Hugo Garcia

Design & Research for a more-than-human world.
About me    |    Projects:   All    |    Product    |    Sustainability    |    Tech   |    Architecture 


SEA SEEDSA circular Eco-Hobbying concept to give back to the ocean by planting new seagrass.
YEAR:
2023
CLIENT:
MA/MSc Innovation Design Engineering
COLLABORATORS   :
Shanice Palmer, Sam Royle, Xiaoxu Cheng, Shenyang Xi

HIGHLIGHTS:
1st Prize of the RCA’s Grand Challenge 2023. The largest competition of Design Students in the world.

Seagrass is a vital part of the marine ecosystem, providing food and habitat for a large number of sea creatures. It also benefits the environment too, as although it only covers only 0.2% of the seafloor, it absorbs up to 10% of the world’s carbon. However, seagrass is in a hugely vulnerable state. The UK alone has lost 90% of its seagrass meadows, mainly due to fishing, industry and a general lack of care from communities.

The restoration of seagrass meadows is gaining momentum, but the planting process is complex. Due to regulation, seeds often have to be put in hessian sacks and placed by hand on the ocean floor.  

That’s why we’ve created Sea Seeds. It incorporates a brand-new, biodegradable seed casing that makes planting more efficient. Made of seaweed algae and a crushed oyster shell coating, it’s natural to the ocean, meaning it can now be planted from a boat. Plus, it’s easily transportable, meaning anyone can plant it with minimal effort.


Featured at:






Context

Seagrass is the only plant in the sea, a key ecosystem of our oceans that needs to be restored.


Problem

Seagrass Restoration is a Challenging and Slow Process.


2. Seagrass seeds require a delicate process to grow.
3. The current solution for planting requires scuba divers.
4. Restoration is a slow process due to regulation and scale.
1. Little or none awareness by the community

Vision

What if there was a way to allow anyone to collaborate while they are doing their favourite activities?



Strategy

Design a Biodegradable capsule with local material and develop a circular service that include local business, tourists and the ecosystem.


The Capsule is designed using lime mortar from Oyster and an Alginate-based Jelly.

Outcome

An innovative Biocapsule that can be used to plant Seagrass rapidly and a Service to put it in the hands of every Eco-hobbist.



INDEX
NEXT
Design & Research for a more-than-human world.    

Hugo Garcia © 2024