Bringing Nature Indoors

June 10, 2009

Molly de Aguiar, Program Associate

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We’ve talked a lot about our three-story biowall on this blog and on our website – that it is a central aesthetic feature of our new office space, and how it embodies the connection between human health and the natural world.

It’s quite a privilege to walk past it each day and to hear the sound of the water trickling down the wall. We marvel at its beauty and its clever design, as it efficiently and naturally filters the air we breathe.

In fact, some visitors come to our office just to see the wall and learn how it works.

Lately, I’ve seen some other interesting examples of bringing nature indoors.

If you are interested in your own vertical garden, for example, ELT Living Walls sells kits that you can install in your home. How about one for your home office or kitchen, like these?

elt-living-wall-in-home-office elt-living-wall-kitchen

Check out ELT’s terrific photo gallery here.

Greenworks, based in Stockholm, recently exhibited their concept for a self-watering, mobile plantwall at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair. How would you like one of these for your home?

greenworks-mobile-wall

Also a prototype, this bathmat designed by Nguyen La Chanh of Switzerland is made of a variety of mosses planted in a type of foam called plastazote. The mosses get watered as you towel off from your shower or bath.

moss-bathmat

small stump + studio choo is clearly thinking about our connection to nature, with its “Outside Inside ” print:

small-stump-print

From another Swiss designer, here’s the “Growing Chair” by Michel Bussien. The chair sits on top of a rolling planter with willow trees growing into each of the chair’s legs and Russian vine wrapping around the willow branches to fill out the greenery.

(Ok, this is art, and it’s not meant to function as a real chair).

growing-chair-by-michel-bussien

And just for fun, take a look at the website gallery of Patrick Blanc, who pioneered the Vertical Garden concept (for both indoor and outdoor installation) and has created many living walls, especially in Paris, including this, the Musee du quai Branly:

patrick-blanc-musee-du-quai-branley