Paludariums, popular with 19th century British aristocrats, are traditionally glass tanks containing miniature ecosystems of plants or aquatic life, kept for their aesthetic appeal – like a terrarium with more water. For his latest installation in Harajuku, avante-garde flower artist Makoto Azuma has updated the concept, using a paludarium as a device for protecting natural life rather than just a display case.
With all of its pipes and tubes, Azuma's paludarium looks as though it could have come out of a sci-fi blockbuster, but each of the built-in mechanisms serves a specific purpose. Misters and artificial rain ensure the encapsulated bonsai trees are kept at perfect humidity while waterproof speakers play music to them to encourage growth. With all this technology used to create the optimum condition for the plants, viewers can admire their beauty and be reminded of the fragility of nature.