Continuing our last week research, our group initially envisioned the creation of a workspace that seamlessly integrates office buildings with city farms. The concept aimed to provide office workers with a relaxing environment where they could engage with animals while also supporting city farms through company fundings. As a result, we developed a comprehensive floor plan that merged the functionalities of an office workspace with those of a city farm. This innovative approach acknowledges both animals and people as contributors to the work environment, focusing on animals’ ability to alleviate stress for humans.

Additionally, I conducted a case study on the Eden Project, a globally renowned botanical garden and environmental education centre in Cornwall, UK. The Eden Project’s emphasis on environmental education through workshops, lectures and events provided inspiration for our group to develop spaces for animals and humans to co-exist (Learn with Eden, n.d.).

During Thursday’s showcase, our group presented a variety of materials including a mind map, collage, and project summary to illustrate our research in current stage. We also conducted a questionnaire to gather insights from peers and tutors regarding the future of city farms and the integration of animals and people in the workplace. Through interactions with them, it became apparent that hygiene and cleanliness were significant concerns when animals are present in the office environment. This realization prompted me to reconsider the feasibility of our project and its potential impact on workspace conditions.

Observing other groups’ focus on high-technology solutions for future workspaces highlighted the importance of our emphasis on human-animal interactions. Despite the allure of advanced technology, I believe the opportunity to connect with nature and animals remains invaluable. Therefore, I became more determined to ensure that our projects remained cantered on human-animal interactions, despite debates about the best approach to engage animals and humans.

In response to the feedback received during the showcase, I decided to review our field investigations on three different city farms again. This allowed me to identify key challenges faced by city farms, including funding limitations, space constraints, and concerns related to animal labour. With these findings, I could outline clear goals for our future working scenario, including raising funds, ensuring adequate space, and enhancing public awareness about animal labour issues.

While our group still has much research and refinement ahead, I’m pleased that we have identified concrete goals for the future city farm project. This clarity in our research objectives sets a promising direction for our continued efforts.

Reference:

Learn with Eden (no date) Eden Project. Available at: https://www.edenproject.com/learn (Accessed: 12 March 2024).