Farm to Pharm Concept Honored in Fast Company’s 2021 World Changing Ideas Awards

By Chris Hudson | May 20, 2021

In HGA’s Farm to Pharm concept, “grow sheet” panels integrated into housing provide residents with medicinal produce tailored to their individual health needs. Rendering by HGA.

SPOTLIGHT

Earlier this month, Fast Company announced the winners of its 2021 World Changing Ideas Awards, and one of the honors went to a Minnesota-founded firm. HGA received an honorable mention in the Spaces, Places, and Cities category for Farm to Pharm, a concept that proposes redirecting healthcare investments to prevent disease and promote wellness through the production and equitable distribution of medicinal food. Farm to Pharm capitalizes on advances in biotechnology. It takes architectural form in modular community centers (“grow hubs,” shown below) that promote and distribute locally grown, fortified foods, and in lightweight, biodegradable panels (“grow sheets,” shown above) that grow produce tailored to the health needs of individuals or households. The health-themed community hubs are envisioned to revitalize underutilized sites and buildings and bring high-tech jobs to communities in economically challenged areas. More details on Farm to Pharm, including a video presentation by members of the project team, can be found here.

A Farm to Pharm health-themed community center, or “grow hub.” Rendering by HGA.