TerraTree

Category: Interior

This vertical terracotta structure is made from a mixture of sawdust and fresh clay with clay being the base material. The structure features a water container at the top that allows optimum amount of water to seep down throughout the structure by capillary action. This makes the structure wet. The voids in the structure as well as the porous material itself allows cool air to circulate, thereby cooling the surrounding atmosphere and also emits a soothing earthy smell like that of moist soil when first few drops of rain fall on earth. This brings in a feeling of being refreshed and relaxed, potentially by releasing endorphins and reducing feelings of anxiety or stress. Multiple such installations are planned for semi-open spaces with a shade on top to ensure optimal airflow and a comfortable space for users. These installations are designed for semi open spaces, like a balcony or even near the corner of a window where people can create their own relaxation zones and relax themselves after huge amounts of workload from the office or any other mind stressing work. Such spaces allow you to to take a moment for yourself in this fast paced world where you always have your mind engaged in one or the other thing and your senses engaged with elements running throughout the day around you, be it visual (multiple objects seen everyday with the most stressing being the digital screens), tactile (coming across with multiple textures and surfaces), olfactory (coming across various smells on our way), gustatory (multiple tastes experienced throughout the day) or auditory (hearing multiple sounds in the environment , noises on the road, nearby places etc). So while making this installation I thought of tapping onto olfactory and tactile senses as the prominent ones and others being ancillary. These installations aim to reduce cognitive overload for individuals who might experience tech burnout by incorporating sensory restorative elements, such as natural cooling (tactility) and soothing earthy smell (olfactory), these spaces provide a tranquil retreat, thus promoting mental well-being.