Alex Schanzer's 'Chlorophyll' exhibition garden wins Silver at the inaugural Auckland Flower Show.


Chlorophyll - Design brief


Nature has always been a source of constant amazement for me, the way plants have the ability to evolve in order to exploit new and constantly changing ecosystems in such a diversity of environments. With these thoughts in mind, the concept of this exhibit 'Chlorophyll', has developed.

This conceptual garden has two main underlying themes which are linked - a) the desire to portray the importance of Chlorophyll, one of the fundamental building blocks in nature and b) the importance of continuity evident in the evolutionary process of adaption to survive and prosper.

In this exhibit, Chlorophyll is symbolised by the colour green. It travels through the design as green light, initiaaly eminating from the basalt boulders (at the forefront of the design) with their 'shells' of rusted steel, symbolising germinating seeds. From these seeds come a burgeoning shoot, the serpentine boardwalk (undermounted with green LED strip lighting), which carries the life force through the center of the design. The timber used was specifically chosen for its environmental relevance, due to the fact it is made from a sustainable resource and its treatment is revoltionary eco tanalising process. The next stage of growth, the development of foliage, is symbolised by the three freestanding steel light panels with their green acrylic insets. In the dark, these can be seen to their full effect, due to LED units mounted within - also equally effective during the day, with natural light shinning through the acrylic insets.

Rusting steel has been my medium of choice for some of the components of the 'developing plant', as a comment on man's manipulation of the natural environment - as design parameters change, the boundaries of what we perceive as 'natural' are fast becoming blurred. The process used to achieve the finish on the panels and rock shells is also a very innovative one, using a cold metal spray. Due to the fact it can be applied to virtually any surface and create a finish that replicates solid metal, its uses are far reaching. The feature wall at the rear of the exhibit continues the theme, utilising similar colours as the steel 'leaves' with its central energy source of green.

Continuity is symbolised by the ancient Maori form of the kopae - the circle within a circle and all the plantings are based upon this pattern. The specific plants used have been chosen to be representative of the ability and tenacity of plants to exploit virtually every available environmental niche, in order to survive. These adaptations have resulted in some amazing shapes , textures and colours - the centerplantings of the kopae forms include Aloe ramosissima (in the corners), Aloe thraskii and Gasteria acinacifolia (in the centers). These are all of South African origin and are stunning examples of adapted forms to a harsh environment. This is also true of the varieties used as underplantings - our native Carex testacea and the small, red stoloniferous bromeliad Neoregelia Fireball, a South American native. The plants within the central kopae are again further examples of natures evolutionary adaptive abilities - the divaricating form of nz native Coprosma 'Red Rocks', the silvery green Chilean bromeliad Fasicularia bicolor and Brazilian native Bilbergia brasilensis and the strap like fans of our native iris - Libertia ixioides.

The hard materials used within this design - scoria, crushed shell and river stone, have been chosen also due to their symbolic references. The shell and river stone hark back to primordial beginnings if life, the aquatic environment, as well as making reference to the coastal habitats of some of the plants used within the design. Scoria has its beginnings in the depths of time being a byproduct of turbulent beginnings and keeping with the theme of continuity, it will eventually return full cycle as it erodes.

The development of this concept has been an interesting journey - the desire is to evoke some thought regarding the wonderment of nature and engender a more holistic approach in how we interact with our environment.If this has created some thought - then the brief has been achieved.


Alex Schanzer