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SOLAR SPROUT
A modular vertical garden built from discarded cleaning equipment — waste reimagined as a system for growing food in the city.
Solar Sprout was developed during the 2024 International Salzburg Workshop. Participants were given discarded components from cleaning equipment provided by an Austrian company and asked to disassemble them and design a new product based on a solarpunk approach. Starting from these reused parts, the project reimagines waste as a meaningful design opportunity and transforms it into a functional, future-oriented system.
Based on the values of solarpunk — sustainability, optimism and harmony between technology and nature — the product combines composting, water storage, controlled irrigation and grow lighting in one compact unit, making plant cultivation easier for people with limited space, time or experience. Its connectable structure allows multiple units to expand into larger indoor or outdoor vertical garden systems.
Technical
Drawings
Plans · Sections · Construction details
System
Compost bin
Collects organic kitchen waste and converts it into natural fertiliser.
Water tank & filter
Stores water and helps maintain a clean, balanced flow.
Central pipe & irrigation
Delivers water evenly from the tank to the plants.
Grow lights
Integrated lighting supports healthy growth in low-light interiors.
Removable pots
Modular plant capsules that are easy to insert, remove and replace.
Modular structure
Units connect side by side or stack into larger vertical gardens.