Sustainability is something I believe industrial design can help achieve by making it easy for everyone. Water Flower is a garden watering gauge designed to help manage water usage in outdoor gardens and is suited for anyone due to its intuitive functions. With water scarcity being a compelling issue, plants are still getting overwatered and/or underwatered, which can both damage them. By measuring the average water use and signalling when to stop, the Water Flower helps maintain a healthy garden and reduce water wastage by efficiently and effectively using this precious resource in the correct amount based on the plants' needs.
How does it work?
Water Flower is completely electronic-free and works by collecting some of the water getting sprayed during garden watering and measuring the average amount in a 5m area. The water gets collected inside the flower's spathe that holds the spadix which, thanks to buoyancy force, will rise to signal to the user to stop watering in that specific area. Once the spathe is full, the water will then drain out the bottom and the spadix will lower inside the Water Flower, thus signalling that it is ready to be used again. The yellow spadix also allows a clear line of vision from a far distance with a faded red toward the base of the spathe to help better judge the watering level from different angles.
Modularity
Different configurations of the Water Flower can be set up by the user to customize it based on the specific plants' watering needs and the local climate, e.g., high or low levels of rain and heat. Extension modules, each of which gives around 0.5cm of additional water, can be added to the Water Flower for plants that have higher water requirements or need a height extender for enhanced visibility. This means that the Water Flower has a size ranging from 45cm to 75cm depending on the configuration chosen. The Water Flower has been designed to be easy to use and to prevent confusion with different threads on each side for intuitive assembly.
Plant identification feature
Every plant is different and has specific needs to care for, such as water, sunlight and ideal temperature. So, to make it easier for the user to take care of their plants and to optimise water usage, the Water Flower is paired with a phone/desktop website to help plant lovers identify their plant species that feature in their garden. This way, they can better configure their Water Flower based on their plants' watering requirements.
Components and Colours
The Water Flower is modelled after a Calla Lily, with various colour options available to bring liveliness to the garden but also to help it blend into it well. The packaging includes all the necessary components as well as instructions for assembly.
Water Flower video
Bhummipat Laoprapassorn, How does it work?
Bhummipat Laoprapassorn, Modularity
Bhummipat Laoprapassorn, Plant identification feature
Bhummipat Laoprapassorn, Components and Colours
Bhummipat Laoprapassorn, Water Flower video
