies for greater social cohesion, promoting Urban Agriculture. This Urban Regeneration approach aims to transform residual urban spaces into community parks dedicated to sharing resources and building connections between people. Such micro-food areas can provide local food, reducing the distance between production and consumption and offering food resources to vulnerable segments of society. The project introduces the concept of “Orchard Park”, urban spaces that integrate green areas, transforming abandoned places into centers of solidarity and food self-sufficiency. This initiative responds to the growing food demand in cities, which the FAO predicts will increase by 60% by 2050. In this context, global initiatives like the “Bonn Declaration of Mayors” (2013) and the “Milan Urban Food Policy Pact” (2015) recognise Urban Agriculture as a key tool to guarantee food security in urban areas. The research aims to transform traditional Pocket Parks into an advanced form of Orchard Park, integrating Urban Agriculture, social regeneration and technological innovation. Design plays a fundamental role in promoting sustainable solutions, facilitating active citizen participation and combining agricultural production, education and social cohesion. Through technological and operational urban design, it intends to combine the Internet of Nature (IoN) with technologies like Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). This approach emphasises the importance of inclusive growth and sustainable development, in line with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The project proposes the development of residential modules for people in emergency situations, who will directly manage agricultural areas, promoting self-production and cooperation. Through an analysis of best practices in Urban Regeneration and social agriculture, successful cases will be examined such as the “Beacon Food Forest” in Seattle (2012), “Orti Dipinti” in Florence (2013) and “Michigan Urban Farming” in Detroit (2012), as well as sustainable technologies to integrate urban environment and nature, applying them to the Florence case study. The project thus proposes the development of a product-service ecosystem, regenerating urban spaces into places of sharing, knowledge and social cohesion. This model promotes more sustainable cities, guaranteeing food security, strengthening communities and offering scalable solutions for the urban future.