SIP - Further Design Language

After an insightful talk with Phil, it was decided that I would look into some agrecultural aspects and the beautiful side of it. This is to create an other worldly image but with the same functions of a tree.

Hydroponics:

This idea instantly caught my attention.

'Hydroponics is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel, mineral wool, or coconut husk.' - Wikipedia.com

The method of Hydroponics is a very modern one as it lends itself to sci-fi with the removal of any mud or soil. It looks high tech and minimalistic. Also, as Hydroponics is not part of everyday knowledge (to me it isn't) it allows itself to have a futuristic sheen without actually being so.

From a design and technical point, I love this. I have the idea of a small lake in the middle of the ship that the tree and its roots sit in, almost looking like a moat. This adds to the sense of luxury that the ships pervades as well as the sense of 'Sci-fi' with not only a flying tree but also a flying lake. It all goes together.

Airplants/Epiphyte:

Another idea that allows me expand on my current ideas.

An epiphyte (or air plant) is a plant that grows upon another plant (such as a tree) non-parasitically or sometimes upon some other object (such as a building or a telegraph wire), derives its moisture and nutrients from the air and rain and sometimes from debris accumulating around it, and is found in the temperate zone (as many mosses, liverworts, lichens and algae) and in the tropics (as many ferns, cacti, orchids, and bromeliads).

The very idea of the airplant doesn't lend itself to the project on a technical/logical level, but on a purely asthetic level it stands as fantastic to me.

I've never seen anything like this before so there incredibly unique to me. As a purely 'look' oritated object, I imagine it growing inside the Hydrophonic liquid aswell as seeping out the side up the containment field as well as other patches giving an organic feel.

Moving forward, I will be using silhouettes to create the ideas I have in regards to these idea expansions.

A name that Phil gave me was Dale Chihuly, an artist that uses glass to create shapes that no one would have thought possible with glass. I'll leave you with an image from him. I'll be using him in my following silhouttes.