Joyful Trees Together:
Spinning Forest Workshop
oi! 2023
In 2023, the Hong Kong landscape was transformed by Joyful Trees (Arbores Laetae), an installation originally conceived by the renowned architectural studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro (DS+R). Featuring sixteen Juniperus chinensis trees set upon a public lawn, the installation defied ecological expectations by placing three of the trees into specialized, motorized planters tilted at a 10-degree bias. As these heavy structures rotated at independent speeds, the surrounding environment dissolved into a fluid dance of shifting shadows, light, and motion. By animating the elements of nature we assume to be permanently rooted, Joyful Trees profoundly challenged the static perception of the natural world, prompting audiences to re-examine the delicate relationship between humanity, urbanization, and the environment.
Official website:
https://www.apo.hk/en/web/apo/joyful_trees.html
https://landezine-award.com/joyful-trees-arbores-laetae/
The Workshop: "Spinning Forest"
Responding to this monumental dialogue between mechanism and nature, the "Spinning Forest" workshop was conceived to scale down this grand architectural philosophy into an intimate, hands-on experience.
Participants were invited to construct a bespoke, desktop-sized kinetic sculpture—a miniature windmill that mirrors the choreography of the larger installation. Engineered so that the rotation of the windmill sails drives the mechanical rotation of three small trees on the base, the project translates the motorized, macro-experience of Joyful Trees into a micro-experience powered entirely by natural, ambient wind.
Sustainability & Materiality
Aligning with the core themes of green art and sustainable development, the "Spinning Forest" workshop breathed new life into discarded materials, ensuring every component of the kinetic sculpture told a story of renewal.
The Windmill: The structural body and sails of the desktop windmill were meticulously crafted using upcycled wallpaper remnants, transforming discarded interior design materials into a functional engine driven by the wind.
The Miniature Trees: In perfect harmony with the windmill, the three small trees were fabricated using recycled face mask covers collected directly on-site.
By upcycling these contemporary artifacts of human consumerism and industrial waste into symbols of ecological growth, the workshop served a dual purpose. It echoed the main installation's disruption of "the expected" by turning refuse into art, while engaging the community in a tactile, physical conversation about circular design, resource conservation, and the tangible ways we can foster a sustainable future.
