︎in collaboration with Zara Tamton & Sam Ong


When fully integrated into the internal building systems, plants transcend their typical use as aesthetic or biophilic elements and become active, functional, instrumental components of a building’s operations and resulting environment.


Rather than designing a planar green wall, we explored the “wall” as a three-dimensional surface.  Not only does a columnar form carry greater surface area for filtering air than a wall typology, but it also has greater spatial potential, especially as a retroactively placed element. Suspended from the ceiling and floating throughout a space, these columns act like a dynamic, breathing artificial forest that people can interact and move between.


The geometry of the interlocking modular planers makes them structurally sound without need for an auxiliary support system, simplifying the install and maintenance processes.  The form is also the result of extensive computer fluid dynamic testing to maximize efficiency of airflow.


These columns take great inspiration from the natural environment it mimics; vertical vegetation that breathes in and exhales through tessellated cells. Like a stem, a multi-functional central core runs through the column, distributing and collecting water and providing a collective airflow channel.  An internal fan pulls air through the plants and media, filtering out toxins.  Air travels up through the column, and connects through a vent with the main air supply to release naturally filtered air back into the space.