Mobile Food Collective (MFC)

Partner: Gary Comer Youth Center

Project Funders:
Graham Foundation for Advanced
Studies in the Fine Arts
Perkins + Will
Richard H. Driehaus Foundation

The Mobile Food Collective was showcased
in the U.S. Pavilion at the 12th International Architecture Exhibition of the 2010 Venice Biennale. Archeworks was among a prestigious collective of seven architecural groups from across the country participating in this exhibition, Workshopping: An American Model of Architectural Practice.

In response to growing public interest and awareness of the social, economic, and health benefits associated with local food production, Archeworks developed a family of flexible mobile structures that inspire people to play a more active role in the origin, growth and preparation of fresh foods, and to create a more participatory food culture. The ReBuilding Exchange, a newly launched non-profit, donated recycled building materials to build the Mobile Food Collective (MFC), a full-scale prototype that will be permanently based at the Comer Center. Students worked on steel fabrication of the prototype with Crosstree Metals.

The mission of the MFC is to develop and strengthening a system of cultural infrastructure that incorporates the themes of heritage, ownership, exchange, and connection into a new food culture. A new phase of implementation has begun to build networks of partnerships with nonprofits, community gardens, urban farms, grocery stores, and restaurants in neighborhoods across the city. The maiden voyage of the MFC was its Moveable Feast in Logan Square.

The MFC travels to nearby neighborhoods via a fleet of bike-operated modular units to engage residents in interactive educational programs related to sustainable local food production and preparation.

Beginning in Fall 2011, our Mobile Food Collective (MFC) is now an integral part of year-round urban agriculture education programs offered by Growing Power – a nationally recognized pioneer in grassroots urban food systems. The MFC is based at Iron Street Urban Farm in Bridgeport, and will provide a dynamic platform for public engagement as Growing Power expands its educational outreach in many ‘food desert’ neighborhoods, including several public housing communities. We are especially excited that teens from across the city who are part of Growing Power’s Youth Corps, an entrepreneurial youth development program, will use the MFC fleet in their role as healthy food ambassadors.

To learn more about Archeworks' design partnesrhip with Growing Power in the 2011-12 academic year, please click HERE.

For additional project information please visit the Mobile Food Collective blog.

SUPPORT THE MFC ON KICKSTARTER!