IDES322 - Farm Philly

Our project aims to allow urban farms all over Philadelphia to join in a collective campaign of advertisements for their individual farm, while also representing urban farming as whole. During this process we have been working with both Mill Creek Farm and Greens Grow Farm. Both of these organizations represent urban farming but they do it in opposing manners. Mill Creek is all about advertising healthier food options to their community and Greens Grow is more about advertising green in the neighborhood and themselves as an establishment. A couple of weeks ago our group posted a graph which illustrated how farms all across Philly can choose a way of promoting what they want and how they want while still broadcasting to people the concept of urban farming in general. Go green power. 

This concept might be easy for fellow designers to follow, but to cater to the members of these farms we thought that it would be appropriate to explain this system as a parallel concept to cell phone plans. One farm might want the family plan that includes texting and web access, while another farm might be more interested in a pay-as-you-go plan. The main concept being that both these plans are under the same network.

    VS.      

Our newest poster concept was a series of triangles to be set up on the inside of greens grow. This would allow people to see the graphics clearly and keep vandalism (which is a main concern) to a minimum. However, when these freshly made posters got attached to the fences at Greens Grow the wind ripped them down. Pointing out to us a huge weak point in our design.

Before, During, and After.

*Better sooner then later, back to the drawing board!

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As a member of the Information chapter of Farm Philly I feel that it is appropriate to post about farm topics in the media. Oscilloscope Laboratories and Magnolia Pictures have both produced many interesting films, some are right on target with what this semester long project is about. Here are three documentaries trailers that i feel everyone working on this project should watch.  
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1. ”The Garden” 

2. ”Flow”
 

3. ”Food, INC.”

Treehugger.com posted an article recently highlighting the nominees for the first annual Growing Green award,  given by the National Resources defense Council (NRDC) for sustainable farming.  Very intersting….

The full article can be read at:

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/04/sustainable-agriculture-leaders-recognized-by-nrdc-growing-green-awards.php

Urban farming and  a cohesive visual information system. 

I speak only for myself but I must say that this project has been d r i b b l i n g through the design funnel. Urban framing and graphics, a great combination of topics for a whole semester long project but proved to not be the easiest to refine and deliver. One project that should of had  deserved a beginning, middle and end, but has now turned into a rat race to please one main client while turning our system of unifying graphics into the annoying step child that never gets any attention. Nonetheless, working with a client is great experience and i am positive that we all have learned from this process. We are down to the wire right now and I hope that you all enjoy our presentation next week.