CARA

A redesigned rainwater collector and planter that uses compressed air to provide a similar pressure to the mains supply, allowing you to connect a hose or sprinkler to it just as you would an outside tap. Making collecting and using rainwater more accessible to all and making it easier to “Switch from Mains to Rains”

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Project Summary

Project Type | Graduate Project

Status | Complete

Year | 2022 - 2023

9 months
Product Design
User Research / Ideation / Sketching / CAD / Testing / Design for Manufacture / Prototyping

“Switching from Mains to Rains”

What are the barriers to adoption right now?

Across the UK, temperatures are rising, placing unprecedented strain on the country’s fresh water supply. Leading to calls from the Royal Horticultural Society for gardeners to “Switch from Mains to Rains” through rainwater harvesting practices.

However, current products cannot provide enough pressure to use normal watering tools, forcing gardeners to rely on more labour-intensive methods, so many just connect a hose to the mains. Letting the collected water go to waste.

Rising temperatures strain fresh water supplies

Growing calls to increase rainwater collection practices

Existing products cannot be used with hoses & sprinklers without an electric pump due to the lack of pressure

Users must rely on heavy watering cans, which is slow and labour intensive

Much of this water stagnates and is wasted because of this

Brief:

How might we make using collected rainwater more accessible?

Through a combination of surveys, interviews and secondary research, key pain points associated with existing rainwater harvesting products were identified.

The first and foremost being that the water stored inside became very difficult to access once captured, due to it’s inability to create pressure on the water inside, forcing the majority of users to rely on heavier and more labour intensive methods of watering such as watering cans.

Water butts are difficult to put around the house without looking ugly, and many users want an option that is more aesthetically pleasing and won't detract from the overall look of their home.

Many water storage options cannot be hooked up to a hose pipe due to a lack of pressure, which limits the ability to use the collected water efficiently. meaning that users need to manually water their plants, which is time-consuming and inconvenient.

Staying User focused

Designing for users aged between their early 30s to 50+ meant there were a range of different users that needed to be considered. Three different personas were created, each with different motivations and frustrations about using rainwater collection systems developed from user research surveys and interviews. These were used to make sure these personas reflected the true feelings of the users and would allow the design to develop considering their different mindsets, and guide the right approach.

Concept Development

The initial development explored vast and various different styles, function and aesthetic. With many different concepts and iterations. The users were involved regularly throughout the design process to provide feedback and ensure that the design moved forward in the right direction.

Ideation & Concept Generation

Theory into Practice

A range of low and high fidelity prototyping and testing was carried out to test the initial compressed air system, to make sure the theory held up in reality. User testing was conducted with a range of pumps, low fidelity mockups and AR testing of the final design to observe how users would indeed interact with the product.

Low & high-fidelity function & usability testing

Aesthetic Direction & Narrative

As the product had to last a minimum of 20 years and blend into the garden. With the primary target age group being men and women between their 30s and 50s, a variety of existing products and colours were examined to identify aesthetics that would stand the test of time.

To achieve this, CARA needed to have a timeless design language, removing sharp edges, and hiding much of the mechanics behind a minimal exterior that lends itself to becoming part of the greater garden.

Colour Moodboards

The branding was key to establishing a narrative that would establish a holistic approach across the product, packaging and it’s marketing. Aiming to tell a story that promotes a more independent and sustainable lifestyle for all it’s users.

Branding Guidelines

The Solution

CARA offers a simple and accessible system that allows you to pressurise a set amount of water at a time to a similar pressure to what you would get from your mains tap using a foot pump stored conveniently within the product.

Easy to repair with off the shelf components, and without any electronics, it ensures that it will continue to perform its job well into the future.

Built-in planters encourage the user to interact with CARA every day as it starts to blend and become an integrated part of their garden.