Architekto Herbaras

Exhibition “Architect’s herbarium” presents an imaginary map of Kaunas patterns, exploring the diversity of natural surfaces. It draws equal attention to natural and built environments, identifying different Kaunas areas not by architecture, but rather by nature. This project invites the viewers to discover daily surroundings differently and admire the phantasy of nature.

Algae ponds of the riverside, wildflower fields of Nemunas island, pollen swamp of Laisve’s alley are all silently shaping Kaunas tapestry, which hides the mastery of the design and great influence. Nature is vibrant, complex, contextual, hybrid and sometimes invisible. Advanced technology is allowing us to experiment and merge new ideas creating the overall sensoric experience.

In the exhibition nature’s complexity is translated to various materials and crafts showing the new possibilities of design and fabrication. Exposition display combines a collection of flower and leaf herbarium, surface pattern simulations and material samples creating the unseen image of the city. Intricate natural surfaces imitate diverse material characteristics like wood, stone, glass or plastics with the contrasting features of raw and polished, natural and artificial, etc. Multimateriality of nature holds such an inspiring palette of architect’s tools that are waiting to be discovered. Future is hiding in nature.

Selected exhibition place at Kaunas Artist’s house is a symbolic representation of close relations between arts and architecture as the missing link in today’s practice. Their interdisciplinary approach to arts creates a perfect location for Aiste’s work. This space in the city context is seen as the hidden gem and invites to explore the atmosphere of historical (V.Putvinskio) street and romantic Kaunas off the beaten track.