An Architect’s Guide To Artificial Plants
Eco-friendly green design is a major trend in architecture today. It’s incorporated in everything from condos to corporate developments. There’s no room or building that artificial plants and greenery won’t fit somewhere in.
Why Artificial Plants
Though first-choice for a lot of architects are real plants, premium artificial plants look real but come with none of the hassles of their real counterparts. No moisture. No bugs or pests. No uncleanliness. No diseases spreading from plant to plant. No daily responsibilities in maintenance.
In this respect, faux plants hold a clear advantage over real. They’re just as charming and warming.
Effects Of Artificial Plants On Humans
Beyond the striking earth-friendly look of fake plants, they also have a very positive effect on human beings.
At a subconscious level, a lot of humans enjoy plant life, having nature around them, and incorporating themselves in living systems. The difficulty with real plants has already been explained. Fortunately, our brains don’t inherently know the difference between real plants and fake plants.
The sort of benefits you get from real plants are the same you get in faux plants. Their greenery can be mesmerizing and inspiring, immediately putting someone into a creative and positive mindset.
Plants are well-known for their ability to reduce stress and anxiety. A natural calming effect is obtained through the use of artificial plants. This isn’t to say it’s going to put anyone to sleep. Productivity increases with fake plants. So does focus and one’s capacity to concentrate.
In terms of architectural design, the use of trees and plants and greenery also reduces noise pollution. In multi-unit residences or multi-office commercial buildings, this can be helpful in minimizing unnecessary noise transfer from room to room.
These are some of the reasons why artificial plants are a must-have architectural feature.
How To Use Artificial Plants
It’s not up to an architect to dictate how to use faux plants in décor. In design though, artificial plants can be put into various elements of architecture.
- Create vertical gardens with lush greenery hugging the wall from floor to ceiling.
- Add brightness to overly dark, shadowy corners where natural light may be lacking.
- If you are concerned about floor space, an alternative to a vertical garden is hanging plants. Mounted to the ceiling, an architect can establish all sorts of different garden arrangements, just like they could with a wall garden or building a plant setup on-ground.
- You may find places throughout a space that are a little empty. Like with other architectural elements, you don’t want plants to be in the way or take up space that’s better dedicated to more functional elements. As for décor, you want to take an interior decorator’s perspective and zero in on where plants would fit best without being in the way.
- Use artificial plants in balanced formations to imply movement, to break apart large spaces, or to guide guests down a certain path.