A Vertical Nature: Between Utopia and Reality

A Vertical Nature is an exploration of how to integrate vertical gardening into a
dense, urban living condition. The site is Cedar Riverside, a large, low-income
housing complex located southeast of downtown Minneapolis. Designed by
Ralph Rapson, and conceived of as a modernist utopia, Cedar Riverside now sits
as an incomplete version of the original vision, although it has remained almost
fully occupied and a viable housing option for more than 40 years.

This project proposes community gardens, and an education and training facility
for the site. The community garden spaces are grafted onto the towers as an
addition for hydroponic gardening and community gathering space. The design
echoes the scale of the site while providing a means for community gathering and
food production. The hydroponic education facility addresses Cedar Avenue,
providing education for the public as well as the inhabitants of Riverside Plaza.