The Balcony Cultivator as a concept preceded the Biocultivator project and was created by the five4life team at the Technical University of Zvolen as part of the Biomimicry Global Design Challenge 2015 competition focusing on the Food System. It represented a device in which the user grows their own food on a balcony or terrace in true organic quality. The designed system enabled a constant circulation and recycling of nutrients in the form of production of their own soil and organic liquid fertilizer thanks to an integrated vermicomposter.

The key part is a 90cm diameter pot, in which vegetables are grown from early spring to late autumn. It is placed in a bearing that allows it to be rotated and makes it easier to care for the plants. Vermicomposting is a popular method of odorless composting today. Thanks to the presence of earthworms, this method is 4 times faster than conventional composting. Since vermicompost is rich in moisture, excess liquid is collected in a collection container at the bottom of the device and used as a liquid organic fertilizer for plants. This excess moisture also helps to irrigate the entire system. However, the heart of the device is not the pot itself with the composter at the bottom, but the dome, which was a key biomimicry element entering the entire design process. Its surface is a replica of the geometric structure of the skin of the Thorny-headed Toad lizard. These parameters allow it to effectively obtain water from air humidity and increase the likelihood of condensation on the walls of the dome. The water is then channeled through a microcapillary system to the plant roots. This eliminates the risk of plants dying if you forget to water them. The dome also protects the plants from smog, dust and weather conditions, and also extends the growing season.