Xavier Zhagui · CLIENT: DEZIGN for X
The designer was inspired by his childhood upbringing surrounded by natural plants and building blocks in his room. This sparked the question of whether there was a way to combine the two. By utilizing the unique properties of space filling polyhedrons and 3D printing, the designer was able to find an answer to this question. The solution manifested into Plan Ta, a system of magnetic planter building blocks which not only can hold a variety of indoor plants but can also be used to build and play with.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Utilizing the unique properties of space filling polyhedrons and 3D printing, I was able to create a system of magnetic planter building blocks that you can play and build with. The modular properties of the design allow for space saving advantages by packing multiple planters together into one structure rather than spread out on a surface. A series of sizes has been created to house different types of plants, the smallest being an air plant, and the biggest being a house plant.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Small Vase
50.8mm x 71.8mm x 50.8mm
Large Vase
127mm x 179.6mm x 127mm - Tags
- 3D Printing, Vase, Modular, digital fabrication, dezignforx
- Production Technology
- Inner and outer shell are (FDM) 3d printed with a textured finish. Neodymium Sphere magnets are inserted as the connection points. The material is PETG for its water resistance.
- Design Challenge
- Creating an intuitive module that functioned both as a planter and building blocks that were fun and easy to build with.
- Project Duration
- The project was started in July 2018 in Las Vegas and is in the final stages of development for production.
- Operation Flow
- All vases connect to each other magnetically by aligning the faces of a vase of the same size allowing you to stack them in any axis. A wall mount has also been designed, allowing you to tile any size vase onto a vertical surface. There are two sizes available, a small one and a large one.
For the small vase you simply insert the air plant into the vase and take it out when it needs to be watered. The large vase has two shells, an interior shell where the plant lives in, and the exterior shell that collects the drainage. To ease maintenance, the interior shell can be removed to allow for easier watering and trimming. - Research
- Creating a modular form that was intuitive to use and had a simple form led me to research space-filling polyhedrons. Utilizing the rapid prototyping abilities of 3d printing I was able to iterate and experiment with various polyhedron forms to find the most efficient solution. After concluding that rhombic dodecahedron would be the most balanced solution between efficiency and aesthetics, I experimented with different joint connections that would join the modules together. A series of freely rotating magnetic spheres inserted into the vase provided a simple yet effective way of joining the modules together. Material was the final stage of research, 3D printed PLA was the initial choice for its unique characteristics of biodegradability. Unfortunately, it is a very porous material which allowed drainage water leak from the vase. 3D printed PETG was more effective for its water-resistant properties. PETG is not biodegradable compared to PLA, but we are currently researching ways to recycle and cut waste, such as utilizing print to order 3d printing manufacturing strategies compared to wasteful mass production plants.
- Inspiration
- During my childhood I found a deep appreciation for natural plants in my room, and I spent a lot of time playing around and creating with building blocks. I wondered if there was a way to combine the two simple ideas. That question is what drove me to explore different geometries and manufacturing processes such as 3D printing to discover a solution.
- Image Credits
- All Images: Photographer Xavier Zhagui, Plan-Ta, 2024.
- Patents
- Patent Pending
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