summer 2022
release 1.0

How can we change and rethink the way we grow our food? Gard is an open-source project on a mission to make hydroponics more accessible, enabling people to grow their food in a sustainable way.

01. What

Product

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

Construction

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.

Things you need

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

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

Mission

Rethinking traditional cultivation and offering a sustainable, space-saving and affordable alternative for our homes.

Project created by

Moritz Krause

Physical Design, Development

Marco Koenig

Visual Design, Development

Hydroponics

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