organic and artificial installation at jerusalem design week poses a thriving urban garden

studio ma of moria architects presents ‘non-garden’

Tel Aviv based Studio MA of Moria Architects unveiled it thought-provoking exploration of the concept of a garden during Jerusalem Design Week with Non-Garden. The installation is an innovative cultural exhibit that challenges conventional definitions of the garden, thriving in the context of high urban density and the gradual disappearance of natural landscapes globally. Unlike conventional gardens, the Non-Garden embraces its global genericism and can exist without being confined to any specific location, both familiar and alienating. Instead, it reflects the modern desire to achieve aesthetic appeal with minimal effort and cost, often driven by and geared towards the Instagram era.

The aesthetics of the Non-Garden oscillate between indulgence and survival, resulting from the integrating organic and artificial materials that have endured the climatic and cultural changes of our time. In this sense, the architects redefine the concept of natural aesthetics by embodying a form of artificial fertilisation that symbolizes the synthesis of nature and culture, showcasing its resilience as a ‘Beta version’ of what gardens may evolve into in the future.

all images by Dor Kedmi

cultivating seeds from across israel for an urban garden

The Non-Garden’s development involved a process where a diverse collection of seeds from various locations across Israel was gathered and reintroduced into the garden using advanced spraying technology. Each seed carried a unique genetic playload, symbolizing its place of origin, culture, and climate. The intermingling of these seeds resulted in a mesmerizing and complex web of communication, blurring the lines between natural and artificial, local and foreign, authentic and fake. The installation thus emerged as a multicultural and homogenous entity, devoid of a traditional hierarchical organization.

The meticulous arrangement of the seeds, preserved in a central seed bank, presents an intentional expression of humanity’s rationalization of nature. The team at Studio MA of Moria Architects placed the entire botanical collection into a pressurized industrial container, which then sprayed the seeds in all directions, creating a uniform yet fluorescent paste — a blend of culture and nature. Further, geographic factors played a crucial role in shaping the appearance and survivability of the Non-Garden, with ever-changing temperatures altering materials, wind patterns moving particles in the air, and humidity attracting fungi and insects. The dynamic interplay of weather and time affected every element and organism within the space, influencing the modulation of sound and creating a sonar image of the installation corresponding to its spatial and temporal dimensions.

Studio MA of Moria Architects presents Non-Garden

The project was unveiled in the interior courtyard at the Hansen House Center for Design, Media, and Technology during the Jerusalem Design Week. This year’s edition, themed Lies and Falsehoods, provided a creative backdrop for Studio MA of Moria Architects to challenge conventional notions and present their innovative and captivating vision of the Non-Garden.

the installation responds to Jerusalem Design Week’s theme: Lies and Falsehoods

redefining cultural notions of a garden

a collection of seeds from across Israel were reintroduced into the garden using advanced spraying technology

the dynamic interplay of weather and time affected every element and organism within the space,

the arrangement of the seeds presents an intentional expression of humanity’s rationalization of nature

the Non-Garden embraces its global genericism and can exist without being confined to any specific location

Studio MA of Moria Architects ponder what gardens may evolve into in the future

set against the backdrop of Hansen House

project info:

name: Non-Garden

designer: Studio MA of Moria Architects
design team: Yael Moria, Yael C. Agmon, Adi Levi-Trau, Amir Lotan, Alaa Shulhut
event: Jerusalem Design Week 2023 | @jlmdesignweek

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: ravail khan | designboom