Project Outline

Aims of Project

• To grow healthy plants that can thrive in urban or hostile settings E.g. small plots and in limited spaces in buildings.
• To grow plants that benefit the environment and ourselves. E.g. edible plants, plants that reduce pollution, plants that require low resource utilisation, plants that take in waste products from another cycle and add value to the system
• Maximise space usage and minimise resource utilisation for growing plants in Urban Settings.

Nature of Project

• To conduct literature research on Urban Agriculture and related methodologies, technologies and best practices
• To visit, capture and document good practices of Agriculture and Gardening practices and examples.
• To test and trial out in Urban Settings such as
  • Gardens and Spaces in Landed Property
  • Private Apartments and Condominiums
  • HDB Homes
  • Public Spaces like corridors, roof-tops, community gardens

Understanding

Considerations

• Possible Urban Spaces and locations for Plants
  • Corridors of Buildings i.e. HDB
  • Front Garden and backyards of landed properties
  • Community Gardens
  • Roof-top Gardens
• Sunlight, Water and Air
  • Availability, Penetration
  • Quality
  • Intensity
  • Regularity
• Choice of Plants
• Indoor Vs Outdoor Plants
• Useful Vs Ornamental Plants
• Evergreens Vs Tropical Vs Temperate Plants
• Substrate Type
• Soil-based Vs aeroponic Vs hydroponic Systems
• Amount of Time, Effort and Care Required
• Easy to Grow Vs Difficult to Grow Plants
• Terrarium Vs Open Air Plants
• Ecosystem Perspectives
• Closed-Looped Systems Vs Open Systems

Some Random Ideas

• Survey your home to find out where are the locations where sunlight comes in, the light intensity and timings in the day. You can use a security or webcam to capture a room for one day to trace the light source and intensity.
• Put a plant, preferably a hydrophonic plant so that it doesn't require constant watering.

Designing

• To obtain the following Agriculture and Gardening Implements
  • Plants/ seeds
  • Substrates: soil/ aeroponics system/ hydroponics system
  • Tools,
  • Pots, fixtures
  • Growth and well-being: fertilisers, pest-control
• Conditions
  • Free or Low-cost
  • Renewable and sustainable sources
  • Organic and Green if possible (less chemicals or synthetics)
  • Safe: Disease and Pest-Free
• Designs
  • Wood Pallet Cabinet
  • Wood Pallet Cabinet With Bed Slat Doors
  • Pallet Wood Table and Bench
  • Pallet Wood Wall with Plastic Bottle Pots
  • Repurposed Metal and Wood Cabinet

Testing

Monitoring and Tracking

PROJECT DOCUMENTS

Project Planning Document Link: RL-P5 Gardens Tanda

Related Projects: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PbxTyjGIkDAvwKR77oc17HIF42R9FfcBIwcPLjd7Oxg/edit#heading=h.hmhfckz9olse

Portal Site:

Repository Site:

Collaborative platform:

Repository: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B_XGhGrJZzLKSHNIMzZJQkRJQnc

Dashboard:

Resources

• Urban Gardening by Aldrin Tee - https://sites.google.com/site/aldrintee/sapare-aude/interests/urban-gardening
• Earth Friendly Gardening - https://earthfriendlygardening.wordpress.com/

Ideas From TED

• Michael Pawlyn - Using Natures Genius in Architecture http://www.ted.com/talks/michael_pawlyn_using_nature_s_genius_in_architecture
• The Art of the Eco Mindshift http://www.ted.com/talks/natalie_jeremijenko_the_art_of_the_eco_mindshift
• How Can we Eat Our Landscape http://www.ted.com/talks/pam_warhurst_how_we_can_eat_our_landscapes
• A Simple Solution to the Coming Phosphorus Crisis http://www.ted.com/talks/mohamed_hijri_a_simple_solution_to_the_coming_phosphorus_crisis
• Natural Pest Control Using Bugs http://www.ted.com/talks/shimon_steinberg_natural_pest_control_using_bugs
• Why Not Eat Insects? http://www.ted.com/talks/marcel_dicke_why_not_eat_insects
• A Guerilla Gardener in South Central LA http://www.ted.com/talks/ron_finley_a_guerilla_gardener_in_south_central_la
• What's Wrong With our Food System http://www.ted.com/talks/birke_baehr_what_s_wrong_with_our_food_system
• Energy from Floating Algae Pods http://www.ted.com/talks/jonathan_trent_energy_from_floating_algae_pods
• Using Biology to Rethink the Energy Challenge http://www.ted.com/talks/juan_enriquez_wants_to_grow_energy
• A Commodities Exchange for Ethiopia http://www.ted.com/talks/elene_gabre_madhin_on_ethiopian_economics
• Mining Minerals from Seawater http://www.ted.com/talks/damian_palin_mining_minerals_from_seawater
• Every City Needs Healthy Honey Bees http://www.ted.com/talks/noah_wilson_rich_every_city_needs_healthy_honey_bees
• Put a Value on Nature http://www.ted.com/talks/pavan_sukhdev_what_s_the_price_of_nature

People and their Ideas/ Inventions

• Mycobond http://www.ted.com/speakers/eben_bayer
• Food Urbanist http://www.ted.com/speakers/carolyn_steel