Jules Verne would approve of this.
Most shopping malls settle for a potted ficus or a polite living wall.
Inside THE RING · GARDEN CITY in Chongqing, China, design firm XISUI Design took things in a wildly different direction with the “Wonder Tree”, a four-story, 65-foot-tall hybrid of a living botanical garden and a Jules Verne fantasy.
The installation covers more than 43,000 square feet of space, blending hundreds of plant species with copper pipes, gears, and brass walkways.
It looks like a fairytale forest powered by Victorian steam tech, but the machinery isn’t just for show.
Real Plants, Working Pipes
The tree holds over 200 plant species growing directly along metal trunks and elevated pathways. Behind the rivets and brass finishes, the installation runs actual building infrastructure:
- Hidden Airflow & Lighting: Built-in fans circulate air across the soil to keep indoor plants healthy, while specialized grow lights hide inside vintage-looking brass fixtures.
- Water Filtration: Ground-level roots demonstrate water purification, filtering sediment and cycling water up through an open portal called the “World Eye,” where it spills back down as an indoor waterfall.
Walking Up Through the Levels
Visitors can walk up through the tree across several themed floors:
- Level 1: The Seed Museum. The base acts as a seed vault, developed with the Chongqing Natural History Museum. Touchscreens let visitors learn about rare seeds collected across China, prompting motorized display cylinders to spin and highlight specific specimens.
- Level 2: The Gene Cabin. A mid-level lab where seedlings grow inside protected glass capsules, centered around a large circular window that looks out over the mall.
- Levels 3 & 4: The Canopy. Bridges and decks high in the branches let people walk through misting nozzles and lush foliage with views across the entire atrium.
Giant Mechanical Critters
Tucked along the ramps are whimsical mechanical animals that kids can actually play on. The standout is a 16-foot-tall snail fitted with aviator goggles, tank tracks, and rocket boosters.
Inside the shell, kids can climb a spiral staircase, peer through periscopes, and take a slide back down. Higher up, copper dragonflies perch near the ceiling, while a mechanical Chinese dragon winds along the walkways to form the safety railings.
It’s playful, ambitious, and a refreshing reminder that indoor green spaces don’t have to be boring. This retro-futuristic one is surely proving that.
Click through the slideshow below to see more of this amazing creation.
