Wallpaper 9

SET DESIGN: MATTHEW MORRIS WRITERS: EMMA MOORE, ELLIE STATHAKI

Moss deft

Why we are manicuring our green, short and curlies

The search among the architecturally articulate

for texture in the plant world has lately led to

moss. ‘If you look to Japan, there is a long, artful,

intelligent history of gardening using moss,’

says John Tebbs, editor of biannual publication

Pleasure Garden. ‘We so often seem to be fighting

it, but I love to see moss embraced more in the

context of a natural garden.’ Meanwhile, London-

based designer Pete Pongsak, of Archive &

Archive, explores the trainability of moss in his

new series of sculptural outdoor planters.

Like Tebbs, he was inspired by Japan, taking

the grassy/moss element of bonsai displays

(shitakusa) and isolating it so that focus can be

thrown entirely on the colours, textures and

shapes of moss. ‘My planters don’t need soil, only

a rough surface to hold on to, so the depth of the

planter can be removed from the equation.’ It’s

time to still our stones and embrace moss appeal.

GRAND GESTURE

A NEW, REPOSITIONED ‘BABY

GRAND’ STAIRCASE HAS REPLACED

THE LOBBY’S EXISTING STAIRS IN

CONNECTING THE FOYER TO THE

AMPHITHEATRE-LEVEL BAR AND

TERRACE-LEVEL RESTAURANT,

WHOSE INTERIORS WERE

DESIGNED BY STUDIO LINSE

‘KUSAMONO’ NO.1

PLANTER (BACK RIGHT);

‘KUSAMONO’ NO.2 (BACK

LEFT); ‘KUSAMONO’ NO.3

(FRONT), £1,700 EACH, ALL

BY ARCHIVE & ARCHIVE

Newspaper

∑ 089