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Abstract
What is a sustainable city and is it possible to design the urban fabric toimprove environmental quality in addition to the human condition? This thesiswill explore how we can better create a working urban landscape, one thatrecycles energy and nutrient resources to a productive end, through the design ofurban agriculture. The methodological approach to this thesis is quantitative,using design research after completing a literature review of case studies. Thedesign application for the Youth Farm, a working urban farm, in Brooklyn, NewYork is assessed based on matrices compiled by the Sustainable Sites Initiativeto quantify ecosystem services in the landscape. The design proposal indicatesthat improved services are achievable in the urban agricultural landscape withoutmajor conflict to food productivity. This demonstration suggests that specificdesign strategies can improve an urban agricultural programs overallcontribution to urban sustainability.