Botanist
Glasgow School of Art / 2020 / Individual project
The brief for this project was to explore the landscape of eating, cooking, trade, farming and waste. This product looks at how the current mass-farming system can be reimagined to meet consumption on an individual basis, as well as bringing awareness to the unsustainability of current water systems.
Botanist is a hydroponic planter that utilises the waste water coming from the sink to feed small crops, such as herbs or tomato plants.
The main specification of this project was to keep the design as compact and intuitive as possible to optimise ‘empty spaces’ in the kitchen. From a small study of 20 kitchens, it was clear that the area under the sink was functionally obsolete, most using it as storage for various cleaning products or not at all. This area became the main target for the product, but the modular design allows users to use the system however they see fit.
The main specification of this project was to keep the design as compact and intuitive as possible to optimise ‘empty spaces’ in the kitchen. From a small study of 20 kitchens, it was clear that the area under the sink was functionally obsolete, most using it as storage for various cleaning products or not at all. This area became the main target for the product, but the modular design allows users to use the system however they see fit.
This project also presented an opportunity to explore current existing solutions to urban farming. A visit to a vertical farm in Dundee proved invaluable in researching the requirements of an urban farm.
By repurposing the waste water poured down the sink, we are forced to reconsider what chemicals we are using, particularly as there are now visible consequences to our actions.
By repurposing the waste water poured down the sink, we are forced to reconsider what chemicals we are using, particularly as there are now visible consequences to our actions.
