VOA文化艺术2025--Using Real Trees to Bring Nature Indoors

There is a growing movement worldwide to use plants in building design to establish closer connections with nature and soften¹ hard city styles. The movement also seeks to improve designs to help protect the environment and increase personal wellness.

Many of the efforts by architects and designers have centered on one natural element: trees.

Examples of such design can be found in many places, including New York City. A building in Manhattan that houses the Ford² Foundation has a 12-story light-filled entrance area, or atrium. It is also filled with plants and flowers including magnolias, eucalyptus³, jacaranda, cryptomeria, iron bark and pear trees.

Another example sits within New York City's Brookfield Place shopping center. The center's main atrium includes a collection of 12-meter-tall Washingtonia palm trees.

In Singapore, the city-state's Jewel Changi airport offers travelers an inviting⁴ environment. It has 2,500 trees native to nations including Madagascar, Australia, Malaysia and Indonesia. The airport includes a 2.4-hectare indoor forest with walking paths.

Some apartments and mixed-use buildings are also putting trees and other greenery into their designs. Such buildings are sometimes called "greenscrapers," a term that comes from the word "skyscraper⁵."

In Milan, Italy, architect Stefano Boeri designed Bosco Verticale, a 44-story building with 800 trees and other greenery. In the Netherlands, he also built the Trudo Vertical⁶ Forest. This is a low-income apartment building with trees growing on all sides.

Similar changes are also happening inside private homes. In some, trees are brought right indoors. In others, outdoor trees are carefully placed as important partners in the building plan.

Some architects even build homes around existing trees. Others plant one or more trees inside the home. And some architects or designers imagine natural settings indoors by using parts of trees. These designs are meant to create the look and feel of real wood, while bringing feelings of peace and calm.

A calm heart of the home

Ryoko Okada is an architect at New York City's Oda Architecture. She told The Associated Press that she and her co-workers aim to bring outdoor elements indoors as often as they can.

"There's nothing more calming than being surrounded by nature..." Okada said. She added that a living tree indoors can bring peace and happiness as people watch it grow and change.

Framing the views with existing trees

Another design example came from KAA Design Group in Los Angeles. A team from the company created a modern home that uses the property's existing trees, such as cork⁷ oaks⁹, rare Torrey pines, and magnolias.

One very large, old cork oak⁸ sits in the center of the property. At first, the owners did not like the look and said they wanted the tree gone. One of the company's partners, Grant Kirkpatrick, had to persuade the homeowners to keep it. Kirkpatrick explained he succeeded by pointing out that the tree was "a 300-year-old antique¹⁰ that should be featured rather than removed."

The driveway on that property also offers a calming design. A black pine tree rises up from the driveway like a piece of natural art. In addition, views from almost every window in the house feature the beautiful nature outdoors.

Things to consider

Okada says she suggests people do not plant a full-size tree in their home without first seeking expert advice. She notes that a living tree will only do well if certain conditions - such as air, light and soil - are right.

Okada added that a living tree "...needs to be supported by proper infrastructure¹¹ to stay alive and avoid home damage." She also urges people to heavily research a tree's natural environment to avoid drawing in unwanted pests.

Kirkpatrick noted¹² that planting a tree indoors can be difficult. He explained that at least 1.2 meters of soil depth is needed, along with lots of natural light and the right temperature.

Other ways to use trees besides having a live one

Kirkpatrick said he worked on one property that experienced a serious fire in 2016. His team decided¹³ to use parts from one of the burned manzanita trees in the interior¹⁴ design. The piece was painted black and placed inside the property. He said it now represents an eye-catching, natural art piece.

I'm Anna Matteo.

Kim Cook reported this story for the Associated Press from New York, New York. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English.

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Words in This Story

skyscraper -n. a very tall building

style -n. a particular manner or technique by which something is done, created, or performed

architect -n. a person who designs buildings and advises in their construction

apartment -n. a room or set of rooms used as a dwelling¹⁵

antique -adj. being in the style or fashion of former times

feature -n. a part or detail that stands out

infrastructure -n. the underlying¹⁶ foundation or basic framework

pest -n. a plant or animal harmful to human beings or human concerns

1 soften   

v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和

参考例句：

• Plastics will soften when exposed to heat.塑料适当加热就可以软化。
• This special cream will help to soften up our skin.这种特殊的护肤霜有助于使皮肤变得柔软。

2 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

3 eucalyptus   

n.桉树，桉属植物

参考例句：

• Eucalyptus oil is good for easing muscular aches and pains.桉树油可以很好地缓解肌肉的疼痛。
• The birds rustled in the eucalyptus trees.鸟在桉树弄出沙沙的响声。

4 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

5 skyscraper   

n.摩天大楼

参考例句：

• The skyscraper towers into the clouds.那幢摩天大楼高耸入云。
• The skyscraper was wrapped in fog.摩天楼为雾所笼罩。

6 vertical   

adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置

参考例句：

• The northern side of the mountain is almost vertical.这座山的北坡几乎是垂直的。
• Vertical air motions are not measured by this system.垂直气流的运动不用这种系统来测量。

7 cork   

n.软木，软木塞

参考例句：

• We heard the pop of a cork.我们听见瓶塞砰的一声打开。
• Cork is a very buoyant material.软木是极易浮起的材料。

8 oak   

n.栎树，橡树，栎木，橡木

参考例句：

• The chair is of solid oak.这把椅子是纯橡木的。
• The carpenter will floor this room with oak.木匠将用橡木铺设这个房间的地板。

9 oaks   

n.栎树( oak的名词复数 )；橡树；栎木；橡木

参考例句：

• Oaks may fall when reeds stand the storm. 芦苇耐风暴，橡树却会倒。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Great oaks from little acorns grow. 万丈高楼平地起。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 antique   

adj.古时的，古代的；n.古物，古器，古玩

参考例句：

• The Sunday antique market is a happy hunting ground for collectors.周日的古董市场是收藏家的淘物乐园。
• I saw the vase in the window of an antique shop.我在一家古玩店的橱窗里看见了这个花瓶。

11 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

12 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

13 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

14 interior   

adj.在内的，内部的，内地的，国内的；n.内部

参考例句：

• There is water in the interior of the cave.在山洞的内部有水。
• They went into the interior room.他们进了内室。

15 dwelling   

n.住宅，住所，寓所

参考例句：

• Those two men are dwelling with us.那两个人跟我们住在一起。
• He occupies a three-story dwelling place on the Park Street.他在派克街上有一幢3层楼的寓所。

16 underlying   

adj.在下面的，含蓄的，潜在的

参考例句：

• The underlying theme of the novel is very serious.小说隐含的主题是十分严肃的。
• This word has its underlying meaning.这个单词有它潜在的含义。