Using Real Trees to Bring Nature Indoors

01There is a growing movement worldwide to use plants in building design to establish closer connections with nature and soften hard city styles.

02The movement also seeks to improve designs to help protect the environment and increase personal wellness.

03Many of the efforts by architects and designers have centered on one natural element, trees.

04Examples of such design can be found in many places, including New York City.

05A building in Manhattan that houses the Ford Foundation has a 12-story light-filled entrance area, or atrium.

06It is also filled with plants and flowers, including magnolias, eucalyptus, jacaranda, cryptomeria, ironbark, and pear trees.

07Another example sits within New York City's Brookfield Place Shopping Center.

08The center's main atrium includes a collection of 12-meter-tall Washingtonia palm trees.

09In Singapore, the city-state's Jule Changyi Airport offers travelers an inviting environment.

10It has 2,500 trees native to nations including Madagascar, Australia, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

11The airport includes a 2.4-hectare indoor forest with walking paths.

12Some apartments and mixed-use buildings are also putting trees and other greenery into their designs.

13Such buildings are sometimes called green scrapers, a term that comes from the word skyscraper.

14In Milan, Italy, architect Stefano Bweri designed Bosco Verticali, a 44-story building with 800 trees and other greenery.

15In the Netherlands, he also built the Trudeau Vertical Forest.

16This is a low-income apartment building with trees growing on all sides.

17Similar changes are also happening inside private homes.

18In some, trees are brought right indoors.

19In others, outdoor trees are carefully placed as important partners in the building plan.

20Some architects even build homes around existing trees.

21Others plant one or more trees inside the home.

22And some architects or designers imagine natural settings indoors by using parts of trees.

23These designs are meant to create the look and feel of real wood, while bringing feelings of peace and calm.

24Yoko Okada is an architect at New York City's Oda Architecture.

25She told the Associated Press that she and her co-workers aim to bring outdoor elements indoors as often as they can.

26There's nothing more calming than being surrounded by nature, Okada said.

27She added that a living tree indoors can bring peace and happiness as people watch it grow and change.

28Another design example came from KAA Design Group in Los Angeles.

29A team from the company created a modern home that uses the property's existing trees, such as cork oaks, rare tory pines, and magnolias.

30One very large, old cork oak sits in the center of the property.

31At first, the owners did not like the look and said they wanted the tree gone.

32One of the company's partners, Grant Kirkpatrick, had to persuade the homeowners to keep it.

33Kirkpatrick explained he succeeded by pointing out that the tree was a 300-year-old antique that should be featured rather than removed.

34The driveway on that property also offers a calming design.

35A black pine tree rises up from the driveway like a piece of natural art.

36In addition, views from almost every window in the house feature the beautiful nature outdoors.

37Okada says she suggests people do not plant a full-size tree in their home without first seeking expert advice.

38She notes that a living tree will only do well if certain conditions, such as air, light, and soil, are right.

39Okada added that a living tree needs to be supported by proper infrastructure to stay alive and avoid home damage.

40She also urges people to heavily research a tree's natural environment to avoid drawing in unwanted pests.

41Kirkpatrick noted that planting a tree indoors can be difficult.

42Kirkpatrick said that at least 1.2 meters of soil depth is needed, along with lots of natural light and the right temperature.

43Kirkpatrick said he worked on one property that experienced a serious fire in 2016.

44His team decided to use parts from one of the burned manzanita trees in the interior design.

45The piece was painted black and placed inside the property.

46He said it now represents an eye-catching natural art piece.

47I'm Ana Mateo.

48I'm Ana Mateo.