summer 2022
release 1.0
01. What
Gard is an open-source project making hydroponic systems accessible to everyone by taking an affordable and modular approach. Through our downloadable instructions, you will have the opportunity to build your own Gard and grow plants such as lettuce, peppers, cucumbers, strawberries — you name it — without any soil using a nutrient-rich water solution.
If you want to take your Gard to the next level we also give the opportunity to introduce data by providing you with our web app giving real-time data about your hydroponic system in terms of pH score, water level and nutrition, allowing you to gain detailed insight to ensure perfect growth.
02. How
Below you will find a downloadable detailed construction plan along with a materials list guiding you step by step through the creation of the tower, including how to set up data tracking using sensors in combination with our app.
A list of all materials and tools needed in order to assemble your tower and install the data add-on.
Tower Material
1.2mm Polypropylene Plates
Some sort of water tank, at least 32cm wide and 20cm deep
Net pots with an diameter of 8cm
Clay Pebbles
Nutrition
ph Up / Down
water pump with enough power for at least 70cm
Arduino Parts
Arduino ESP32 d1 mini
TDS Sensor
pH Sensor
ultra sonic sensor
Jumper Cables
5V power adapter
usb to micro-usb cable
Note that not all details have to be adopted directly. Have fun remixing our idea and try to experiment with different materials and crafting methods.
03. Why
Rethinking traditional cultivation and offering a sustainable, space-saving and affordable alternative for our homes.
Gardening — especially growing food at home doesn't necessarily mean you have to give up a lot of space to manage heavy, space-consuming soil. Hydroponics is a system that doesn't rely on soil to provide nutrients to plants, therefore saving a whole lot of space, cost and resources. In addition, numerous studies have shown that the presence of greenery can reduce stress and improve brain regeneration, thereby boosting mental health.
But introducing greens and trying to grow them at home can take up quite a bit of space, and as we all know, space, especially in cities, is becoming incredibly expensive. This is why we decided to develop a space-saving, sustainable and, most importantly, cost-effective alternative to conventional growing methods as part of our semester project.
What started as a semester project quickly turned into a passion-driven initiative resulting in further developments and improvements beyond the end of our semester.
Pitch Deck
Moritz Krause
Physical Design, Development
Marco Koenig
Visual Design, Development
In short, hydroponics is the cultivation and growing of ornamental and useful plants by suspending the roots of a plant in a nutrient solution.
First appearing in 600 BC in the famous hanging gardens of Babylon, cultivation with water has evolved over time into a vast field with many different scientific and technical solutions - all with their own characteristics, advantages and disadvantages, with the core elements remaining basically the same.
They require: Fresh water, oxygen, root support, nutrients (magnesium, phosphorus, calcium and other nutrients) and, of course, light.
Gard 2022
