Canopy / Shade: Trees are often planted in anticipation of the shade that they will provide when mature. We can plant trees strategically to curate where and when their shadows will cast and coordinate a series of outdoor rooms. A space that receives morning light but is in shade in the afternoon would be perfect for enjoying breakfast and lunch while a space that stays in shade during the early morning hours would be perfect for sleeping in.
Canopy / Funnel: Roofs are great for harvesting rainwater. What if they were designed as topographies for conveying rainwater directly to plants? A canopy of funnels could guide water to trees on a rainy day and become little amphitheaters for admiring the treetops on sunny days.
Canopy / Drape: A permeable canopy draped over a series of columns can create the perfect microclimate for shade-loving plants below. Can the depressions in the canopy be used as planters for sun-loving species above? If so, watering would be easy. When you water the plants above, excess water would drain directly into the planters below!
Canopy / Flock: Dew and fog are great sources of water. Imagine how much potable water we could save by harvesting water from thin air. A flock of fog catchers hovering over a future forest could provide shade until trees mature to provide a natural canopy.
Partition / Half and Half: A simple berm running east to west creates two halves – one facing south and another facing north. Plant appropriately on either side to create two very different environments. The berm itself is also a microclimate – dry and exposed to the sun and wind. If we plant a row of cacti atop the entire length of the berm, it could become a highly visible line in the landscape.
Partition / Point Cloud: If we stuck hundreds of thin metal rods into the ground could they gather enough condensation to grow a thicket? Can a fence grow a forest?
Partition / Trench: It is always cooler and wetter in a trench than on the surface. Trenches have a bad reputation due to their prominent involvement in the two World Wars but imagine walking through a cool and lush passage in an otherwise arid landscape. Can we reclaim trenches for something good?
