… designed an AR plant shelter for problem plants at Tetem.

For the Futures for Plants and Humans project, artist and designer Ton Nieuwenhuis developed a special plant shelter. The adopted plants are part of the Augmented Reality (AR) plant sanctuary ‘Leafde’ which opened in September 2022.

At the Plant Asylum, plants are given shelter, care and space to tell their stories, and with them, the stories of the people who have the plants in their lives. It makes complicated topics that are currently in play like inclusivity, subsistence, multiple perspectives, ownership discussable in a simple way.

LEAFDE can still be seen until 1 July 2023 at Tetem.

The plant asylum LEAFDE is not only on continuous display at Tetem, but also has a pop-up version. LEAFDE on-tour will tour various companies and festivals with the mobile plant shelter. Visit Tetem’s website for current dates.

Ton Nieuwenhuis is conducting this research in collaboration with Theater Sonnevanck, University of Twente, Wageningen University & Research and Tetem.