The Homegreens project proposes the development of fresh or saltwater aquaponic systems that can be installed in homes, schools, hospitals or similar places, serving as a pedagogical tool for the introduction of contents such as biology and sustainability to children and teenagers.

Aquaponics results from the combination of two known primary production methods: aquaculture, which consists of raising fish in a controlled environment, and hydroponics, which proposes the cultivation of plants in a nutrient solution. This activity thus consists in the construction of a natural ecosystem, which allows the cultivation of plants supported by a substrate, through waters enriched with nutrients from aquaculture. This type of production offers several advantages, particularly economic and ecological, compared with other food production activities. Aquaponics systems, although old, are still relatively unknown to the public and need to be explained and experimented with in order to become a global solution.

The development of this project involved a set of activities that took place throughout the various stages of project development. In the first phase, information was collected on the operation of aquaponics systems on a production scale. Then, given the fact that the main focus of this research was the interaction with the user (children and teenagers), some of the principles used in HCD – Human Centered Design methodologies were applied. To make this possible, a partnership was established with EB1/JI of Carvalhal in Alcobaça, which allowed the realization of activities with the school students and the installation of experimental models. This action allowed us to collect important information for the development of an interface focused on the relationship between children and the aquaponics system.

The next phase was related to the design and construction of experimental models that originated the final version of the aquaponic system. These allowed validation of the formal composition, and the selection of materials to be applied to the different and intrinsic production processes.

In this sense, the final version of the small-scale aquaponic system consists of:

The last phase of the research consisted in the installation of the final prototype in the school, in order to make a qualitative analysis regarding its performance. This activity took place again at EB1/JI do Carvalhal in Aljubarrota and the system was left in the students’ care. For this activity, we selected the fish species Garra-rufa, due to their natural curiosity and ability to relate to human beings. The selection of the plants was based on familiarity, allowing the children to recognise the species, as this was related to the variety existing at a local level.

As a result of the children’s involvement and interaction with the models developed, it was possible to conclude that the Homegreens aquaponics system has the ability to provide group learning that contributes important values and experiences to the design of environmental literacy in children. This strategy gives children the opportunity to have an active/participatory role in the maintenance of an ecosystem. In this way, they have experiences that serve to assimilate contents that awaken them to issues involving nature: its organisms and resources. In this way, children become more susceptible to developing environmentally conscious habits and behaviour resulting from contact with the ecosystem, which suggests a systemic understanding of the world.

The development of this project counted on the contribution of MARE – Centre for Marine and Environmental Sciences of the Polytechnic of Leiria, in the definition of the target aquaculture species and analysis of their growth conditions in freshwater and saltwater aquaculture, of the Polytechnic Institute of Santarém, in the choice of plant species to be cultivated hydroponically and verification of the specific requirements of the agricultural production technology, and of LIDA – Research Laboratory of Design and Arts of the Polytechnic of Leiria, in the design of the system and selection of materials and production technologies.

This project had participation in the following events:

28.05.2019

Participation in the exhibition sustainable design show, Open Gardens, Estufa Fria in Lisbon, Portugal.

05.06.2019

Presentation of the scientific paper published in the framework of the International Congress of Design in Havana, Forma 2019: Homegreens- Aquaponic System as an Educational Tool Towards a Sustainable Future, Havana Velha Congress Centre, Cuba.

30.10.2019

Presentation of the Homegreens project at the EUROACE ECODESIGN MEETING Congress Forum, organised by the DEGREN project Palace of Congresses in Badajoz, Spain.

2020

Homegreens project selected in the Research and Design category, for the BID (Bienal Iberoamericana de Design), 2020 edition, Madrid, Spain.

Cover Photo: Pedro Cá