Mike Cohen

Mike Cohen is an artist and designer interested in creating works that play with people's perception of things. He uses light, sound, sculpture and the screen to construct environments and ideas that gives a viewer the sense that something is different than what should be. Having a long history of using computers back to the days of the Commodore 64, he has always been fascinated with technology. His current focus is in audio and visual performance and installation, ranging from creating new instruments to music visualization.
Planting Steps
Co-Designer & Co-Fabricator

Planting Steps was created in collaboration with Michelle Temple and David Phillips

The resurgence of hydroponic farming has provided us with a unique opportunity to rethink the world. No longer do we need to buy all of our groceries from a brand that ships them across the country. Instead, it can be localized. Hyper-localized, say, in your living room. Indoor low scale hydroponic farms provide year round harvesting for as many plants as you can fit in your home. We believe that there is a market for folks who wish to grow food in their home. They don't have a lot of time and they have a contemporary sense of aesthetic. Normally, you wouldn't put a farm in your living room. Well, we're here to change that.

The project is a vertical, flat pack system, so anyone who can put together an Ikea bookshelf will be fully prepared to put together our farm. In short, it's Ikea meets Whole Foods.Our team is committed to the goal of building a low-maintenance hydroponic farm that you will feel comfortable, even proud, of placing in your living room or family room. We were inspired by the localization movement, self-sufficiency and the chance to save some money on groceries.

© Michael Cohen 2025