The role of agriculture in configuration of urban landscape

Recent constructions and city developments have led to elimination of urban agricultural lands which have been replaced by residential and industrial towns in the new structure. Therefore, a green structure was added to the city structure in order to bring natural spirits to the urbanites; a widespread urban space which was considered the city’s lungs and was used only as a promenading space. Urban landscape design was influenced by costs rising and the economic crisis that led to the configuration of an idea for multi-functional business applications and eventually resulted in revision of green networks in urban structures and initiation of urban agricultural landscape. The productive green space in two main aspects, agricultural and garden preservation as new function of creating new productive spaces, has the capability to be consumed as a part of urbanites requirements. In this case, the consumed water and land resources are directly utilized by urbanites and the consuming green space becomes a productive one. Urban agricultural land revitalization and development within the hierarchy of private to public space can progress an integrated urban agricultural figure. Therefore, urban green space will be allocated to cultivation of a little amount of agricultural products. In this approach, the visual and conceptual urban agriculture is presented differently from different parks, community gardens and urban farms to residents. Agricultural landscape creates a new urban environment and a live landscape by affecting different layers of urban life such as environmental sustainability in producing and consuming process, and by improving public participation in management and preservation of urban green space, offering urban naturalism, providing a sense of place and affiliation in urban green space and by preservation and formation of cultural landscape. This space will connect the urbanites to the nature and result in social interactions, environmental educations, local market improvement, local consumption, employment opportunities and social leisure facilities. Hence, through the continuity of urban agriculture, green space is connected to the social, economic and environmental issues differently and the city embraces a life style that will reduce the loss of energy. Since the productive green space can be created in every city in every scale and its least benefit is the returning of green space maintenance costs, it can be considered as a policy for urban green spaces design and present a naturalistic landscape for the city.