Envisioned as a grooming kit for houseplants, Innatralis raises important questions about our relationship to the living—and what we imagine might come from the nature we attempt to domesticate.
In a city of constant growth, Singapore’s vast swathes of tropical vegetation command respect—construction must learn to dialogue with the living, to be open with greenery, to flirt with the wild. Typical of this climate, semi-open architecture exists to intentionally create muddied borders between inside and outside spaces. Inside, insulated interiors are an extension of nature’s domain, where domesticated versions of wild plants take root. However, this dynamic begs the question: are these house plants still part of nature? What does it mean to be “natural?” The history of human interaction with nature, particularly with plants, is often one of untimely intervention—domination disguised as domestication. Innatralis explores this narrative by expanding the technical boundaries of plant pruning and grooming, occupying a space between Asian bonsai tradition and consumerist drift. Through research conducted on several species of popular indoor plants, this project redefines particular types of leaf curling methodologies that are wholly dedicated to plant care. By doing so, the project allows us to question whether the benefit in plant pruning and grooming is really for the plant—or for the person who tends to it.
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DESIGNERS
Li Si Yi
LIVING ROOM / PATIO
INNATRALIS
Envisioned as a grooming kit for houseplants, Innatralis raises important questions about our relationship to the living—and what we imagine might come from the nature we attempt to domesticate.
In a city of constant growth, Singapore’s vast swathes of tropical vegetation command respect—construction must learn to dialogue with the living, to be open with greenery, to flirt with the wild. Typical of this climate, semi-open architecture exists to intentionally create muddied borders between inside and outside spaces. Inside, insulated interiors are an extension of nature’s domain, where domesticated versions of wild plants take root. However, this dynamic begs the question: are these house plants still part of nature? What does it mean to be “natural?” The history of human interaction with nature, particularly with plants, is often one of untimely intervention—domination disguised as domestication. Innatralis explores this narrative by expanding the technical boundaries of plant pruning and grooming, occupying a space between Asian bonsai tradition and consumerist drift. Through research conducted on several species of popular indoor plants, this project redefines particular types of leaf curling methodologies that are wholly dedicated to plant care. By doing so, the project allows us to question whether the benefit in plant pruning and grooming is really for the plant—or for the person who tends to it.
DESIGNERS
Li Si Yi
LIVING ROOM / PATIO
INNATRALIS
Envisioned as a grooming kit for houseplants, Innatralis raises important questions about our relationship to the living—and what we imagine might come from the nature we attempt to domesticate.
In a city of constant growth, Singapore’s vast swathes of tropical vegetation command respect—construction must learn to dialogue with the living, to be open with greenery, to flirt with the wild. Typical of this climate, semi-open architecture exists to intentionally create muddied borders between inside and outside spaces. Inside, insulated interiors are an extension of nature’s domain, where domesticated versions of wild plants take root. However, this dynamic begs the question: are these house plants still part of nature? What does it mean to be “natural?” The history of human interaction with nature, particularly with plants, is often one of untimely intervention—domination disguised as domestication. Innatralis explores this narrative by expanding the technical boundaries of plant pruning and grooming, occupying a space between Asian bonsai tradition and consumerist drift. Through research conducted on several species of popular indoor plants, this project redefines particular types of leaf curling methodologies that are wholly dedicated to plant care. By doing so, the project allows us to question whether the benefit in plant pruning and grooming is really for the plant—or for the person who tends to it.
DESIGNERS
Li Si Yi