Chandler Archbell
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an armature for a single plant

Pittsburgh, PA

September 2014


The folded garden is a lightweight armature that is attached to the built environment. The design considered the growth and nutrient gain of a single plant.

The armature design began with a folding pattern that abstracted the form of the basil leaves. The south-facing library windows of Wean Hall at Carnegie Mellon University were then chosen as the site due to their large sun exposure and protection from wind. The armature was designed to be an extension of the gutter running along the bottom of the windows. Water flows through the top of the armature and waters the plant as it moves down and into the gutter. Plant growth was considered by adding multiple openings for the plant to grow as well as a large volume that contains enough soil to support the root system.

Materials: Yupo paper, fishing string


3-month time lapse documenting the Basil plant's growth