Land ConsumptionPreserving Land for Urban Agriculture in ZurichDiana Strässle and Emily Tobler
The potato is a good example of an agricultural product that has disappeared from our fields with the consumption of agricultural land by urban expansion. After their intense presence in Switzerland during the Second World War, potato fields are now a rarity. This change is particularly noticeable in the Glatttal, an area that has been characterized by urbanisation for decades due to large infrastructure projects. At the same time, an uncontrolled shift in thinking appeared: the dream of living surrounded by “nature”. To this day, the city of Zurich has not stopped growing. Only small residual areas with productive use are left. But these are absolutely in danger of disappearing due to the new efforts for inner densification. Different forms of urban agriculture are specifically adapted to local conditions, and they can be protected from further overbuilding in various ways.