Shirin-yoku (forest bathing) teaches us the benefits of ecotherapy, while many plants and trees are steeped in the myths and legends of British folklore and interwoven in rituals. The works also explore how we live according to, and often seek comfort from, our regional climates—the changes from day-to-day, day-to-night, and the seasons. In the works’ natural elements, such as the single hawthorn tree and the common yarrow, we find a celebration of such cycles: the rise and fall of pollen levels, the intensity of a breeze, the cacophony of a dawn chorus, and a reminder of how we, in turn, are affected and influenced by these changes.

To design for both planet and people is a common thread running through these experimental works of functional art. They incorporate ideas from within Biophilic Design and how this can reduce stress, improve wellbeing and clarity of thought. In each unique encounter with these calming works, we find new intimacies with nature within our modern built environment.