Design + Innovation
We believe design involves rethinking relationships and systems to realize optimal results. With a focus on triple-bottomline sustainability (enhancing people, planet and profit), our work has gone beyond the drawing board to impact lives for the better.
Key Design Projects:
- Agriculture development project Kazakhstan (Fact-finding Mission & Feasibility Study) 2013-present.
- Lenya School Aquaponics Project (Feasibility Study, System Design, Planning, Implementation, Monitoring & Evaluation) 2012- present.
- Disaster Relief Project (System Design & Planning), 2012.
- SPIN Center- MIT CoLab Aquaponics project (System Design, Planning & Implementation) 2010-2012.
- Shell Nigeria-RSUST Aquaponics Project Nigeria (Fact-finding Mission, Feasibility Study, System Design & Planning) 2009-2010.


1. Polluted Farming Community
e.g. Rural Niger Delta, Nigeria.
Environmental Challenges:
- Oil-polluted in water and soil.
Economic Challenges:
- Low quality local fish production.
- High fish import prices from Europe.
Social Challenge:
- Marginalization from oil wealth
Design Highlights:
- Aquaponics infrastructure with temporary housing.
- Reciprocal energy partnership with Oil Company.
- Reincorporation of local canoe-craft and skills

2. Marginalized Rural Community
e.g Rural Lenya, Kenya.
Economic Challenges:
- Low employment alternatives to fishing.
Environmental Challenges:
- Reduced natural fish stocks.
- Seasonal draught for farming and fishing.
Social Challenge:
- High drop-out rate from school to practice fishing.
Design Highlights:
- Low-tech aquaponics farm; 100% locally sourced materials.
- School partnership in training and supervising students.
- Introducing “home-grown” innovation contests and entrepreneurship at school.
- Creation of community education hub.


3. Post-Disaster Community
e.g. Semi-urban refugee camp, Mali .
Economic Challenges:
- Low employment opportunity
Environmental Challenges:
- Intense Drought
- Natural disaster
Social Challenge:
- Need for community center for food distribution and water collection.
Design Highlights:
- Disaster relief appropriate, easily deployable with shipping container.
- Off-grid power source (solar power).
- Rainwater collection on-site.


4. Income Diversification Community
e.g Semi-rural South Kazakhstan.
Economic Challenges:
- Concentrated income source
- High unemployment
- Seeking sustainable food security measures.
Environmental Challenge:
- Extreme climatic condititions.
Social Challenge:
- Tentative community cohesion.
Fact-finding mission:
- Evaluating resource availability.
- Identifying potential local partnerships.
- Understanding client socioeconomic context.
- Assessing value-added enterprises.
- Documenting local construction techniques.
Outcome:
- Fact-finding report (in progress).
- Kazakhstan Ecosystem design proposal