In the heart of Shoreditch, one of London's most creative neighbourhoods, Mini living forests was presented — an installation by designer Asif Khan for sharing green spaces.
Immersing oneself in greenery during a lunch break, leaving behind the noise and chaotic rhythms of the city — a dream that can become reality thanks to Mini living forests by London-based designer Asif Khan. The project was presented from 17 to 25 September, in the heart of Shoreditch, one of London's most creative neighbourhoods, and one of the design districts of the London Design Festival. It is the continuation of the Mini living programme, exhibited at the last edition of the Salone del mobile di Milano.
Khan's intention is to bring to life a third dimension in which to relax, connect with others and create, offering three interpretations of "spaces between spaces". In concrete terms, these are green spaces contained within three cuboid installations in which visitors can sit down or simply pass through.
Many small potted plants of different varieties, placed alongside specimens of more robust shrubs, are capable of creating the "forest bath" effect — in Japanese Shinrin yoku — that is, the phenomenon generated when the five human senses perceive the forest, as the designer states in an interview.
In one of the three installations, visitors can also take part in meditation sessions and wear noise-cancelling headphones that transmit an audio file in which the co-founder of Mind Apps and yoga master Magnus Fridh introduces the visitor to the basic techniques for increasing mindfulness in their daily life — that is, the awareness derived from meditation.
The project stems from a trend that is growing ever stronger: the sharing economy — from social networks that invite people to share emotions and experiences, to car or bike sharing. Within these small forests, greenery itself can be shared: by bringing a potted plant, visitors can take one in exchange from the installation itself.
Mini living forests are new places created from scratch, conceived specifically in areas where the potential of public space has not yet been exploited.
For now these are only temporary installations, but the same model of solution could be adopted in other cities where the challenge of urban living must be addressed by making use of public areas left empty.