Site Description: NFP Synergy are a research office based in
Spitalfields, East London. They have recently moved into the
office, which was previously a guitar shop. They have experimented
with growing herbs in their kitchen and tomatoes in their front
window.
Storytelling: ‘It was someone who works with Michelle’s idea
to have some tomatoes and chilli plants, because we’ve got a big
window with a lot of sunlight out there, so we thought it’d be nice
to have some, and they kind of worked well for a while but then
there were quite a few problems. People didn’t water them, they
were drying out and getting a bit thin, and attracting – well, we
don’t know if they were attracting flies, we think that was
coincidental – and also, because they were on the windowsill, stuff
was dropping down onto our manager, Brian.’ (Participant A, March
2009)
Opportunities: At this site the participants are willing and
engaged. There are good communications in place in the office with
timetabled opportunities for social gatherings etc… The office is
web friendly, with some of the participants comfortable with using
social networking websites similar to our project. There is a
window space for growing tomatoes with good sunlight. The
participants are interested in tending to the plants, and enjoy the
performative aspect offered by the window space - connecting to the
outside world.
Challenges: The contained space, not having
natural ventilation, they need a project leader, getting people to
water plants.
The Aims: To introduce a free-standing vertical growing
system in the front window space.
Intervention: Indoor
window space vertical growing
Background Research & Expertise: ‘We might need a bit of
professional advice on what to do if there are pests.’ (Participant
B) ‘We had an office knitting circle for a while…’ (Participant B)
Dream scenario: ‘if the whole front window was covered in
amazing, colourful blooms.’ (participant A)
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Key insights/ inspirational triggers for design: ‘because
its quite a rationalized, intellectual business, I think having
sensory things would be a really good counter-effect.’ (participant
B)
See our photo journal for nfpsynergy on Flickr
here!
