Botanical Printer: An Exploration on Interaction Design with Plantness

Thing-centered design has suggested analyzing our product-scape through the metaphor of agency. However, interaction design with plant-related agency usually animates plants to simulate human behavior. We intend to make interactive things with the ontological nature of plants. Through workshops including guided annotation of six artifacts and situated probes, the senses of the "plantness" of an artifact emerge. Drawing on these understandings, we built and deployed Botanical Printer, which lives with us slowly responding to natural and electronic climates. We present rich results including conceptual, situated, and interactive plantness. Empirical data allow us to explore the future of object-oriented speculation in greater depth.

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