Creative Food Cycles towards Urban Futures and Circular Economy

Abstract

Creative Food Cycles has the objective to enhance creative practices between food, architecture, and conviviality in a transnational and European perspective, setting food in the centre of cultural discoveries and societal innovation. Food is targeted as a field that materialises and—at the same time—influences ongoing deep changes in society and technology, in everyday invention and shifting routines, in scarceness and abundance: a forefront topic to explore and shape pathways of cultural creativity in strong links with society. Food in terms of food systems regards complex sets not only of economic activities, but also of cultural actions and human exchanges that sharply affect Europe’s long-term sustainability and the living conditions of its cities. With the term Food Cycles we aim to grasp novel concepts for the interaction of technological, environmental, and societal forces in food systems and food culture. We feel that Food Cycles can become a driver for positive change: for urban qualities, for cultural practices, for new urban commons, urban education, as well as overall for economic development, ecological targets, and social integration. The project Creative Food Cycles is initiated and performed by creatives and researchers in architecture and design in order to address food for urban futures: it seeks to provide understanding, models, and practical tools for Creative Food Cycles as a culture-based approach to circular economy.