BioBond
Project Details
Duration
4 days
Team
16 people
Role
UX research, UI design
Awards
1st place in Brookfield Sustainability International Charette
24% of Torontonians lived in food insecurity in 2022
For this charrette, we were asked to question how we could make a short food supply chain. They were specifically looking for a modular product/system that allowed people to grow a high yield of crops in spaces like balconies or rooftops.
How might we create a sustainable food system that promotes increased food security in local communities while improving the health of consumers and decreasing environmental impacts?
Introducing BioBond
BioBond is a modular aquaponic gardening system featuring a phygital experience that can be implemented in public gardens worldwide to foster a sense of community, and provide fresh produce to those who may need it.
It has 2 core products that work together to solve this problem. First, the modular product that allows users to grow their own crops which were made suitable for public community gardens. I was involved in the ideation and process for the overall experience of this product. The second product was the digital experience, an app in which users can find local produce, recipes, and community gardens. I was responsible for planning and designing this digital experience.
Research
Our main audience is Torontonians who are living in food insecurity and/or struggling to access fresh and nutritious produce.
People living in food insecurity are often struggling with time, and priorities as they typically have a lot to manage. This led to our decision of using aquaponic systems to create a low maintenance product, so the plants are mostly self sufficient.
Through interviews, we also found that people in Toronto feel like they lack community. For this reason, we focused on creating this product for community gardens, to create third spaces for gathering.
Urban Gardening Product
The modularity of BioBond allows it to be used at any scale, for individuals looking to grow plants at home, or in a large community garden to facilitate gathering. Large gardens can be formed with BioBond, which can act as a public meeting place where social events can be hosted. It also allows for the public to have more access to free food, helping combat food insecurity and promoting healthier eating habits.
Digital Experience
The digital platform has 3 main goals
Encourage healthy eating habits
Promote events hosted at local community gardens
Simplify the process of accessing produce at public gardens
Personalized Recipe Builder
This feature is meant to promote healthy eating for those living in food insecurity. The app first asks users to select what ingredients they have at home, and based on those selections, the app provides them with potential flavor matches (nearby produce that works with what they already have). Users can select the produce they’d like to use (if any) and they are provided directions to the garden. Based on their selection, they are also given a healthy recipe.
Community Garden Locator & Event Calendar
One key feature of the app is the garden locator and event calendar. With these 2 features, users can find BioBond community gardens near them and see what produce is grown at each location. They can also look through the event calendar to find events being hosted at those community gardens nearby. This encourages social connection, and provides more resources to people, helping combat food insecurity.
Plant Personas
To foster a connection between the plants and its users, the plants and fish are given personalities, similar to how people personify their own plants or animals. Each plant has a bio with a tagline, such as “The Energetic One” and a description. They also have charts documenting their history, which phase of growth they're in, and which fish they are growing with. Users have the option to save plants, adding them as their “Nature Friends” which they can later view and keep track of.
Grocery
Promotes Healthy Eating Habits
Oftentimes, finances can be a barrier to accessing fresh produce, since instant meals are often cheaper. By providing free and fresh produce, as well as recipes to go along with it, people may feel more encouraged to cook fresh, healthy meals.
psychiatry
Reduced Food Waste
The AI recipe builder encourages users to use the ingredients they already have at home, both saving costs, and potentially giving users an opportunity to use produce that may otherwise spoil soon.
groups
Increased Sense of Community
BioBond community gardens create third places for community gathering, Socialization and having community support has been proven to help combat food insecurity.