Architects Christoph Zeller and Ingrid Moye have created an astounding sculpture/retreat entitled “Hollow” that consists of tree samples from over 10,000 varieties around the world.
The wooden blocks span millennia, and were gathered from around the world, from various institutions, museums, and collections. Located on the historic Royal Fort Gardens in Bristol, this small retreat packs a very powerful punch. Visitors are invited to explore the small space, which is brimming with slats of wood that represent thousands of various species. We see the varying colors of the wood, from blond and honey-colored, to deep brown and even black.
From ancient petrified wood fossils from the earliest forests that emerged 390 million years ago to young saplings, the collection is meant to be a love letter to the world of trees, while also holding some scientific importance.
Credits: Katie Paterson & James Cohan, New York. Photos by Max McClure
‘Our design conjoins thousands of wooden blocks of differing sizes to form one immense cosmos of wood producing textures, apertures and stalactites. openings in the vaulted top let in just enough natural light to create the dappled light effect of a forest canopy.’
‘Some samples are incredibly rare – fossils of unfathomable age, and fantastical trees such as cedar of lebanon, the phoenix palm, and the methuselah tree thought to be one of the oldest trees in the world at 4,847 years of age’
