DESIGN INSPIRATIONS:

Organic and material inspirations: The overall form and aesthetic of Plantr was determined by the unexpected juxtaposition of organic form and material choice. The goal was to create a pleasant ambient house object  and not a sensor-rigged house plant. The final form was a visually arresting design form which connoted mid-century modern furnishings, luxury, and an arch delicateness. However, those very traits proved to be a barrier to more intimate interactions and prevented people from engaging with Plantr in a more tactile and casual manner. In subsequent iterations, we plan on adjusting the design to create a less intimidating and approachable object by testing different paper colors and materials.

FINDINGS

User feedback: We tested different design iterations and discovered that the users tended to be visually engaged, but very anxious to literally come closer. When prompted to physically touch Plantr, users touched the part painted gold (the stem in the first image). In order to have the color affordance guide the user better, we decided to paint the leaf to gold instead of the stem.