Those of us who don't have the space (or disposable income) to accommodate custom terrariums or a functional hydroponic 'island' might be interested in "Auxano," Philip Houiellebecq's concept for a more practical home hydroponic system. Like the "Volet Végétal" stowaway garden, the Cardiff-based designer's planter soaks up the excess sun that freely flows through our windows, photosynthesizing natural light into a friendly bit of greenery in the concrete jungle:Auxano was designed to enable the ever increasing amount of city dwellers to grow their own produce effectively and efficiently within the space constraints of city living. Auxano is an innovative and practical solution which revolutionaries the current interior hydroponics market, providing very economical vegetable and herb growth rates through maximising exposure to the commonly ignored natural resource in many city flats; sunlight. This has been achieved through the growing units being window mounted. Its innovative oxygenating pump system further enhances its green credentials in that no electricity is needed for the product to operate.

The small self-contained planters are designed as an ultra-low maintenance home hydroponic system, a soil-free source of hyperlocal produce for aspiring urban gardeners. Although I personally enjoy the simple pleasure of handling soil from time to time, the Auxano's one-touch nutrient mechanism is a clever solution for the constraints of the modern (read: undersized) apartment.

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