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 6 of our Project Plan A: Plant planet
In our recent blog post, I provided an in-depth exploration of the evolution of our reimagined prototypes. In this blog we venture into the next phase, delving into the intricate stages of further refinement. The spotlight of this post is on honing our prototypes while intricately weaving a plausible scenario for their existence. Through this journey, we showcased how we shaped not just the physical form of our designs but also the narrative context, breathing life into our diegetic prototypes within a world that resonates with authenticity and purpose.
- Finalizing our scenario -
Story:
In the year 2040, a daring thirteen-year mission unfolded on Mars, sustaining a crew of seven pioneers. Among them was a botanist, with a mission to create a sustainable ecosystem on Mars utilizing plant life to support and sustain life beyond Earth. Thus lays the groundwork for future human habitation on Mars. After 7 years, Mars showed its potential, becoming a refuge for those who could escape Earth's sad state—a once-lively place now turned into a dry desert with really bad air.
As alarms rang for Earth's evacuation due to war and climate chaos, all projects to keep our planet sustainable stopped. In this mess, our story zooms into the life of our main character, the botanist who was once crucial to the initial Mars mission but then faced a powerful irony. The botanist never went to Mars on the Mars mission. While many sought refuge on Mars, the botanist remained on Earth, determined to find solutions for those unable to escape.
Within the story we placed our prototypes: After countless wars, population explosions, and water scarcity, our living conditions deteriorated significantly. Mass extinctions of plants led to the Earth losing its ability to produce oxygen, and many species died.
The ecological chamber:
The botanist brought the only uncontaminated plants from the earth and protected them. He then devised a method that transformed his home into a sealed ecological chamber, where humans and plants relied on each other to sustain life within. By linking sensors, he gave the plants the opportunity to express their emotions. These oxygen plants were placed in transparent enclosures overlooking a dry landscape of destroyed earth. In the small greenhouse, when the sensitive plants detect unfamiliar threats they will choose to close the clear glass of the greenhouse to hide themselves, and when the threat is gone, they will reopen the glass.
The broken vase:
In addition to the plants that accompanied him, a broken vase that records the endangered or extinct plants on the earth through the NFC chip. In the dead of night, the beautiful flowers appear on the screen, one may have been his favorite. At least, he is not alone on a lonely planet.
About the suit:
Since the protagonist needs to go out frequently to explore and discover more places where plants may be grown, he designed a suit that increases the level of oxygen. He also designed the device on the chest to look like a heart. It is closer to the heart, so it can be well protected and is connected to the filter mask through pipes for the circulation of carbon dioxide and oxygen. Even with the low oxygen levels outside, our botanist could still venture outdoors while wearing oxygen-supplying suits. However, the limitations were evident; one couldn't engage in extreme activities, and mobility was restricted.
- Planning and construction -
We procured essential materials for crafting our prototypes, discovering a fitting technology in the form of a switchable film ideal for the ecological chamber. Through intricate modifications, we embedded distance sensors, causing the glass to turn opaque when approached too closely, emphasizing a delicate balance. Adjustments were applied to the vase model, symbolizing a fractured world bereft of flowers, visually echoing the metaphor. The deconstructed design was then realized through 3D printing. Simultaneously, the heart model underwent a similar process, with pipes securing connections between the plant housed in the mechanical heart and the user's mouth, illustrating a fusion of technology and nature.
Image showing the 3d printed components for our heart.
Image showing the 3d printed components for our ecological chamber.
Image showing the 3d printed version of our vase showcasing the last flower on earth along with a visualization of the last flower.
- Feedback -
In our pre-feedback discussion, we detailed the final narrative, outlining the distinct roles of each item within our envisioned scenario. While the response to the concepts was predominantly positive, there were observations about the extensive world and scenario-building. Recommendations underscored the importance of establishing a more explicit connection between the diegetic prototypes to enhance communication. Valuable advice was also given for storytelling, suggesting the creation of a concise animation or movie to add a dynamic visual element to our concept presentation.
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