Rocket is co-founded by fourth-year architecture students Victoria Suen and Carrie Cheng through Enterprise Co-op. Our intention is to integrate agriculture with architecture to grow the number of food resources in urban cities.
We know first hand how tough architecture school is. Trying to find time to eat properly and source healthy food is time consuming. So we’re bringing fresh produce to our campus for our friends to eat healthier.
On average, food travels 1500 miles to reach our store shelves. This means that half the price of your food can be attributed to transportation costs and is therefore susceptible to fluctuations in fuel and gas prices. How do we protect ourselves from external market factors? How do we ensure our own food security?
Our solution is to reduce the distance of food travel from farm to table by growing produce locally in the community, using sustainable, clean technologies. We are looking to redirect the food dollar into our local economy and grow fresher, more nutritious food for our neighbours.
From an urban planning perspective, we are maximizing on the value of currently unused real estate, and relieving the costly burden of city service and infrastructure fees these spaces incur. The solution to grow locally in climate-controlled spaces ensures more reliable yields and takes advantage of the under-utilized spaces throughout the city. By locating our growing operations within the city, we are able to reach a larger market within a smaller radius. In our community we see opportunities on under-utilized
rooftops on high schools and universities to grow and sell produce back to school cafeterias.
Rocket is launching our pilot project in summer 2014. We will be selling fresh produce to students through one-time orders or subscription boxes to be picked up right at the school.
We believe it is possible and responsible to live bountifully within the limits of our local resources.
We define our city’s landscape to include underutilized spaces for growing sustainable and accessible agriculture on its rooftops.
We desire to share wholesome, nutritious and healthy food within city coordinates.
We inspire curiosity through taste buds to learn more about nature’s abilities; we want to connect the urban dweller back to nature.
We are urban residents that crave the crispness of freshly picked lettuce, the peppery crunch of raw arugula, and the sweet ting of farm-picked kale.
So we dedicated ourselves to produce the freshest, best tasting and quality culinary ingredients in the city to grow, sell, and teach our neighbours about local food systems.
Watch out for future posts and produce this summer 2014! Get in touch with us through: www. growrocket.ca
