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Photo Urbanism 2011 2011–2012

From Roof to Table

Photo: Rob Stephenson

The 2011 Photo Urbanism fellowship was awarded to Rob Stephenson for his project "From Roof to Table," where he documented over 100 urban farms and gardens in NYC. 

A fine art photographer based in Brooklyn, Rob's interest in the presence of wilderness in cities, and the tension between natural and built environments, is what drives much of his work. For his Photo Urbanism fellowship, Rob spent a year visiting over one hundred urban farms and gardens throughout the five boroughs of New York City. His resulting photographs informed and supported our Five Borough Farm project and were prominently featured in the project publication and website.

In November 2012, the Design Trust published "From Roof to Table: Photographs by Rob Stephenson" as the final presentation of his project. Featuring 35 full-color photographs, along with short essays from the Design Trust and Rob, this print publication – the first book to be dedicated to a Photo Urbanism project – serves as a beautiful representation of urban agriculture in New York City and underscores the power of photography to illuminate New York City's diverse public realm.

about Photo Urbanism

In 2011, the Design Trust adopted a new curatorial approach to the Photo Urbanism program, linking the fellowship more directly to active Design Trust projects. By focusing the fellowship on a particular public space issue, we give the photographer access to communities and sites they would be unable to enter alone. In turn, the photographer’s artistic vision brings a new perspective, informing and illuminating the potential of our city’s undiscovered and under-used public spaces.

Exhibitions 


Program Support

New York City Department of Cultural Affairs

I was amazed by the amount and diversity of food that people are able to grow in such a seemingly inhospitable environment. From stalks of corn in a Bed-Stuy lot and rooftop bee hives in the shadow of the Chrysler building to watermelons and tanks of tilapia in Far Rockaway, Queens, everything that can be grown in the city is being grown.

Photos (32)
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Photo: Rob Stephenson

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63rd and 64th Street Community Garden, Sunset Park, Brooklyn

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Red Hook Community Farm, Red Hook, Brooklyn

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Berry Street Garden, Williamsburg, Brooklyn

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Bruckner Mott Haven Garden, South Bronx, Bronx

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Augustin, Decker Farm, New Springville, Staten Island

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Eagle Street Rooftop Farm, Greenpoint, Brooklyn

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Community Garden, East Harlem, Manhattan

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Essex Street Community Garden, Cyprus Hill, Brooklyn

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Garden of Happiness, East Tremont, Bronx

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Hell's Kitchen Farm Project, Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Hell's Kitchen Farm Project, Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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High School for Public Service Youth Farm, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Brooklyn

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Ingersoll Garden of Eden, Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Kissena Corridor Community Garden, Flushing, Queens

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Kissena Corridor Community Garden, Flushing, Queens

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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La Finca del Sur, South Bronx, Bronx

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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New Harvest Garden, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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NYC Beekeeping, Five Borough Green Roof, Randall's Island, Manhattan

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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NYC Beekeeping, Rooftop, Manhattan

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Phoenix Community Garden, Brownsville, Brooklyn

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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The Sun Works Center at PS333, Upper West Side, Manhattan

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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BIG!Compost, Queens

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Queens County Farm Museum, Glen Oaks, Queens

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Randall's Island Urban Farm, Randall's Island, Manhattan

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Riverpark Farm, Kips Bay, Manhattan

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Riverpark Farm, Kips Bay, Manhattan

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Seeds to Feed Rooftop Farm, Crown Heights, Brooklyn

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Abu Talib, Taqwa Community Farm, Highbridge, Bronx

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Taqwa Community Farm, Highbridge, Bronx

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Beverly, Temple of David Community Garden, East New York, Brooklyn

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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Temple of David Community Garden, East New York, Brooklyn

Photo: Rob Stephenson

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UCC Youth Farm, East New York, Brooklyn

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