Fields of Tomorrow

Fileds of Tommorow
Toward a New Modernity

Edited by David Knafo

Fast urbanization in last decades, has created hundreds of megalopolises and nourished the economic
and cultural globalization. In the beginning of 21st century, we live in a global village where, countries
and societies have joined the global movement, adopting western lifestyle and consumerism culture,
exposing earth to its physical limits.
Intensive immigration and economic crisis disrupts the world historic order, creating a new reality of
significant social gaps and political instability.
Facing the consequences of ecological crisis and severe climate changes, we need to rethink our social
and political conceptions, to redefine our modernity and to reshape our urban vision.
Urban agriculture suggests an appropriate approach to redefine modernity and to create an urbanity
that will introduce new cultural values into our streets and cities and into our private living spaces.
Urban agriculture will reshape urban landscape, enrich the architectural vocabulary and propose new
aesthetics to the city. Urban agriculture will eventually contribute to an immediate relieve to ecological
and economic concerns.
Expo Milan’s theme “feeding the planet-energy for life”, has offered a unique opportunity to present
the idea of urban agriculture to the public and create a platform for discussion and exploration of its
benefits and prospects for cities.
The Israeli pavilion presented “fields of tomorrow”, a vertical field on the pavilion façade, with three
growing crops: wheat, corn and rice, which represent about 70% of the world nutrition. The vertical
field delivered a novel architecture statement on urban ecology and planning and on urban lifestyle.
In addition, of celebrating the Israeli pavilion architectural achievements, this book presents a
compilation of essays dealing with the future of cities and urban societies. Authors, from various
disciplines and occupations, expose their visions and opinions in an open symposium.
This exchange of ideas suggests a beginning of a dialogue among professionals and the general public
for a redefinition of a contemporary modernity and urbanity, in a reality of an exhausted planet and
an erosion of social visions.

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