My aunt has always taken care of her plants, and when she is away from home for more than two days, she gives them to her neighbour to water them. Unfortunately, the pace of life nowadays means that, although you love having plants at home, they are the last thing you pay attention to, and by the time you do, they are already dying... Even though there are plants like these a prova dels més ineptes!
Citysens was born to solve this problem. Designed for the urban lifestyle, for people who want to have a small green oasis at home, where flats are getting smaller and smaller, time is increasingly scarce and notions of botany are non-existent.
Citysens is a modular vertical planter (30 cm wide by 1.50 cm high), with a very Scandinavian design, with a circular recovery system, with an autonomy of 60 days in winter and 30 in summer, programmable via wifi and controllable from a smartphone (no need to leave the keys with your neighbour!).
Xavier Rius (Tarragona, 1984) is a chemical engineer, co-founder and CEO of Citysens. It all started in 2008, after studying a master's degree in green chemistry in England. He returned to Tarragona to study his doctoral thesis and joined the chemometrics, qualimetry and nanosensors research team at Rovira i Virgili University. There he set up his hydroponic tomato garden and that was the beginning of everything.
Victòria: Xavi, what does the vertical garden of Citysens bring new?
Xavier: Our vertical garden is based on three concepts:
- SmartThe new technology, inspired by nanosensors, makes it a more efficient product.
- SustainableThe automatic circular recycling system helps to save water and has a low electrical consumption. Moreover, the materials of the structure are of high quality and 100% recyclable.
- DissenyThe product is aesthetically well thought out and well solved, you can choose the colour of the structure (white or black), the position of the testes, the collection system, we personalise the plants according to the place and the needs.
What space is the Citysens planter designed for?
We believe that it is very much inspired by urban architecture, in those increasingly smaller dwellings. The vertical structure is designed to take advantage of narrow corners or passages, but also for uncommon spaces, such as the bathroom or the bedroom. It is an ideal product for creative spaces such as architecture and design studios. We want to link the brand to natural, sustainable and ecological environments.
A banda, té un component social molt important, oi?
Yes, from the very beginning, we have been collaborating with the Santa Teresa Foundationlocated in Vendrell, where six people with different disabilities are part of our assembly team. These people receive comprehensive support for their social development.
With which piece of furniture would you accompany a Citysens planter?
With a cadira BKF, or any of the lamps of the Miquel Milà.
Despite having such an efficient system, are your plants dying?
(Laugh) Plants are not immortal! Like all living beings, they need light and nutrients to survive. Although they have an intelligent resource, if they are not placed in a place with light, they will probably end up dying. We advise our clients on the best plants for each space and offer an ecological first aid kit against the most common pests.
Do you consider yourselves entrepreneurs?
Totally. Together with Francisco Andrade, founder of the Rovira i Virgili University Innovation HubWe turned an idea into a business opportunity. Later, Pär Blanquink joined the team, designing the first design of the planter, as well as professor Francesc Xavier Riu. Thanks to a Verkami campaign we managed to launch Citysens on the market. Today we have vertical gardens in Spain, France, Italy and Germany, with a clear desire to expand the market.
The vertical garden of Citysens has received numerous awards, such as the German Design Award 2018the premi Delta 2016, Good Design Award 2017, European Product Design Award or the IF Awards.
Congratulations!
[Lectura complementària: Plantes de tardor.]
Does routine and lack of space put an end to the desire to bring plants into your life? Xavier Rius, CEO of Citysens, shows you his automatic, modular and connected rec system! Now you have no excuse...
