Adaniut - Gamifying Urban Gardening to Combat Lockdown Isolation

A multiplayer educational platform that turns plant care into community connection.

The Challenge: Lockdown Loneliness

Created during the 2020 pandemic as a final project for Wizo Academy, Adaniut was a response to the mandatory “Stay at Home” movement. As lives moved indoors, there was a massive surge in plant purchases, but a total lack of gardening “literacy” and community connection. My goal was to bridge this gap, using gamification to teach sustainable habits to a generation stuck inside.

Research: From FarmVille to the Balcony

I conducted surveys and interviews with people working from home in Haifa. The results were clear: isolation was creating sedentary habits and people were “desperate” to connect with others in a safe, fun, and active way.

The Twist on Gamification:

We analyzed giants like FarmVille and Candy Crush to understand “Hook Cycles” (engagement loops).

The Problem: Traditional farming games are purely virtual and have no real-world application.
The Adaniut Solution: Every action in the game has a direct learning objective to help users grow a real-life edible garden.

User Persona: Adam (27), The WFH Developer

We focused on Adam (27), representing the “New Gardener” demographic.

The Goal: Turn the “chore” of plant care into a “quest.”
The Friction: Forgetting to water real plants because they don’t send “push notifications.”
The Desire: To start a hobby that feels active and social without breaking social distancing rules.

The Solution: A Hybrid Reality Garden

The Hand-Drawn “Cottagecore” Aesthetic

I designed a distinct hand-drawn visual style that felt personal and non-intimidating—key for a student project during a crisis. This look and feel makes “Plant Parenthood” feel accessible to beginners, contrasting sharply with clinical SaaS tools or flashy, high-octane 3D games.

The Learning-Loop: Mini-Games

Instead of reading a complex manual, users play games that mirror plant needs:

“Level the Soil” (Connect 3): Teach composition and pH.
“Protect the Plant” (Tap-to-Eliminate Pests): Teach disease recognition and pest control.

Winning "Real" Knowledge (The Reward)

Every mini-game win unlocks actionable data. Users are rewarded with Plant Fact Cards and Edible Recipe Cards, translating their high-score into real-life skills for their adanit (planter).

Neighborhood Connection: "Visit & Assist"

The core social feature is the Multiplayer Neighbor Hub. Users can see their neighbors’ balconies. In an era of physical distance, the game allows neighbors to safely “visit” each other’s virtual balconies to help water plants, creating a digital “victory garden” and encouraging real-world community edible gardens once the pandemic passes.

Design Impact

Adaniut was more than a game; it was designed as a tool for well-being during lockdown. By gamifying the urban garden, I created a scalable platform that teaches sustainable living, memory-aid (watering), and—most importantly—reconnects neighbors in a time of isolation.