Design Projects
The Farm Cart represents an exciting proof of concept: a highly visible, modular, and participatory tool that embodies the larger aspirations of MIT Farm while remaining flexible enough to adapt to different uses and contexts.
Design Team:
Zachary Rapaport, Courage Dzidula Kpodo, Aleksandra Banaś
Build Team:
Zachary Rapaport, Courage Dzidula KpodoBuild
Advisors:
Christopher Dewart, Miho Mazereeuw, Lisbeth Shepherd, Susy Jones
Materials: Reclaimed pine wood, polycarbonate panels, stainless steel sheetSize: 2.5 x 6 x 6.5 ft.Date: July - August 2025
The design priorities centered on flexibility, adaptability, and engagement. The cart needed to work across campus in different settings and seasons serving as a greenhouse-like enclosure in winter, a tool for storage and preservation, and an open planter in warmer months.
A key feature is its two detachable towers, and mini planters, which allow for distributed growing. These elements can be placed on windowsills, in classrooms, or in community spaces, extending the farm’s reach beyond a single site. This mobility also fosters ownership and stewardship, inviting student groups, labs, and campus partners to adopt and adapt the system to their own purposes, creating a shared responsibility for its care and evolution.
UA Garden
The Farm Cart represents an exciting proof of concept: a highly visible, modular, and participatory tool that embodies the larger aspirations of MIT Farm while remaining flexible enough to adapt to different uses and contexts.
Design Team:
Nayeon Kim, Aleks Banaś, Zachary Rapaport,
Build Team:
Nayeon Kim, Aleks Banaś, Zachary Rapaport,
Advisors:
John Oschendorf, Christopher Dewart,
Materials: Reclaimed pine wood, polycarbonate panels, stainless steel sheetSize: 2.5 x 6 x 6.5 ft.Date: July - August 2025
The design priorities centered on flexibility, adaptability, and engagement. The cart needed to work across campus in different settings and seasons serving as a greenhouse-like enclosure in winter, a tool for storage and preservation, and an open planter in warmer months.
A key feature is its two detachable towers, and mini planters, which allow for distributed growing. These elements can be placed on windowsills, in classrooms, or in community spaces, extending the farm’s reach beyond a single site. This mobility also fosters ownership and stewardship, inviting student groups, labs, and campus partners to adopt and adapt the system to their own purposes, creating a shared responsibility for its care and evolution.
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Fresh Food Access
Design Projects
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