Théâtre des Botaniques
Showcase
Dedicated to the mock-ups and experimental pieces created during the development of various projects, this small showcase during Paris Design Week and Maison & Objet will revisit approaches, techniques and forms, and recreate them for display.
11-14 September 2025
10.00-17.30
(until 18.00 on weekends)
Venue:
Several types of foliage are stacked one atop the other and then cut transversally, revealing different facets of the plant material, rather than their common appearances. This technique was first imagined for PHKA’s 2024 “FlowerfieldsTM” workshop in Seoul, South Korea, where stacking was the main technique used to create the installation “On the B-Side”, inspired by the work of Colombian artist Fernando Botero. The technique was developed and reused once more for PHKA’s Paris “Shades of Green” workshop in 2025.
Stripier, stripiest
PHKA often combines plant, flower, and fabric on projects where translucency and layered effects are needed in scenic design, particularly for events. Different textiles and living materials are tested in various patterns prior to their implementation into a space, which most of the time creates an effortless yet impactful effect. In this piece, leaves are cut and attached to sheer fabric in a striped pattern, some with twisted green lines forming a continuous ribbon-like effect through the layers.
Per forma
Crossing influences from both classical ballet and Thai traditional dance, the petals of the Spider Chrysanthemum are mounted to the surface of another plant to create a twisting sculpture at once fluffy and filled with dynamic, directional lines.
Composite arrangement
Initially conceived for a wedding as a complement to the main floral arrangement, our intention was to create a flower-like element using pieces of lace and cast clay. This idea was never implemented for the wedding, so we have instead developed it for Théâtre des Botaniques, integrating carnation petals and liana branches winding around a twisted branch.
Alternated anthurium
Inspired by approaches used in Bauhaus artist Oskar Schlemmer’s paintings, where objects and people are placed in pictorial space, a two-dimensional chequered pattern is produced using different coloured anthuriums. The resulting three-dimensional freeform shape is a replica of a piece developed by PHKA in 2025 at a workshop in Bangkok, where the transformation of living materials formed the core idea in creating a sculpture.
Cross-pollination
Created especially for Théâtre des Botaniques and using solely seasonal materials, the sphere of branches supports a colourful fusion of various berry branches and flowers, overlapping the realms of floral arrangement, sculpture, and handicraft.