Frankenforest uses the idea of sacrifice, the dismemberment and reconstitution of
natural elements, to energize garden space and inspire thoughts about the primal
relations between people and the land. By cutting up and reconfiguring trees, and lifting
them with steel supports the visitor is confronted with human limitation, we can not
create life, as well as human potential, we can make something of cultural significance
from the natural elements we manipulate. Stone “fruits” are suspended within the trees
to underscore the uncanny quality of this constructed quincunx when viewed from one
direction. Painted nail fetishes are installed on the other side.
Bosque geometry, delineated with tree corpses, brings dread to the garden. The visitor
will be surprised to see this as designers usually strive to conceal and people have been
trained to avert our eyes from the darker qualities of the landscape. Often garden design
accentuates pleasant, blooming or futuristic qualities of the landscape. Frankenforest
would redirect the thinking to illuminate the totem and tomblike quality of the land, for
the land will surely be the tomb for us all.
to energize garden space and inspire
thoughts about the primal relations
between people and the land
Plan
B
20m x 10m
C
C
8m
PAINTED ROUGH-CUT LUMBER
WITH NAILS
CUT NOTCH WITH SUSPENDED STONE
5m
Plant list:
Frankenforest uses butchered trees (aka sawlogs)
as vertical space-making elements.
The ground-plane will be of turf grass.
2m
STEEL BASE WITH
STEEL SUPPORT FOR
STANDING TREE
A
A
1m
4m
7m
10m
B
Bosque geometry, delineated with tree
corpses, brings dread to the garden
CUT NOTCH WITH
SUSPENDED STONE
CUT TREE
STEEL BASE WITH
STEEL SUPPORT FOR
STANDING TREE
SECTION A-A
CONCRETE BASE
6m
5m
PAINTED ROUGH-CUT
LUMBER WITH NAILS
4m
3m
2m
1m
SECTION B-B
SECTION C-C