Grad Show 2021
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XUEYING CHEN

URBAN TREE COMMUNITY - Living With Tree Spirits

Email: xchen07@risd.edu
IG: @seren.cxy

ABSTRACT

In my thesis, I want to discuss the problem of how to use landscape design to change people’s attitudes toward nature through demonstrating the interconnectedness of all living and non-living parts of the Earth, and with hope, changing people’s behavior—starting with studying trees in the urban area and people’s relationship with them.

The project aims to introduce a new lifestyle for people living in the urban areas to engage more with trees by developing more opportunities for people to interact with trees through design. I hope to build an urban tree community where people live with tree spirits and make friends with trees. They can learn more about trees and also learn from the trees. I hope that by changing people’s views on trees, people will rethink their place in nature.

 

THESIS QUESTION

 

How can design help to connect people with trees in urban areas?

1. How to let people notice urban trees?

2. What activities can let people engage with trees in urban environments?

3. What can people learn about trees?

 

Introduction

Trees have played an important role in people’s life since ancient times. Trees provide food and shelter for humans. The upright appearance and strong vitality of trees made early human beings revere trees. They created many stories and tales about trees and used their imagination to build strong emotional connections with nature. 

However, with the development of technology, people have transformed everything that can provide economic benefits into materials, products, or goods. People cut down trees to build farms and pastures for food and dairy and also use steel and concrete to build walls that drive nature away. Although we can still see trees and things related to trees everywhere in our daily lives, and many people are aware of the benefits that trees bring to the urban environment, the fast pace of urban life makes the distance between human and tree’s relationship. Nowadays, people generally see trees as a resource, but they are living beings and can communicate with each other.

I want to shift people’s opinion about trees, from seeing them as an object to considering them equally as friends. In my opinion, humans and trees are very similar. The more they want to go up, the more they need a healthy and strong foundation. Trees obtain nutrients from the soil and pass them on to humans. It’s like an ambassador to help us relate with the earth. 

As Landscape Architects, one of our most essential mediums is plant materials. and yet very few designers understand or connect with plants. It is easy to draw a simple circle and dot on the paper to represent a tree in the design, but it takes a long process to transplant a tree to the site. Instead of just passing by real quick, I hope people can slow down and look at the trees on their daily routine to observe nature. It is meaningful and valuable for people to understand more about the urban trees and care more about them.

 

succession

▲ Ecological succession is a progressive change to create the diversity of forests. The primary and secondary succession capture the transformation in the wild, where plants and animals work together. What will happen when humans in the urban area work into this process? 

 

urban forest

urban forest

Statement

I want to shift people’s opinion about trees, from seeing them as an object to considering them equally as friends. Many places and religions in the world have believed in animism since ancient times. It is not a new idea or concept. 

I have been influenced by Chinese Confucianism and Taoism since I was a child. I’d like to believe that all things are spiritual. Indigenous Americans have a similar culture, they consider the river as the blood vessel of the earth, and even rocks are alive. When we are willing to slow down to observe, trees are growing, rivers are flowing, and the ground is moving and changing. The earth is a living creature.

At the same time, I believe in science and enjoy the convenience brought by it. However, the fast-paced life in the city also brings people more anxiety. Being busy makes people only see what’s right in front of them. There are many tools to make people’s lives easier. Still, more people are only familiar with the functions and know less about the principles that the predecessors get from nature. 

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▲ Although plants cannot move or make sounds, they also communicate in their own way. According to Suzanne Simard, the mycorrhizal system, which consists of Mycorrhizas, Truffles, and Small Mammals, can connect the roots of trees and transfer nutrients such as CO2 when needed to help each other. When one tree gets pests in some species, it can quickly change its scent and odor to notify other trees. Trees provide good shelter and nutrition for animals and insects. The fluctuation of fruit quantity plays an important role in regulating the balance of other species.

