LED PLANTER PROJECT
Liyema Ntsebeza
BRIEF
We were to design a functional LED kitchen planter designed for indoor use. The planter was to be fabricated in 1.5mm white ABS plastic, left unpainted. It was to have LED lights to serve as a grow light. It had to contain 1 curve and we had to consider the interplay between light and shadows when building and photographing our planter. It also required three potting areas that were to be 10mm x 10mm.
SKETCHES
The sketches explored a wide range of possible prototype designs. It utilises modern design trends but is particularly inspired by Apple's product designs. I considered balanced, symmetrical forms that considered both aesthetics and function.
mockup
The initial feedback received after presenting the mock-up was that it looked good but the gap between the plants and the LED Light Array is too small and should be changed to accommodate the Grow Module that would be moving in and out of the Base Station.
PROCESS
I didn't capture much of the manufacturing process unfortunately, but this design was a challenge. The largest panels on the planter (front and back of Base Station + Grow Module) are under significant tension so keeping them together was difficult.
The LED Light Module, located on the top of the planter faces significant compressive force, which I resolved the creating an arch on top of the planter, allowing for the main arch of the planter to withstand the pressure the Base Station panels are placing on it.
I decided to move the Status Indicator to the top of the planter, which reduced the amount of LED light strips needed and simplified the construction of the planter by centralizing all of the planter's electronics on the LED Light Module. I also decided to drop the front fascia of the LED Light Module due to the fact that it would complicate the design further and would compromise the portability (carrying handle) and the general stability of the device (planter).
FINAL PROTOTYPE
The final prototype aims for simplicity and familiarity. Its designed in line with modern design trends to fit in any home and is incredibly simple to use. Setup is easy, just put your preferred plant in, plug in the adapter and then plug that into the wall.
Tagline: "THIS IS II" - Botanica II, Biologic Inc. - 2024.
PROJECT REFLECTIONS
The project demanded a lot of problem solving skills. The planter itself contains voids, panel gaps and glue spots. The tensile forces acting on the planter were difficult to resolve. However, I am satisfied with the end product. The product is fully realised and functional.
