Alessandra Crupi

HarvestPOD

With the growing disconnect from the farm-to-table process and the additional climate crisis, seed banks/depositories are becoming a priority in our ever-changing world. How do we aid crop production on a smaller scale, particularly in an urban setting, with limited resources and access to knowledge?

“The HarvestPOD is a personal seed depository for urban use. The design was to prioritize the success rate of saving and storing seeds from the best plants each year, as these will be more adapted to grow in the particular climatic and soil conditions. The materials are repurposed, the filtration system is composed of food-safe Silica beads, a drying agent used to absorb any moisture and condensation within the seeds and surrounding environment within the pod. While the exterior structure would be created using a metamaterial, glass-polymer hybrid, with the ability to cool, even when in direct contact with sunlight, with no consumption of energy or water - making the product easily adaptable to any direction facing apartment or condo. HarvestPOD not only assists with saving seeds but seeks to improve seed exchange and community garden use within the city by creating a knowledge base online. Additional information regarding the process and research behind the concept can be found at the link above.”