Identity, food and landscape character in the urban context

Abstract

Urban landscape character has been influenced by the evolving interactions between people and their lifestyles, food and city form. Concerns of urban populations about food production and consumption issues have led to a greater awareness of our links with food and how our food choices influence lifestyles. Consumer literature commonly categorises consumer types or identities, while the landscape literature similarly categorises landscapes through the production of typologies and character areas. In an examination of concept, this paper identifies and examines urban ‘foodscape’ character typologies where the interaction between people and food has a strong influence on the form, function and character of the present landscape. It draws on literature across a range of disciplines and uses an examination of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK to suggest a typology which reveals seven foodscape character types which are described and discussed.

Keywords:

• Food landscapes
• urban agriculture
• foodscape
• urban character
• food consumption

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.