My chosen aesthetic for the upcycle project is the biophilic aesthetic. I was drawn to this aesthetic after reading through most of the Blog #1 posts as I am really passionate about environmental causes and also very much believe in the psychological power of being around nature. I think I would really enjoy a space that combined modern architecture with nature in a seamless and clean way, so I want to try to integrate some of this aesthetic on a smaller scale in a particular item instead of for a whole building or city. An example of the biophilic aesthetic on a smaller scale can be seen in the snapshot below from BluPrint (1).
This is an example of biophilic artwork that is combined with a very organic material and shape. While this could be one way to approach my upcycle project depdning on how material availability works out for me, I would like to try and mimic a modern building type of design with shiny materials such as glass, mirror, or CDs.
Biophilic aesthetic combined with a reflective, modern material (2).
I think the concept of a living wall will serve as very good inspiration for my project with a modern design around it (3).
For my particular project, I would like it to be functional and practical to use in my own space. I also think it needs to be something that I would look at frequently, to fully take advantage of the psychological benefits. Because my desk is right next to several windows, I thought that replacing my boxy pencil holder that sits on my desk and gets frequent sunlight would be the perfect item to make for my upcycle project. An example of the shape of the pencil holder (which is my current one) is pictured below.
I will go through recycling bins to find the boxy structure out of pencil case and then upcycle as much reflective material as I can for the outer structure. Then, in the gap between the two hollow sections of the pen and pencil holder, I will make a slot for dirt and seeds to be put into the holder to meet the biophilic design. I would like to grind down the raw materials to be a uniform, squared-off shape so that it looks very modern, as well.
(1) https://bluprint.onemega.com/amplifying-nature-in-the-built-environment-evolution-of-biophilic-aesthetics-on-the-rise/
(2) https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fglossimag.com%2Fbiophilic-design%2F&psig=AOvVaw3eFLjFvVQms-F9EvviwR6F&ust=1676008576345000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA8QjRxqFwoTCMDc0NLgh_0CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAM
(3) https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.1stdibs.com%2Ffurniture%2Fwall-decorations%2Fwall-mounted-sculptures%2Fmodern-wall-sculpture-biophilic-wall-art-living-wall-decor-moss-wall-planter%2Fid-f_23833162%2F&psig=AOvVaw3eFLjFvVQms-F9EvviwR6F&ust=1676008576345000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CA8QjRxqFwoTCMDc0NLgh_0CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAW
6 Comments. Leave new
This is really cool! Do you plan to include actual plants in your pencil holder design?
I very much like this aesthetic especially the part of adding the plants and greenery on the wall. For your pencil case would you do a more organic shape that blends with the plants or just have it in a traditional box or cylinder shape?
I love seeing how biophilia can be included in so many different designs and ideas. I also think biophilia works out perfectly for you and this pencil holder because of the way it sits in front of the window on your desk. So much of the time we find small plants placed in front of these windows due to the optimal lighting conditions so I think this could definitely be used to your advantage in the design process.
Thank you for the support Matt! Yes, I agree about using the natural space to guide a biophilic project because of the nature of living things.
I think this is an amazing idea for your upcycling project as a fan of the biophilic aesthetic myself. One idea that I just want to throw out there is the utilization of an air plant. They’re small so they won’t grow to big and need to be maintained, and it eliminates the need of soil / watering with the occasional misting. Good luck!
Hi Heider, this is an amazing idea! Thank you! I think I will switch to this actually because I think that will work better in a small growing space such as a pencil holder. Thank you!