#dharavibiennale

Living Screen

The Living Screen is a simple intervention to use creeping Money Plant as a living air filter and space divider.  In this case, the project focuses on altering the common terracotta pot to better suit the needs of the plants and save space.

Money Plant produces Oxygen and is one of the most effective plants at removing toxic agents such as benzene, formaldehyde, xylene and toluene from the air.  Additionally, we selected money plant because it is very low maintenance, grows quickly and trellises well.

Developing pot designs for the Outdoor Screen and Fresh Air for One installation

Pots for the Outdoor Screen were adapted from common pot designs the potters currently make in large numbers. 

We adapted the screen pots by perforating the top edge in order to allow for coconut coir string to be threaded through to create a climbing trellis. Small indents down the sides allow for cane poles to be used as support for the coir trellis.

Artbox with ladies from SNEHA

Meeting the potters

Our first workshop with the Kumbharwada craftspeople consisted of a meeting with interested parties. It’s important to work with partners who have an interest in the project and can see the benefits the research might bring to themselves and their community. The Dharavi Biennale team invited potters they thought may be interested in taking part: Two potters came forward following our presentation, Ashwin and Haresh who’s workshops are nearby. 

Areca Palm: Produces large quantities of oxygen during the day, and removes xylene and toluene from the air.

Snake Plant: Produce large quantities of oxygen at night, and removes benzene, formaldehyde, trichloroethylene, xylene and toluene from the air.

Money Plant: Most efficiently removes benzene, formaldehyde, xylene and toluene from the air.

Along with these three plants, there are another forty-seven indoor plants that have been identified as being particularly good at growing fresh air.

Which toxins do these plants remove from the air?

Benzene, Formaldehyde, Trichloroethylene, Xylene and Toluene

Where do these toxins come from?

Cosmetics, glues and adhesives, paints, paint thinners, leather tanning, rubber and plastic cements, wood stains, automobile exhaust, tobacco smoke, wood burning, gas and kerosene stoves, pressed wood products, synthetic fabrics, evaporation from gasoline service stations.

What is their effect on our wellbeing?

Kumbharwada of Dharavi

The Kumbharwada community live and work in Dharavi, in a close-knit series of buildings linked by winding narrow lanes and courtyards, that act as work spaces, public spaces, and pathways. These courtyards are often also adjacent to the kilns used to fire clay pots.