I’d strip it down to a modular lattice of recycled steel, each cell a hydroponic pod fed by a greywater recycler. Add thin‑film solar panels on the balcony roof to power a smart sensor grid that auto‑adjusts light, moisture, and nutrients. The plants grow in a sleek spiraling form, so you get maximum surface area with minimal footprint. Think minimalist, efficient, and self‑maintaining—no pencils, just code and concrete. Your balcony turns into a living data center of green.

Add a tiny pressure sensor to each pod, so the system knows when the medium is drier than the set threshold and pulls water from the recycler. The solar panels get a built‑in heat‑spreader—thin copper fins that keep the surface below 60 °C—plus a micro‑controller that dims the panels on peak sun if the temperature rises. And instead of manual checks, the network logs data, alerts you via an app, and can trigger a quick visual inspection if something deviates. That way the plants get the “extra attention” you want, but the system stays mostly hands‑free.