Balcony cultivator: New biomimicry design approach in the sustainable device

Abstract

In 2015 the Biomimicry Institute released a call ’Biomimicry Global Challenge Design 2015′. The Biomimicry Institute is partnering with the Ray C. Anderson Foundation and food and conservation experts to solicit nature inspired solutions for food systems improvement. We decided to create a feasible concept applicable for next decades with the use of modern technology and biomimicry. In our device, we used a biomimetic approach to design artificial surfaces that are capable of directed liquid transport, based on the principles found in the Texas horned lizard. For this purpose, we analyzed the morphology of the capillary network of Phrynosoma cornutum and characterized the material properties of the animal’s surface. The final result was a balcony cultivator – sustainable device which is divided into three functional parts that mutually support each other. The first is a bottom part for composting, the second part is used for plant cultivation and the third part serves the irrigation. Balcony cultivator project is still at the conceptual stage, but within the Biomimicry Global Design Challenge Accelerator programme, the research team has already solved prototyping, testing, and developing business plans for product launch. We created unique design, which besides artistic value, carries sophisticated thinking and sustainable function.