Interview about Eclosion Planter, winner of the A' Furniture Design Award 2023
Eclosion is a modular planter which helps people grow the plants and raise the butterfly which provides opportunities to observe the life cycle of the nature. It can be a set of furniture in the garden or home and also a habitat for butterfly and the plant. Eclosion is designed to protect monarch butterflies and thrive the population which sustain the monarch migration into perpetuity.
View detailed images, specifications, and award details on A' Design Award & Competition website.
View Design DetailsThe field research at the monarch butterfly reserve in Mexico was a pivotal part of developing Eclosion, as it allowed me to closely observe how monarchs interact with their environment throughout their life cycle. Being immersed in that habitat gave me a deeper understanding of the subtle yet crucial relationships between butterflies, milkweed plants, forests, and the surrounding ecosystem—insights that directly shaped both the structural and material aspects of the design.Before visiting the reserve, my understanding of monarchs came only from academic papers, research, and conversations with professionals about their life cycle and migration routes. However, being in the forest turned that abstract ecological awareness into tangible design insight. I was able to witness an important stage of their journey—seeing thousands of butterflies migrating from long distances, clustering together on massive trees, while some fell to the ground, unable to survive. That moment made me realize how vital it is to protect these creatures.This experience helped me move beyond designing a planter to designing an environment—one that celebrates the coexistence between humans and nature, while encouraging conservation through daily living.
I’ve always enjoyed growing different kinds of plants, and I often think about how people can form more meaningful interactions with plants and even the small creatures that live among them. That idea inspired me to create a planter that encourages observation and engagement, rather than just decoration. This led to the open-space feature in Eclosion, which allows users to easily view the life within it.Another major inspiration came from how people raise monarch butterflies, especially educational kits for children. Through my research, I found that raising butterflies requires different care setups for each life stage — from egg to caterpillar, to pupa, and finally to butterfly. Each stage needs a slightly different environment. That realization naturally guided the idea of modularity.The modular configuration of Eclosion not only enhances its aesthetics, allowing users to arrange the units into various sculptural compositions, but also serves a functional purpose. Each module can be adapted to support a specific stage of the butterfly’s development or accommodate different plant types. In this way, adaptability becomes both a visual and ecological strength — enabling users to participate in habitat creation while maintaining flexibility in design and use.
Selecting materials for Eclosion was one of the most critical parts of the design process, because the concept itself centers around sustainability and environmental preservation. I wanted the materials not only to serve structural and aesthetic purposes, but also to reflect the ecological message behind the project.During the research phase, I explored various material options, including wood, bamboo, and bioplastics. However, I realized that using natural wood, even if sustainably sourced, still contributes to deforestation. That’s when I began investigating agricultural waste materials and discovered recycled wheat plastic. This material provides the warm, organic texture of wood while being fully biodegradable and made from food by-products, reducing environmental impact. It aligns perfectly with the project’s vision of minimizing resource consumption and supporting circular design.The second key material, milkweed floss fabric, was inspired directly by the monarch butterfly’s ecological relationship with milkweed—the plant that sustains them throughout their life cycle. I wanted the planter to conceptually and materially connect to this host plant. After several rounds of prototyping and testing, I integrated milkweed floss into the design as a lightweight, breathable wire mesh substitute, creating semi-open areas for ventilation and observation.In short, both materials were selected through a process of research, prototyping, and alignment with the project’s environmental goals. The use of recycled wheat plastic reduces waste and deforestation, while the milkweed floss fabric symbolically and functionally supports the butterflies’ habitat. Together, they embody Eclosion’s mission—to merge design, sustainability, and ecological storytelling into one coherent system.
When designing Eclosion, I set a guiding principle of simplicity with function. The goal was to create a design where plants, butterflies, and the living environment could coexist harmoniously. I wanted Eclosion to feel like part of the home — minimal and elegant — while still meeting the biological needs of monarch butterflies.The open-space structure was key to achieving this balance. It allows users to observe the butterflies and plants easily, creating a sense of calm and connection with nature, while also providing proper airflow and sunlight essential for the butterflies’ well-being. The form remains clean and sculptural so that it can blend naturally into home or garden settings.Additionally, the use of milkweed fiber serves both aesthetic and functional purposes. Visually, it adds a soft, organic texture that contrasts with the planter’s solid form; functionally, it provides a gentle protective layer that shelters butterflies from potential predators while maintaining ventilation.Overall, the balance came from designing with empathy for both the user and the butterflies — ensuring that Eclosion is not just furniture with an environmental message, but a living habitat that supports and enhances everyday life.
