The project TURF – The URban Food Factory – aims to: 1. demonstrate how adaptive reuse of car parking structures for controlled environment agriculture can strengthen urban resilience,
2. develop a web-based decision support manual for the creation of Living Labs through the proposed up-cycling as novel strategies that transform urban neighbourhoods,
3. create interactive 3D models that improve understanding of the concept and support robust decision making on new perspectives on adaptive reuse for food provision as a driver for sustainable development.

The study takes a speculative, user-centered approach to get a better understanding of how Urban Farming Living Labs should be developed to contribute to the resilience of a specific urban neighbourhood. The study begins with selecting two urban car parking structures in Sweden and Poland as case studies explored first, through architectural analysis and photography, second through interviews with the key stakeholders.

The results will be used to develop a Web-based decision support manual and visual 3D models of “What can be 2030”. Based on virtual strategic models, we want to uncover the perceived difficulties in adapting multi-storey garages to act as catalysts for regenerative and resilient urban development.

The main target group are decision-makers, such as city planners, investors, and developers.