How Food Shapes Architecture: A Reversal of the Standard Narrative

A recent article on ArchDaily challenges the conventional history of architecture and food, arguing that food systems—not architects—are the primary shapers of the built environment. The piece posits that commodities like tomatoes, cod, and soybeans have driven the construction of cities, ports, and landscapes, often without architects' awareness. Examples include the tomato building Almería, cod redesigning the North Atlantic, and soybeans simultaneously constructing a port in Santos and demolishing the Cerrado forest. The article suggests architecture is often a consequence of food's territorial ambitions, not a deliberate project.