Sky-high dreams for window garden - 2009

23 November 2009

A love of gardening and the desire to bring communities closer together led to a seed of an idea for Queensland University of Technology Bachelor of Design student Forrest Gillham.

It took a semester of research plus another semester of design development for Mr Gillham to create Sky-Farm - a mini-greenhouse set within a window frame - as his final-year uni design project.

"Sky-Farm utilises an aeroponic system where plants can grow in an air or mist environment without the use of soil," he said.

"A pump and sprinkler system creates vapours out of a nutrient-rich solution and sprays the dangling plant roots.

"Benefits include having fresh herbs and vegetables available at your fingertips, the attractive design, faster plant growth, the fact it is easy to use and low-maintenance, and, most importantly, that it improves indoor air quality and passively cools the area."

Mr Gillham, from the Brisbane suburb of Red Hill, said his innovation utilised existing window space and ultimately was a scaled up version of a window box commonly seen in Europe.

"There used to be a day when neighbours talked to each other over the backyard fence but now because of more security and higher density living, neighbours no longer interact," he said.

"Sky-Farm allows these neighbours to connect because it utilises a common area to produce fresh herbs and vegetables that everyone can share.

"It can also be customised to suit any building and easily incorporated into any setting either at home, in classrooms, at the office, or at cafes."

Sky-Farm was an example of the type of product Mr Gillham aimed to create which embodied "positive development" design.

"Positive development adds social and ecological value to environmental improvements which go beyond remediation and restoration," he said.

"Sky-Farm will also help architects, building designers and developers obtain a higher Green Star rating on the buildings that specify its use."

Mr Gillham and two other designers who have just completed their Bachelor of Design course have formed a company called Cradle Designs to market their ideas.

He is also planning to travel overseas next year to gain more experience in the industrial design area.

Media contacts: - Nadia Farha QUT Media Officer (07) 3138 1841 or email nadia.farha@qut.edu.au - Mechelle McMahon QUTMedia Officer (07) 3138 2130 or ml.mcmahon@qut.edu.au