Page 44 - I-Plants Magazine special 2021 Biophilic Design Awards issue - regular res

Gold Award 44

Holiday Decor, Short Term Rentals & Special Events
$30,001-$40,000

Project:
401 Park (Holiday)

Congratulations to:
Cityscapes

Boston, Mass, U.S.A

List of plants/flowers used: Seasonal Plant arrangement: -Selaginella kraussiana (Frosty Fern) - Kalanchoe blossfeldiana -Cupressus sempervirens -
Cupressus macrocarpa ‘Goldcrest’ (Lemon Cypress) - Ardisia crenata - Phalaenopsis orchid
Other materials or holiday materials: Baubles, assorted ornaments, cage tree, faux wreaths, grapevine wreaths, lanterns, picks, lights, sinamay,

The story behind this design and installation:
401 Park, a building that locals call Landmark Center or the Sears building, sits at the edge of Metropolitan Boston. It is one
of the area’s only Art Deco buildings. It has a tower with panoramic views, and it faces the edge of one of Boston’s largest
parks, a crucial chain to Frederick Law Olmstead’s Emerald Necklace. The latest version of this building offers office spaces
upstairs, with retail and dining open to the public on the ground level, but its original intent was much different. This build-
ing was designed and built for Sears in 1929 to be used as a distribution center for mail order goods. The history of this
building was so important to the architects and designers, that gadgets, toys, and tools that were packaged and shipped
out the building are on display in the upper section of the atrium. One cannot help but think, how many of these artifacts
were once holiday gifts? Our company had already implemented successful plantscaping design in the building’s atrium,
when we were challenged to design holiday décor that met those same desires of preserving and uplifting the building’s
story. This time, instead of paying homage solely to the New England forest and softening the building’s industrial charac-
teristics, we reached into a bit of New England culture that our company holds near and dear. The theme we designed for
401 Park included industrial tin textures and weathered woods, accented by muted reds, dusty metallics, and a touch of
sparkling magic. Our design team was nostalgic for winter holidays in Northern New England. A place dappled with small
mill towns, where brick lined streets quickly give way to the rolling countryside, rustic farms, and snow-covered mountains.
Nostalgia and biophilia are met in harmony with 401 Park’s holiday décor. We created a space that grounds and comforts
visitors while transporting them to a familiar place that is both real and nestled in their memories.