supertrees
Format 1: 202 x 132 cm / 79.5 x 52 in, edition of 6 + 2 AP
Format 2: 102 x 67 cm / 40.2 x 26.3 in, edition of 6 + 2 AP
Hybrid photography, archival pigment print, aludibond, diasec, custom-made wood/ aluminium frame
Singapore, a vibrant metropolis known for its extraordinary skyline, futuristic architecture, and green oases, has increasingly embraced the forward-thinking concept of biophilic architecture in recent years. This concept fosters a profound connection between people and their environment by allowing natural elements to penetrate deeply into the city, seamlessly blending with urban environments. Biophilic architecture thus serves not only as an aesthetic element, but also as a proactive response to the challenges of climate change. Artificially created gardens within the city, such as the unique Gardens by the Bay, are a prime example of biophilic architecture. On a reclaimed land area, innovative technology and natural beauty merge into a harmonious whole. The gardens form a green living space amidst the urban jungle. The centerpieces are the Supertrees, which embody the futuristic vision of the biophilic city. These majestic, artificial trees are living odes to technology, aesthetics, and ecological sustainability. They are towering, vertical gardens covered with a variety of plant species, that promote biodiversity, collect energy and cool the surroundings. They impressively emphasize how biophilic architecture is not only environmentally oriented, but also transforms the cityscape into a surreal, futuristic landscape. Singapore has created a blueprint for other cities seeking sustainable growth and the integration of nature into urban space. In biophilic architecture, Singapore sees a way of life, paving the way for the future development of cities worldwide.
The artwork āsupertreesā addresses the symbiosis between artificial and natural environments in urban spaces, blurring the boundaries between urbanity and nature. Singaporeās biophilic architecture creates artificial natural spaces of great aesthetic fascination. Along the shore of a reflective and calm water surface stretches a dense jungle, which harmoniously continues in the left half of the image into a wave-shaped, futuristic building that, in turn, houses an artificial jungle and waterfall. The boundaries between built structure and natural landscape blur. The viewerās gaze is inevitably drawn to a colossal Supertree soaring majestically into the sky. Its impressive construction, with artificial branches and green vines, adds to the image composition a surreal dimension. In the distance, one of Singaporeās signature building shimmers through the clouds, a seemingly flying ship with another artificial jungle atop. In the pioneering concept of biophilic architecture, nature flows into the urban space, merging with it and forming a new living space in which humans and nature live in a symbiotic relationship.