2.18 Urban Farming with Purpose: Principles of Permaculture with Ruth Meghiddo, AIA

“To me permaculture is really planning. It’s a road to sustainability. And I will add that may be not commonly used but its part of it is resilience.” Ruth Meghiddo, AIA, of Meghiddo Architects, founded Farm Urbana in 2014 with the vision for cities to become prosperous and sustainable. Ruth’s passion for urban farming began decades earlier, as a student at UCLA. There, she published a pioneering thesis in sustainability, “Agriculture in Urban Environments: City and Farm Romance.” Her background in architecture and urban design inspired her to create edible garden solutions. She became a Certified Permaculture Design Consultant. She draws from permaculture design the agenda of natural green living and create the urban framework for consciously designed local farming landscapes to provide sustainable and resilient cities. They are keen to incorporate the element of farming into the built environment, connect to nature, and activate local communities around growing fresh food and a healthy lifestyle. Ruth discusses history of permaculture, the principles and how she envisions permaculture to be a provide a roadmap to sustainable urban living for all people.