Biocolumns

What if the architecture around us could breathe, signal, and adapt? What if plastics were not wasteful and inert, but responsive, living-like companions?

Working with hydroponic systems and responsive bioplastics, Biocolumns explores how materials can actively support plant life while making processes of care visible. The project is developed as an experimental vertical hydroponic structure designed for growing a variety of plants, including edible species such as leafy greens and herbs, as well as ornamental indoor plants.

Lightweight and adaptable, the modular elements function both as structural components and as hosts for plant life. They can stand individually or combine into larger configurations, forming interior surfaces that remain open to change, growth, and variation. Thanks to its vertical organization, the system occupies minimal space, making it suitable for compact domestic or office environments.

Using hydroponic cultivation, plants grow without soil, with their root systems continuously immersed in a nutrient-rich water solution. A built-in circulation system, supported by a pump, moves water from top to bottom, while an air stone oxygenates the solution, helping to maintain healthy root conditions and preventing stagnation. This continuous movement significantly reduces the risk of mold or algae formation and simplifies maintenance.

Nutrients are periodically replenished, typically in the form of soluble fertilizers added approximately every two weeks, while water levels are maintained through occasional refilling. Compared to conventional soil-based cultivation, hydroponic systems can operate with significantly lower water consumption and can support faster growth cycles for many fast-growing plant species, while keeping the entire process clean and controlled.

A key innovation lies not only in the use of bio-based, biodegradable materials derived from renewable sources, but in their ability to communicate environmental conditions. The surface is coated with a pH-reactive bioplastic indicator that changes colour from pink to purple when acidity levels move beyond the optimal range for most indoor plants. This colour shift makes otherwise invisible processes immediately readable, transforming the wall into a communicative interface between plants and users.

By integrating cultivation, material innovation, and environmental feedback into a single living framework, Biocolumns shifts the role of materials from passive to responsive. It proposes a new approach to interiors where surfaces are not static, but adaptive, and engaged in continuous exchange with their environment.

The latest prototype within our ongoing research into responsive plastics will be part of our installation presented at Alcova during Milan Design Week 2026.