One of the biggest challenges in developing Eclosion was finding the right balance between ecological functionality and user accessibility. My goal was to create a habitat that truly supports butterfly life cycles while still functioning as an elegant, easy-to-use piece of furniture for everyday environments.From a biological standpoint, each stage of the monarch’s life—egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly—requires specific spatial and environmental conditions. Designing a structure that accommodates all these needs within a single modular system demanded extensive research and experimentation. I had to carefully consider airflow, light exposure, and protection from predators, while ensuring the form remained open enough for observation and aesthetic integration in home settings.Another important challenge was user experience. I wanted Eclosion to invite interaction, not complexity. The modular system had to be intuitive—easy to assemble, rotate, and clean—so that users could care for both plants and butterflies without difficulty.
The rotatable and stackable features of Eclosion were developed to enhance both its aesthetic flexibility and its ecological functionality.The rotational feature allows users to adjust each module’s orientation according to the surrounding conditions — such as sunlight, airflow, or spatial layout. This adaptability benefits plant growth and also provides a healthy environment for butterflies. Functionally, it ensures that each life stage receives the appropriate amount of light and ventilation, while visually, it transforms Eclosion into an ever-changing sculptural composition that adapts to different interiors or outdoor settings.The stackable system came from observing how environmental conditions—like temperature and humidity—affect the development of butterflies, especially during the pupa stage. I wanted the modules to be independent so that users could separate or relocate individual units when needed. For example, during colder or wetter weather, they can move a unit indoors or to a safer microclimate, helping the pupae successfully grow and transform into butterflies.This modular flexibility not only supports the biological needs of the butterflies but also provides creative freedom for users to compose their own living structures. The system encourages interaction, reflection, and care — connecting aesthetic enjoyment with ecological responsibility.
During my research, I interviewed butterfly enthusiasts and individuals who had experience raising monarchs at home. Their feedback played an important role in shaping the final design of Eclosion. Many of them shared that existing butterfly habitat products often feel too enclosed or too technical, making it difficult to observe the butterflies closely. Based on that insight, I prioritized creating an open-space structure that allows for clear visibility and interaction, while still maintaining a safe environment for the butterflies.They also responded very positively to the use of eco-friendly materials, particularly the combination of recycled bioplastic and milkweed fiber. They appreciated that these materials not only contribute to sustainability but also carry symbolic meaning — the milkweed fiber directly relates to the monarch’s natural host plant. This connection between material and ecology made the design feel more authentic and purposeful to them.
The educational aspect of Eclosion was an essential part of its design from the beginning. I wanted it to be more than just a planter — I wanted it to be a hands-on learning experience that allows children to understand and appreciate the life cycle of butterflies and the importance of ecological balance.One of the key features I incorporated was the open-space structure, which makes the process of raising butterflies visible and engaging. Children can easily observe each life stage — from egg to caterpillar, to chrysalis, and finally to butterfly — without disturbing the habitat. This visibility helps them develop curiosity and empathy toward living organisms.The modular design also supports learning. Since each module can represent a different stage of the butterfly’s development, children can rearrange or interact with the units as the process unfolds. It turns the experience into a creative and educational activity, rather than a passive one.
I believe Eclosion can inspire a new direction in furniture design — one where products actively participate in ecological preservation rather than just minimizing harm. It shows that home objects can host life, not only serve humans.By integrating wildlife conservation into an everyday planter, Eclosion turns furniture into a small ecosystem — something both functional and alive. I hope this approach encourages more designers to think about how residential furniture can support biodiversity, like incorporating habitats for pollinators or using materials connected to natural ecosystems.In the long term, I see designs like Eclosion pushing the market toward furniture that not only looks beautiful but also creates positive environmental impact, blending sustainability with real ecological function. I really like the idea of making living furniture.
At the beginning, I explored more organic and fluid forms for Eclosion because I wanted the planter to feel natural and closely connected to its ecological inspiration. However, I realized that overly organic shapes would be difficult to manufacture, assemble, and integrate into modern living spaces.The main goal was to design a piece that allows users to observe plants and butterflies easily, while also fitting comfortably in a contemporary home environment. To achieve this balance, I drew inspiration from the four life stages of the monarch butterfly—egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly. Each stage informed the geometry and proportion of the modules, translating natural forms into clean, structured shapes that still carry a sense of organic rhythm.This approach allowed Eclosion to maintain both aesthetic harmony and functional practicality. The geometric form makes it modular and stackable, supporting different stages of butterfly growth, while the bio-inspired concept keeps the design emotionally connected to nature. In the end, it bridges natural inspiration with modern simplicity, achieving a balance between ecological storytelling and contemporary design language.
Dive into a world of design excellence with our curated highlights. Each feature showcases outstanding creativity, innovation, and impact from the design world. Discover inspiration and learn more about these incredible achievements.
