window farms are vertical, hydroponic, modular, low-energy, high-yield edible window gardens built using low-impact or recycled local materials. The goal of the project is to create a new Research & Development model which puts the awesome power of discovery and creation into the hands of the masses, and then spread the know-how to every participant.
Britta Riley and Rebecca Bray are artists working to create crowdsourced R&D solutions for environmental issues. Their inspiration for community involvement derives from concepts of local production (think of the coming network of 3D multi-material printers) and mass collaboration enabled by Web 2.0. They envision the DIY aspect, not as a nostalgia-inducing hobby or a compromise during hard financial times, but as a futuristic infrastructure-light alternative to big R&D. They work to frame a movement where people feel validated, welcomed into an effort to break apart scientific breakthroughs into actionable tasks, and motivated to contribute. They believe it's time to take the potential contributions of the general public to the environmental movement more seriously. They are currently residents at Eyebeam, the art and technology atelier in New York. Their work has been featured in ArtNews, on the Discovery Channel, at the Venice Biennale, and the A+C gallery in Chicago. They own an interactive design agency in New York, Submersible Design, through which they consult with science and art museums about creating participatory media.
Visit the project sites @ http://brittaandrebecca.org and http://windowfarms.org - contact Britta & Rebecca if you would like to make your own Window Farm
