2022 Edition

Plant Wall was an exercise in implementing and validating a self developed design strategy for the use of plastic waste in product design, Volve. (See info graphic for Volve: Evolve, Revolve, and Involve). Food packaging in one of the largest culprits of single use plastic waste, and Plant wall targets this problematic material.  The ultimate intent of Plant Wall is to grow food in household or other urban settings in order to eliminate some of the need for food packaging, while utilizing the unique aspects of plastic waste to make a beautiful object. The intent is also to build the product from food packaging while also reducing the need for said packaging. Future versions of Plant Wall will have user options of fully Hydroponic or Soil based, Fully automated (watering and light) or fully interactive (user water and light control). In researching users, many enjoy the engagement of caring for plants while others want the benefits of a plant without the time required for care.  I wanted to design and make something that would take advantage of the affordances discovered when Evolving plastic waste. I planned to show the level of variation one can obtain when utilizing the material’s color flow and how the chaotic color variation could coincide and enhance a uniform pattern. I have always enjoyed dichotomy in design: large with small, curves with straight, smooth with rough. I wanted to emphasize something like a thin plastic bag turning into a solid rigid object. I wanted the object to make an impression and I felt that size was one way to achieve that. However, since I could only make relatively small parts, I designed something modular.  I allowed my waste materials, the exploration of waste items, and interactions with my community to drive the design. I spent the next few months in a traditional design process. Many hours were spent researching other designs, in group critiques, ideating, iterating shape, form, function, understanding market space, application environments and potential users. The result is a compelling modular dividing wall structure filled with plant life and color, showcasing the far-reaching possibilities of craft-scale product design using waste materials that are perceived to have no value.  For further detail, please feel free to browse the entire thesis included in the link below. Plant wall detailed on Pages 46-63.