The Slow Shift Of The Countryside, What That Means for Agriculture

by Jeffrey Landau, Agritecture Consulting

When you think of the countryside, you might imagine the infinite rolling hills that stretch beyond the horizon, maybe a tall red barn stacked high with hay, or fields of wheat swaying with the wind; but what you may have missed is the creeping change that has been slowly shifting the role, place, and feeling of what the countryside used to be. 

Renowned Architect Rem Koolhaas and AMO explore this radical change in the world’s non-urban territories in a new exhibit called “Countryside, The Future” at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. 

At Agritecture, our mission is to empower impact-driven organizations to develop feasible urban farming solutions. Now, you may be asking, what parallels would Agritecture, an urban agriculture-centric business, have with a museum exhibit about the changes in the countryside? 

Anyone who works or is interested in the agriculture industry knows that our industry is experiencing rapid growth and investment, as new agricultural technologies enter the market. This is readily on display as you approach the Guggenheim and are greeted by a relatively new type of farming architecture, a fully LED-lit hydroponic farm powered by Infinite Acres (the joint venture between Priva, 80 Acres, and the Ocado Group).

The untrained eye may think this “farm in a box” is going to be the future of agriculture. This is not the case. At Agritecture, we see this as one tool in the toolbox of agricultural production models. Each model has a role in the ecosystem. Each model can make an impact in its own way, whether that is aesthetically, socially, economically, or environmentally. 

The Exhibit highlights the political redesign of the countryside through eight case studies in the 20th century. Each study highlights the vision of various authoritarian rulers, democratic countries, and political regimes that have transformed the countryside in pursuit of economic efficiencies and food security. Koolhaas notes,

“Driven by need, ambition, ideology, and new political structures all through the twentieth century, a number of massive proposals for radical redesigns transformed large sections of the globe. Authoritarian and democratic states alike took colossal risks attempting to increase productivity and food security, and remake society. Success or failure, famine, or overproduction… We live in a world still deeply marked by these Promethean efforts.”

What becomes abundantly clear is the push away from the countryside and the pull of cities. By 2050, 68% of the world’s population will live in urban areas (United Nations 2018) and 80% of the world's food will be consumed in cities (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Cities and Circular Economy for Food). This population reposition is creating a new kind of architecture in the countryside: warehouses, data centers, abstract boxes being placed in remote landscapes; greenhouses replacing vast swaths of land to produce food for the metropolitans. 

For us here at Agritecture, this exhibit reminds us where our industry has come from and the role we play in developing future agricultural systems for generations to come. Technology is key. But it is not the end-all be-all solution. The spectrum of technological solutions each have their own role in the ecosystem. It takes knowledge sharing, best practices, lessons learned, and a time investment in each other to meet the agricultural needs of our growing planet. 

With that, if you plan on being in New York City between now and August 14, 2020, take some time to visit “Countryside, The Future.” It is guaranteed not to disappoint. 

P.S. With the latest disruptions of COVID-19, please check the Guggenheim’s website before attending the exhibit. 

Images: https://www.guggenheim.org/press-images/countryside-the-future