As the growing majority of Switzerland’s population lives in an urban environment, its cities are becoming denser. This increased density implies a growing need to plan our neighborhoods, circulation systems and public spaces with a greater sensitivity. Consequently, it also opens opportunities to better qualify the city edge and it’s relationship to its rural territory. Within this framework, FUI begins by analyzing the relationship between city and food and in launching the research, we are posing the question to Lausanne’s citizens. “To what extend can gardens, green spaces and or the cultivation of and access to edible plants in and along the edges of cities improve our quality of life?”
Lausanne proves to be an ideal place for such research. It’s Municipality is the first in Switzerland to define a policy regarding allotment gardens in a communal directive plan. The proximity of existing farms remains very close to the city center and the edge between urban and rural, in many areas, remains strong. In addition, the local authorities have expressed their interest in the Food Urban Initiative and especially in learning more about the needs and desires of Lausanne citizens concerning the subject.
Today, the inhabitants of Lausanne have the opportunity to be heard, to state their opinions by participating in the questionnaire. Two thousand five hundred citizens have been randomly selected to guarantee the best unbiased results. Others are welcome to participate as well, all with the knowledge that the public voice emanating from the FUI Survey will contribute to the dialogue regarding Lausanne’s future by better informing the research regarding food and its relationship to sustainable urban development.
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