Class Input:

-"one water glass" idea - the concept that when people go to the sink they often grab a glass of water, drink half of it, and dump the rest out. What if this excess could easily be poured into the "sink herb garden" instead? 

-Put further consideration into the water holding at the top (perhaps incorporating the element of rain), drainage at the base, and adding lighting. 

-Materiality: consider using plastic or something semi-transparent, sheet metal (stainless steel), or the possibility of ceramics. (putting a logo on the design?)

-stainless steel fabricators

MAC industries and Elliott's Speciality Sheet Metal Inc.

bending sheet metal, wielding (consider spot wielding)

Consider fabric hinges between metal segments

Basic Form Study Models

Interplay Between Reused Water and Design.

Considering how function molds shape.

Garden Sink Interlocking Relationship

As my design becomes refined I am interested in how the garden can be linked to a water source. As water becomes a increasingly valued resource we must learn to use it wisely. This can partly be done by reusing grey water, which has significant impacts on overall household water usage.  I am looking at the space directly behind the sink as a viable location for a herb garden. This garden could be set up so that wash water could be used on the plants. I'm looking into all different methods of how this could happen. I'm also interested in how by flipping a switch drained water can be returned to the sink. This sort of system seems pretty straightforward and streamline. I think it can also be visually beautiful as well. Perhaps when water filters out it could create a sound? Maybe it could be useful and artful....

As far as physical work I am currently building a working prototype in my own kitchen to play with the design and how the shape can interact with the sink and the cycling of water can be most efficient. 

I've been inspired lately by Veg. itecture: investigating vegetated architecture beyond green. It's very interesting but geared towards a larger scale of design. 

http://www.vegitecture.net/2009/11/ebbw-vale-vertical-gardens.html

                                 

                                  

                                               

Notes on what plants can grow where:

1. leafy vegetables like lettuce, cabbage, and greens do well in limited sunlight, making good choices for partly shady areas.
2. More Sunshine ( or lighting) consider: tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, beans, carrots, radishes. Or vine crops like squash (need support to not break), pumpkins, and cucumbers ( but the container must be deep enough to accommodate them in terms of size).
3. Peas: green peas or English peas. 
4. Tomatoes: can be trained up a fence, or can grow upside down
5. cucumber: this is a great plant for vertical planting. The tendrils look for vertcal things to grab onto. 
6. Beans: all beans come in either pole or bush varieties. pole beans would be good in a vertical wall layout
7. consider bell peppers, and lima beans
8. passion fruit, melons and grapes can also all be grown vertically
9. corn grown vertically naturally and beans can be attatched to stocks as they grow upwards.

I am looking at what plants can be grown in vertical garden environments, as well as what plants have the ability to lower air pollution (which is an increasing problem in city living). I was looking at a particular study done by NASA that directly relates to these questions. The study was originally conducted to clean up air within space ships. Below are the basics of what I gained from this research:

1. Indoor air pollution is often worse than outdoor air pollution due to chemicals within homes
2. from cleaners and disinfectants to the VOC's emitted from carpets and paints etc, indoor air pollution sometimes builds up.
3. the study showed that many houseplants also remove harmful elements such as trichloroethylene, benzene, and formaldehyde from the air. Plus they're removing CO2 anyways. 
4. Three main chemicals are found in your home. Trichloroethylene is used in paints and varnishes, Formaldehyde is used in many building materials and Benzene is found often in paints.
   

5. Although all plants help indoor air pollution, some are better than others in absorbing chemicals and removing CO2. You can get most of these houseplants right from your nursery. It’s always handy to have some plants in your home.. but these are some of the best:

   • Philodendron scandens or domesticum
   • Dracaena
   • English ivy
   • Spider plant
   • golden pothos
   • peace lily
   • Chinese evergreen
   Here are two links that show the research around the NASA study
   http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19930072972_1993072972.pdf
   
   
   
   
   
   http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19930073015_1993073015.pdf
   

Click to enlarge:

  

http://www.verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com

I have been really inspired by the work of Patrick Blanc. His work has helped me gain a better understanding of the environments plants can grow within, especially on vertical spaces. I have been in e-mail contact with him asking more specific questions about how I might achieve my project goal. This is ultimately creating a self contained food yielding garden within a small urban apartment environment. I want this product to utilize vertical space within the apartment, not be messy, use gray water, and be specialized to grow a few varieties of plants.

This is not a Patrick Blanc project but the rendering shows the idea of a pump in water circulation which could be interesting. After reading his work I am interesting in how an edible vertical garden space could also help with apartment climate control and air filtration. 

                                          

                                              

Youtube Video I watched about "edible living walls"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O--eJ6wSuQE