OUGD603 - Brief 6 - Research Brief - Indoor Gardening - Development - Refining the idea of a garden

Refining the idea of a garden 

It was considered that the designs could be further simplified to use only geometric shapes such as square and circular elements. By applying textures and patterns to these shapes and allowing the rest of the space to be used for planting it was considered that this would reflect boundaries between hard landscaping and planting within the garden. The use of the geometric shapes would create a more abstracted idea of a garden and reflect a sense of a section or corner of garden rather than a particular feature. By not including any features e.g. a seat or pond, this does not provide any scale to the plants that will be planted within the planter allowing them to be perceived at their actual size. If a seat or pond was included this would then force the plants to be considered in relation to this e.g. a small pond would create the impression of a plant being 10ft tall etc.

Negative space within the designs reflect the areas where the planter would be sunken for plants to be planted.

By simplifying the design to use only geometric shapes and simple texture / pattern designs this will create a refined and contemporary planter which will be reflective of a small patch of garden. Potentially planters could be combined together in a modular way to create a larger 'garden'.

The use of geometric shapes within the designs are also reflective of elements used within garden design but in a simple way which still create the impression of a garden. 

A series of different layouts were drawn out within squares using curved and straight lines to create as many possible variation using these simple forms. It was considered that the use of the square would act as format for the planters whilst reflecting the idea of a patch / area of garden. It was considered that the shapes created within the squares through the use of the line within the design could be filled to create an area with the texture / patterns then applied to this area to reflect a part of a feature within the garden e.g. patio, paving, path etc.  Alternatively it was thought that the lines could be bulked up to become pathways through the 'gardens', with sunken areas either side for planting. This could create the impression of journeying through a garden. 

Combining designs of hard landscaping and areas for planting within the planter will allow the plants to grow up and soften the edges between the two areas within the 'garden' as would happen as an actual garden matures.