Urban Agritecture: Inherited and Contemporary Strategies for the Canadian Landscape

Historically, both architecture and agriculture have been cornerstones of social and technological advancement, insofar as developments in these areas have permitted humans to cast their gaze beyond the fulfillment of basic needs such as shelter and nourishment. Past agricultural revolutions - spurred by events like the invention of the plow, or the development of crop rotation - have heralded the beginning of new eras. Today, the immense advancements in genetics of the past two decades place us yet again at a crossroads. Standing at the cusp of a fourth agricultural revolution, where may we expect these advancements to lead us socially, and therefore spatially? This thesis seeks to address the interconnected nature of architecture and agriculture, and to determine how recent technological developments in farming could shape the future spaces we inhabit. Building on new technologies and ancient wisdom, a new prototype for the future of agriculture-optimized urban housing is proposed.