Vertical Farm designer Dickson Despommier: “The best way is to farm in urban centers, because that’s where we all live.” (2008)

At ELSEE, a small-scale vertical urban farm serves as a teaching tool, rather than a production facility. It uses aquaculture and hydroponics technologies, and features two stories, a rooftop garden, and a seating area. The space-saving vertical farm frees more land for use as native ecological gardens including abundant native edible plants.

One goal is to restore as much of our soils to as natural a state as possible, while growing short-term conventional food crops in vertical gardens to conserve natural habitat in the urban environment.

Structure         Plants

Enclosure         Motor

This detail view of the roof includes a fountain with a recirculating waterfall.

See more of Dickson Despommier explaining the details of Vertical Farming.

ELSEE is sponsored by the California Native Garden Foundation (CNGF).