Grow local. Share fresh.
FarmUp is a project that integrates unused spaces, providers and consumers through an app to create a cycle of resource sharing. It is hoped that the project will provide better urban living for both growers and consumers as well as increase the use of urban space.
Background & Research
Idle Rooftop Spaces in Taipei City, Taiwan
In a city of tightly packed buildings and rising property pressure, rooftops in Taipei represent an overlooked opportunity. Although government subsidy programmes have attempted to activate these spaces through urban farming, a lack of structure and community coordination has left many rooftops mismanaged or abandoned.
Limitations of the Government Subsidy Programme
In 2017, Taiwan’s government launched initiatives to promote urban greening through rooftop gardens. However, these efforts faced challenges due to limited community engagement and maintenance issues, highlighting the need for structured management and resident collaboration.
Main Challenge
Despite the programme’s good intentions, the greatest barrier lies in inconsistent community management. Each residential complex has its own rules and priorities, and lack of effective communication among residents often leads to stalled decision-making or disputes. As a result, many promising projects fail to take root, highlighting the need for tools or services that can support transparent, inclusive participation and long-term collaboration.
User Research
Interview Insight – Community Manager
To understand the implementation challenges behind rooftop gardening initiatives, I interviewed a community manager who had first-hand experience with a government-subsidised greening programme.
Key Takeaways
-
Lack of a proper management system led to disorganised planting and internal disputes.
-
Oversupply of crops with no plan for distribution discouraged long-term participation.
User Pain Points Across Stakeholders
For the Community Commission /
Facility Manager
For the Planters / Retirees
For the Residents / Office Worker
This map outlines how users, facilitators, and digital tools interact to activate idle rooftop spaces into productive, community-driven farms. Focus is placed on access, task distribution, and operational coordination.
Step1: Enabling Access to Urban Micro-Farming
Journey Map - Space Management
Step 2: Delivering Produce and Value Across Stakeholders
This diagram illustrates how harvested produce and value are exchanged across user roles—from growers to buyers—highlighting logistics, transactions, and motivation loops within the service journey.
Journey Map - Buy & Sell
UI Design -Buy & Sell
Buyers browse by location and freshness, select products, and coordinate pickup directly with community growers—making local sourcing convenient and engaging.
Sellers can easily list their produce and update availability in real time. The system supports flexible pickup times and local visibility to nearby buyers.
UI Design -Management
The management interface helps community staff visualise plot usage, approve applications, and track tool requests and produce data. It simplifies communication between residents and ensures better coordination of rooftop farming.
View other works
