FOOD PRODUCTION ENHANCEMENT

The introduction of an agricultural land bridge over the I-94 freeway seeks to uplift and improve the existing community garden movement in Northside Minneapolis by providing space for large-scale growing fields and greenhouses. The increased production capabilities including deep winter greenhouses developed by the University of Minnesota, enhances the twenty-four active neighborhood gardens. By providing a central location, it makes the dispersed gardening community visible.
The design exploration that generated this idea began at the scale of a single-family home and grew to the community scale. Discussions with the community revealed a need for riverfront connection and engagement of existing community garden programs. Research and cost-benefit analysis of deep winter greenhouses showed they would not only expand the growing year to include winter during their twenty-year lifespan, but also would pay for themselves in just five years.
The agricultural goals of the project drive the design and program of the land bridge that connects the community to the riverfront it has been severed from, making space for growing food in the heart of Northern Minneapolis.