Urban Defense
Philadelphia PA | 2009
A demonstration raised bed permaculture installation, URBAN DEFENSE metaphorically refers to U.S. Pentagon’s military strength and the historic values in its Philadelphia site. Politically and economically, it gives equal civic weight to ecologically grown local food.
Permaculture systems mimic nature’s principle of combining diverse compatible plantings that conserve labor, water and soil, to produce habitat, clean air, and abundant healthy food.
Ecologically, Urban Defense honors another American symbol, the apple—its five seed chambers of diverse seeds can create an entire sustainable food forest.
Philadelphia University’s Sustainable Design Studio graduate students helped construct the raised bed structure using locally culled household salvage. Its planted garbage cans attest to the accessibility of inexpensive materials for planting one’s own garden.
Urban Defense includes more than a dozen varieties of trees, perennial bushes and annuals whose fruit will be shared in a public harvest this fall.
Sited at Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education’s SECOND SITE, one of Philadelphia’s newest art venues, uniquely located on an historic 18th century farm.
Curated by Amy Lipton for the exhibit:
Down to Earth: Artists Create Edible Landscapes
