Plan A: PLANT PLANET
Challenging the hirerchy between plants and human.
Team-mates
Jumleena Bhagawati, Charlie Hou, Devin Wang
Date
20/04/23 - 27/04/23
Welcome to week 5 of our Project Plan A: Plant planet
In the last blog post, I detailed our exploration of world-building and the creation of compact diegetic prototypes within a dystopian future, entirely reliant on plant life.
This post delves into the subsequent stages of prototype refinement and iteration, aligning them more cohesively with the envisioned world. The blog encapsulates the developmental journey of the three prototypes, shedding light on the modifications made to enhance their coherence within the conceptual framework. Our documentation this week captures the evolution of these prototypes, showcasing the creative process and the adjustments undertaken to ensure a seamless integration into our envisioned futuristic scenario.
- Selecting the world-building concept-
From the two world-building concepts explored in the previous blog post (Greentocracy and Mars 2060), our latest entry focuses on the scenario where humanity establishes a colony on Mars, relying on plants for survival on the red planet. This choice was driven by the scenario's predictability and the substantial evidence supporting the feasibility of such an endeavor.
Our team eagerly embraced the opportunity to design within the context of Mars, drawn to the excitement of envisioning and crafting solutions for a scenario set on the red planet.
-- Prototype refinement --
Refing the prototypes
The three prototypes underwent a process of reiteration and redesign, aiming to enhance their meaningfulness, practicality within the scenario, and dramatic impact to elicit the desired response.
The original glass chamber, housing plants, evolved into a compact ecological case with environmental control features, illustrating a speculative living arrangement on Mars.
The wearable suit underwent modifications for improved wearer mobility, incorporating a heart-shaped central system to add depth to its meaning.
The bag concept evolved into a vase with an embedded NFC chip, offering a psychological connection to Earth for Mars inhabitants.
During this redesign process, it became apparent that a disconnect still existed among these three prototypes. However, we presented these concepts during the feedback session to gain valuable insights on how to develop these speculative concepts further.
--Development---
We gathered the necessary materials for our speculative prototype and initiated the construction process. Utilizing a switchable film linked to sensors, the ecological chamber aimed to imbue plants with an expressive element, allowing them to respond to their environment. Oxygen-producing plants were housed in transparent enclosures, offering a greener view of Mars' barren landscape. The plants, equipped with sensitivity, would autonomously close the glass when detecting threats and reopen once the danger subsided. For the heart prototype, a 3D model was crafted to serve as the central control system with a plant, aiding the wearer in breathing. Our teammate Devin designed a 3D model for the vase, incorporating an NFC chip to link to a flower-themed website.
- Feedback -
In our pre-feedback discussion, we presented the reimagined concepts, detailing each item's role within our envisioned scenario. The initial response to these concepts was overwhelmingly positive. Yet, as anticipated, the feedback session underscored a recognized challenge: a discernible disconnect between the items and their harmonious existence within the shared world we are constructing. This valuable insight propels us to refine our design, ensuring a seamless integration that aligns with our world-building narrative.
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