 

case study
case study

EXPERIENCE WITH TREE

PRACTICING URBAN FOREST

site location time species plan section program tending calendar season roots flea market perpective perspective bird eye view

Reflection

The thesis study allows me to develop my passion for trees and learn a lot from nature. I grew up in Beijing, China, an overpopulated dense urban area, and I always want to be closer to the wilderness. Although my parents used to take me on visit the countryside, preserved mountain park, and seaside during the weekend and vacation when I was a child. When I come back to the city, I always think about why can’t this beautiful scene of wildness co-exist with humans in the urban areas. Developing the project makes me feel closer to make a dream come true.

As far as I’m concerned, Landscape Architecture is a career for people who love nature and know well with the knowledge and technology to communicate with it. I hope people who live in the busy city to be willing to slow down and learn about nature. I want to use design to help people build a new lifestyle, improve the living conditions in the urban area, and build a better and sustainable living environment for all living beings in the future.

 

leaves

▲  leaves

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

  1. Alex. (2020, September 7). The World’s Forests Mapped. Vivid Maps. https://vividmaps.com/worlds-forests-mapped/. 

  2. Ben Rubin and Brian House: Terminal Moraine. Brooklyn Botanic Garden. (n.d.). https://www.bbg.org/visit/event/ben_rubin_and_brian_house_terminal_mora…;

  3. Citizen, T. (2017, November 16). Succession: How a forest creates and re-creates itself. Vermont Community Newspaper Group. https://www.vtcng.com/thecitizenvt/community/outdoors/succession-how-a-…;

  4. Experimental Forestry Research in Japan Results in Beautiful Tree Growth Pattern #ArtTuesday. Adafruit Industries - Makers, hackers, artists, designers and engineers! (2018, December 27). https://blog.adafruit.com/2019/01/01/experimental-forestry-research-in-…;

  5. Froyd, S. (2017, August 9). Craig Walsh’s Monuments Will Light Up Trees in Breckenridge for BIFA. Westword. https://www.westword.com/arts/craig-walshs-monuments-will-light-up-tree…;

  6. Funger, C. (2020, July 30). How To Force Flowering Branches Indoors. Here By Design. https://herebydesign.net/how-to-force-flowering-branches-indoors/. 

  7. Hearth, B. (2021, May 6). Suzanne Simard Changed How the World Sees Trees. Intelligencer. https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/suzanne-simard-interview.html.&…;

  8. Hilderbrand, R. (n.d.). Contrasting Shade: Building a Sustainable Urban Grove at Central Wharf Plaza Boston. ASLA 2011 Professional Awards | Contrasting Shade: Building a Sustainable Urban Grove Central Wharf Plaza. https://www.asla.org/2011awards/230.html. 

  9. Kimmerer, R. W. (2016). Braiding Sweetgrass. Tantor Media, Inc. 

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  11. NASA. (n.d.). Night Light Maps Open Up New Applications. NASA. https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/90008/night-light-maps-open-up…;

  12. Notes, F. S. (2017, December 7). Timely Tree Tips - Understanding Pioneer Species. Urban and Community Forestry in Washington State. https://dnrtreelink.wordpress.com/2017/12/07/timely-tree-tips-understan…;

  13. Powers, R. (2019). The Overstory. Wiley. 

  14. Prows, B. (2019, July 30). Trees Have a “Heartbeat,” Scientists Discover. Healthy Holistic Living. https://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/tree-have-a-heartbeat-scientist…;

  15. Schwab, J. (2009). Planning the urban forest: ecology, economy, and community development. American Planning Association. 

  16. Tree Mountain. Agnes Denes. (1996). http://www.agnesdenesstudio.com/works4.html. 

  17. Wheatfield. Agnes Denes. (n.d.). http://www.agnesdenesstudio.com/works7.html. 

  18. Wohlleben, P., Billinghurst, J., & Wohlleben, P. (2018). The hidden life of trees: the illustrated edition. Black Inc. 

  19. Zaxarov, A. (n.d.). Baubotanik Footbridge by Ferdinand Ludwig and Daniel Schönle. RSS. https://www.thisispaper.com/mag/baubotanik-footbridge-ferdinand-ludwig-…;

 

 

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