Having moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, I learnt about Detroit's economic crisis and growing food insecurity. Through our Engineers Making a Difference class, Hana Baker, Michael Jocz, Willy Rosemblat, Jackie Wulfsohn and I decided to combat this issue by promoting urban farming through this project.
Design Statement
Our goal was to create a water catchment system that is efficient, durable, replicable, multigenerational friendly, and aesthetically pleasing in order to work with Focus: HOPE (a local non-profit) to combat the issue of food insecurity and promote nutrition and community involvement in Detroit.
Design Details
Our design serves a dual purpose of catching water to help maintain the garden beds and sparking curiosity among community members and bringing them into the garden.
The design consists of a sheltered bench with an angled roof to catch rainwater and collect it through a gutter system into a bucket at its base. Two benches could also be moved to face each other and create an intimate space.
We made a strong frame that could be finished with anything from plywood to a trellis. The plywood could then be covered with educational material, a blackboard, or just painted or stained for an aesthetically pleasing design.
Final Design Dimensions
Proposed Design for the Garden
Transportation and Mounting
Transporting the unit is a simple process with two adults. The user can attach heavy duty handles on the unit, one on the bench and one near the bottom of the back frame on the side, for easier lifting.
Water Catchment and Usage
We included a simple gutter system so the user can easily find the necessary materials to build the structure. We also recommend installing a mesh screen over the gutter makes it easier to maintain the gutter system and clean the debris.
Implementing a 5-gallon bucket as our bucket allows users to easily transport the water to the garden beds. A bucket fitted with wheels may be used for this purpose.
Our Prototype
The design meets the criteria established by Focus: HOPE and falls within the constraints of feasibility and safety that we placed on ourselves. The Unity for the Community design is aesthetically pleasing while it remains a safe structure to put in the community’s garden. It will spark community involvement and be easy to use for people of any age group. The unit’s water catchment capabilities will aid in allowing the garden at Focus: HOPE to flourish and the organization to provide for its community.
GO GREEN and GO BLUE!
