On Human Relationship with Plants: Beyond Plant Blindness.
Innovation Design Prize - Innovation School (Glasgow School of Art)
There is an urgent need to reconsider our relationship with plants and as designers there is an opportunity to shift perspective toward reciprocity and recognition of their right to exist as opposed to considering them only as raw materials.
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The project is a set of three hybrid pots that act as links and facilitators of a conversation between plants and humans focusing on spending quality time, observation methodologies and listening. It addresses the problem of plant blindness and acknowledges attention as a doorway towards achieving balance between humans and non-humans for a more sustainable world.
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The objects propose to look at plants differently and explore new ways of interacting with them, focusing on enhancing a personal relationship with them and being more attentive to their physiological aspects. The idea is to make people understand the plant system on a micro level, which could lead to having more sensitivity and respect towards plants on a macro level too.
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The project takes place in the domestic environment where the objectification of plants plays a key role; as well as in public spaces such as galleries or botanical gardens with an educational and reflective mission toward decolonizing plants and making the plant blindness issue accessible and tangible.
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Plants emit ultrasounds and their frequency increase when the plant is understress such a drought. The Phono-Pot becomes a tool to respond better to plants water needs by listening to them.
The Stool-Pot brings you face to face with the plant and invites you to a conversation through observation. This object can also be used along with sketchbook to draw the plant and focus on details even more.
The Lazzy-Pot proposes a new perspective on plants from underneath while emphasizing on comfort. This shift in perspective invites curiosity and allows to build appreciation and knowledges from another angle.
Design Probes
As part of my project, I created a remote engagement with few people to test the observation methodology in th indoor context
Quotes from engagement participants
Hybrid Pots Concepts developped following engagement
Clay prototypes 1:10
In may 2021, the conditions have been particular due to covid.
This video gives an overview of the making process and home workshop.
Publication
June 2021