THE most creative landscape designers think beyond flowers, shrubs and other decorative plants to create outdoor spaces that are functional, unique and in tune with nature’s glorious harmonies.
The landscape project at the Penang Digital Library on the island is one great example.
PDL is a state-level initiative that aims to reengineer how information is curated and consumed in today’s digital-driven world and to bring back the ‘human’ aspect of social collaboration.
A brainchild of Moonshop Gallery owner Vin Chee, the PDL landscape project reflects his passion and love for nature and plants.
Some of the elements incorporated in this project were the set up of a shaded playground, tree house, tree lantern seat, flower grass meadow and many more.
Vin Chee, who is also an architect, officially led the project in 2018 after several recommendations and due to his impressive portfolio in the said area, attributed the successful completion of the project to three important principles he upheld throughout the entire process.
They are conservation, immaterial concept and building with plants.
“Conservation is because when I first saw the site (PDL), I could see there were many existing trees of different species, and it was right to study the functions of those trees.
“There are trees which may not necessarily be hazardous to future developments, especially designing landscapes in a space that already has such trees,” Vin Chee said during an interview session with Buletin Mutiara today at the Moonshop Gallery in George Town.
The second principle is immaterial concept.
Vin Chee said although this concept is entirely natural, the process involved was crucial, which is to ensure plants and other elements placed at the PDL environment were favourable of the immaterial concept of natural breeze, birds chirping and so on.
The last one, he said, was building with plants.
“I wanted to incorporate a similar concept practised in my gallery by letting people be near to plants when they are in the library.
“This way, it would create a more relaxed and calmer environment for people to carry out their activities in the library,” he said.
Vin Chee, however, said the project, which was officially completed in 2019, would not have been possible without the assistance of several professionals who were specialists in the said area.
“The planning, execution and finalising the landscape project was made possible through contributions from an experienced arborist, gardeners, sculpture artists and others,” he added.
Moonshop is a gallery cum plant design laboratory that specialises in tropical ornamental plants forest, a space designated to bring much delight to people’s eyes through a variety of bottled and open-system forests.
If you are excited and up for a new yet truly beneficial experience with plants and nature, then you can head down to 8, Lebuh Farquhar, George Town, 10200 George Town (Moonshop Gallery).
Story by Kevin Vimal
Pix by Chan Kok Kuan