Let’s Connect ConPónico explores how a retired shipping container could support urban food growing and cold storage, drawing on learning between Germany and Cuba.
Prototype conceptAll initiatives
The concept brings container-based infrastructure together with Cuba's organopónico tradition of urban gardens. Seeds of Friendship e.V. describes a prototype concept for Eberswalde, Germany, and a longer-term knowledge connection to Sancti Spíritus, Cuba.
The proposed container has space for equipment and cultivation, an area for processing and sales, and a solar-powered cooling area. The design aims to make growing and storage more useful in places with limited infrastructure.
The proposed collaboration brings together students, engineers and urban-agriculture practitioners. Any transfer to Cuba would follow development and testing.
ConPónico combines a reused shipping container with the knowledge of Cuban urban gardens. Explore the three functions in the proposed design.
A tool room supports cultivation and the practical work of an urban garden. The concept draws on organopónicos: Cuba’s raised-bed, organic growing tradition.
The container supports the garden around it. It brings equipment and growing knowledge into one local setting.
A kitchen and processing area is proposed as the next link between growing food and using it. The proposed design also includes space for preparing products for sale.
The design connects growing with processing, so these activities can support one another.
A solar-powered cold room is the third function. It is intended to help store produce where reliable cooling is difficult to access.
The solar-cooling concept will need development and testing before use.
A prototype concept connecting Eberswalde, Germany, with Sancti Spíritus, Cuba. Development and testing would come before any transfer.