Laura Arroyave

Industrial Design Winter Show 2020 / MFA

My name is Laura Arroyave and I have lived in the Bay Area for the past several years while pursuing my master's degree in industrial design. I am originally from Bucaramanga, a scenic city nestled in the mountains of Colombia. My family and my country are my best sources of inspiration and motivation. I am pursuing a career in industrial design because I feel that Colombia has so many areas of opportunity that, with a design mindset, they are ripe for progress.

Product Description

PHALA is an elegant and delicate orchid pot made with sustainable materials; Phala’s main objective is to make it easier for the user to water the plant and control the amount, avoiding its accumulation and rotting of the roots.

Phala has a translucent upper chamber to house the orchid allowing light to pass through to the roots (helping it in its potosynthesis process). Clay pellets line the bottom of this upper chamber to help regulate moisture. The bottom chamber consists of a reservoir that holds a month’s supply of water. The upper and bottom chambers are connected via a simple mechanism that allows the user to position their plant according to the week to facilitate proper water absorption (week 1: highest level, week 4: lowest level)

How does it work?
Orchids are epiphytes, which means that they do not get their water from the roots of the soil, but rather from the humidity in the air. The clay pellets allow the roots to be separated from the water avoiding rot and at the same time guaranteeing that the orchid receives the necessary humidity.

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For more information on these skilled artists and designers, call 415-618-8899, or email us at

industryoncampus@academyart.edu