Ineractive Qualifying Project: Vertical Gardening in Cape Town

As part of a WPI IQP in Cape Town, our team partnered with the Green Light Project to revitalize the Maitland Garden Village community garden. We addressed key local barriers—economic constraints, water scarcity, and physical demands—by implementing affordable, accessible, and space-efficient vertical gardening systems to enhance food security and social engagement.

I personally led the design and implementation of the sustainable irrigation system, which was critical for minimizing manual labor and water waste. The system utilized a rainwater collection tank, a pump-generator, and 42 sprinkler heads to distribute water evenly through a simple manual start-up. To ensure community independence, I produced detailed irrigation manuals and visual maintenance guides, enabling residents to operate and repair the system without external assistance.

Additionally, our team built multiple vertical garden structures for communal and private homes, featuring raised planter boxes and handrails for accessibility. These gardens were stocked with low-water, shallow-root herbs and vegetables, establishing a sustainable model for urban agriculture that empowered the community and restored residents' connection to gardening.

For additional details and access to the full report see the website link provided in this projects description