Acorn

The desert occupies a quarter of land on Earth and is expanding every year. One way to slow down desert growth is to improve the quality of desert soil and do more planting. However, because desert soil lack water and nutrients, extra effort must be made in providing water and fertilisation. ACORN serves as a solution for this problem. Raw materials from crop waste are collected and compressed into boards that are completely biodegradable by soil, which then leave behind minerals and nutrients in the soil. After compressing, the boards are laser cut to build the components of ACORN. Acorn’s principle is easy. The user begins by burying the plant and ACORN together in the ground. After watering, the ACORN plant base will absorb water and stay moist. The roots will grow with the base and absorb nutrients from it. After four months of continuous growth, the base in the soil would have completely degraded into mineral and nutrients while the plant stands steadily in the ground. ACORN extends the lifespan of fertilisation, improves the quality of soil, and enhances the connection between plant and land. The effect of hot and dry climate in a desert area means that plants need trickle irrigation to supplement watering. Direct solar radiation also causes any water to evaporate quickly, robbing plants of sufficient water. ACORN comes in for this purpose. Without changing the mode of irrigation, protection of the upper ring can partly intercept radiation of the soil roots. It can also effectively prevent moisture from escaping and evaporating from the soil. ACORN is advantageous for the landscaping and urban greening of desert cities to create a more sustainable world. Red Dot Award: Design Concept | Concept | Green