Pollution Absorbing Plant Design in Public Space Using Vertical Garden Method

. Forest fires, waste smoke from industrial activities, carbon fumes from vehicles become serious problems for the environment and health in modern cities today. This study aims to describe and develop product design that utilize types of pollution-absorbing plants using the vertical garden method. The result of the product has a novelty value that offer great usage value for the problems that exist in the urban environment, especially on the problems of air pollution in big cities. The design process includes the following stages: problem formulation, data analysis, solutions, design development, and solution ideas through product sketches. This product design is expected to be placed in public spaces which accommodate a product with the “Green City” concept to have a significant impact on reducing pollution on urban streets.


INTRODUCTION
Air pollution is the introduction into the atmosphere of chemicals, particulates, or biological materials that cause discomfort, disease, or death to humans, damage other living organisms such as food crops, or damage the natural environment or environment (Shyam Bihari Sharma, et al. 2013).
It will be a serious threat if we ignore this problem.Therefore, an action should be taken by creating some innovation that support a green and healthy environment.This invention should also help the society to be aware of the problems that are threatening the environment.
In Indonesia, air pollution is one of the main problems in every year.This problem occurs from the massive industrial activities, vehicle exhaust gas, deforestation, and many more.Based on the observation of Air Quality Live Index (AQLI), 91% of Indonesian citizen lives in an area where the air pollution level is above the safety level set by World Health organization with average concentration per year from air pollutant or Particulate Matter (PM 2,5) not more than 10 micron per meter cubic.
However, the Coronavirus Pandemic all over the world include Indonesia change the mindset of the people and everyone starting to change into a healthier lifestyle.People tend to stay at their home and doing activities like gardening.A lot of people start planting decorative plants in the pandemic situation.
In this paper, the writer saw that there can be an innovation that can be applied based on the trend of planting decorative plants related to the problem of air pollution.The innovation can be made by using pollution-absorber plants and design it to be able to be placed in a narrow place.As big cities are congested by crowd and buildings, a vertical garden is an option to do this.Patric Blanc form France was the pioneer of Vertical Garden.It is one of the answers for the air pollution problems.Global warming issues causing environment damage and the way people handle this situation is not good enough because the lack of awareness of this global warming issues.
The Design of Vertical Garden could be a solution to build a proper garden in a limited space.Vertical garden is an agricultural method that utilizes vertical space.Vertical space is a potential land when horizontal space (land) is increasingly limited (Nada Radilla, et al. 2020) In general, vertical garden focus on the beauty of decorative plants.However, this study was highlighting the functional aspect of the plants as a media for absorbing air pollution.Some plants that can be used to absorb air pollution are Lily Flower, Bamboo Palm, Aglaonema, Sansevieria, and many others.Every plant has their own uniqueness.For example, Sansevieria which is very popular and affordable.It can grow in a lowlight area and only need a little amount of water.Importantly, this plant can absorb air pollution.Therefore, Sansevieria is one of the best options to be applicated in vertical garden method.This method is the way to adapt to the congested environment which need a pollution-free area.It is very important to create an innovation as a move to protect the environment.
The process of designing Pollution-absorber vertical garden in public places is one of the solutions to protect our environment.

METHOD
The method used in this study are literature review and survey that used to observe and monitor the needs and solution in the process of designing the product.

Ideas
The idea grows based on the observation and experience that happen from some air pollution issues in the environment specifically in the public space around the city like roads, underpass,

Garden Air Pollution Issue
Green Open Space 30% of the whole city area

Lack of Area
Design Ideas: -Optimalization of a limited space in public area -Decreasing Air Pollution

VERTICAL GARDEN Polution-Absorber Plants
offices, and any other public places.A solution then constructed based on the issues by designing pollution-absorber vertical garden.

Data Collection
The data for the study was obtained by doing a literature review on some articles, journal, and projects.Meanwhile survey was done by doing an interview and discussion with lecturers and students.
To analyze the data collected from both literature review and survey, it can be seen in the diagram attached in the picture 2. From the diagram, it can be seen that the respondents felt the use of vertical garden in public space is effective enough in reducing air pollution.From 38 respondents, 57,9% thought it is possible for vertical garden to reduce the air pollution.36,8% respondents thought vertical garden can reduce the air pollution while 6,4% of the respondents said that vertical garden did not affect the air pollution level.

CONCLUSION
The design of Vertical Garden become one of the solutions to reduce air pollution in public places using the pollution-absorber plants like Sansevieria.Using Green Design Approach, vertical garden design applied modular system method so that it can effectively and efficiently used as an innovative way to support a healthy and pollution-free environment.Modular system design of the vertical design is also one of the solutions to accommodate green open space in a narrow space or area.This vertical configuration gives an efficient use of public space in big cities.It is also a good point because there are a lot of high vertical object in urban area that can be used for a vertical garden design.
There are still a lot of elements that can be improved in this design.Hopefully this design can inspire other researcher to create and improve this design to make it better.This design can be developed based on the need of the user.This design can contribute to the environment by reducing the air pollution and become a filter for the air in the cities that can significantly make a healthier environment.