Rooftop Greenhouses, Now by Mail Order

For all the press it has received, urban farming is often portrayed as a practice consisting solely of elbow grease and some vacant land. And while it may not require any more than that at the bare minimum, promises of truly land-efficient urban food production come most often in the form of forward-thinking structures that are designed to make good use of limited space. Where, then, can grassroots and high design find common ground to grow on?

Enter the Globe / Hedron, by Zürich-based Conceptual Devices. The geodesic dome "would house an aquaponics system," Stone writes – "a mini-ecosystem in which plants clean the water where fish swim and fish waste fertilizes the plants – capable of feeding 16 people year-round. The unique structure of the dome... would support the weight of the fish tank, enabling installation on flat roofs without adapting the structure of the building."

"Panels on the dome's exterior would provide both shade and insulation, allowing the the structure to adapt to local environments, while the compact size and easy assembly would enable it to be shipped around the world."