During 7 intensive weeks as a participant in the program Summer eXpression in Umeå, Sweden, Petter Henfridsson was able to take his concept, Membran, from an idea to a finished product.
— It’s a flowerpot made of fabric. When bought or unused, the pot is flat but when filled with soil the membrane takes a cylindrical shape, becoming structurally self-reliant. Grow bags, which are commonly used outdoors, have the quality of air pruning roots. It means that the tops of the plant’s roots are pruned in contact with oxygen. A traditional pot has a thick edge isolating the roots from direct contact with the air outside, so after a while, you can see roots that have spun around the bottom of the pot. Nothing tells the roots to stop growing. What happens when a root approaches the barrier of a grow bag is that the top of the root dies and instead grows a new root. This creates an efficient root system that allows the plant to easily absorb water. What makes Membran special is that the fabric is dynamic and works more like a membrane. Our skin acts as a barrier that protects and to some extent is permeable. In the same way, the fabric in Membran has both waterproof and breathable properties. This creates good conditions for the plant while keeping the pot tight. The finished product is produced by Samhall (a Swedish state-owned company creating jobs that further the development of people with functional impairment) and ScreenCenter.
Until the end of October, Membran is available through retailer Designtorget and a larger size pot and two more colours in earthy shades as well as Henfridsson’s own website with an e-com are under development.
— I also have another project in the making. I am currently building a sauna where the concept of the design is based on the sphere’s material-efficient properties. The idea is to prioritise usable space like the sitting area and have less floor space in order to efficiently heat up the sauna, he concludes.
