Behave Hosts First Metaverse Tree Planting Day

1 June 2022 – Behave, the insight partner of the award-winning architecture practice Ronald Lu & Partners (RLP), known for its sustainable, human-centric and future-ready designs, has bought space in the metaverse, aiming to provide a testing ground for architects to experiment with designs that redefine the norms and principles of real-world architecture.

To celebrate World Environment Day on 5 June, Behave and RLP are hosting a virtual tree-planting day in Decentraland, with architects accepting a challenge to design and create their own virtual woodland in the space. This virtual event builds off “metaTree” – the first metaverse-related challenge presented to RLP’s architects, which aimed to help them explore the possibilities presented by this brand new platform. The metaTree challenge began with the question “what are ‘trees’ in the metaverse?”. Trees in the real world have countless benefits, but in the metaverse, are virtual trees merely a decorative item, or should they be more than this?

The architects’ final designs reflect an incredible array of answers to this question. These include Pinecone – with the tree acting as a “wisdom carrier” for metaverse citizens; Untreed – a virtual monument of how nature has been ravaged by climate change-related issues; The Ultimate Cat Tree – a safe place reserved for cats (or humans avatars acting as cats); and Green Social Space – a reimagined social space where trees are central to socialising. Check out these designs and the virtual tree planting here: https://play.decentraland.org/?position=141,-124

To bring value to the real world, the final designs by the RLP architects will be available to purchase as NFTs. Profits will be donated to plant trees along the border of the Gobi Desert in China.

Please find designs below.

WEED by Alvin Kung, Chief Architect, based in Hong Kong

WEED, by Alvin Kung, revolves around the concept that “a tree in the metaverse may be a false premise.” Kung explores the idea that in the metaverse a tree doesn’t need to drink, stand or photosynthesise – instead, it can be the essence and soul of a plant in its smallest bio-entity, and then be digitally developed into a place of curiosity, shelter and eventually a form of ultimate freedom for metaCitizens.

Alvin joined RLP in 2018 having worked in China, Denmark and Catalonia. He has received many design awards, including the A&D 40 Under 40 Awards 2021 and the HKIA Young Architect Award 2018. His focuses are designing with impact and creating for society (both physical and virtual). ​

THE BRANCHES by Nam Wu, Chief Architect, based in Hong Kong

THE BRANCHES, by Nam Wu takes an experimental and technological approach, using a design based on “branching logic”, which starts from a single digital origin point then generates a base point for the next generation. Wu’s metaTree acts as a parent point to provide organic multiples in the next generation – similar to how trees form and grow in real life, showing that simple branching logic results in a tree-like form.

Nam Wu graduated from the University of Hong Kong and has been with Ronald Lu & Partners since 2016. Wu believes that in the metaverse, architecture becomes free – like an art form, providing him with an opportunity to express pure experience.

DECENTRED by Wang Xiaodong, Architect, based in Guangzhou

Wang Xiaodong doesn’t believe a tree in the metaverse should have a hierarchical or centred structure. In his project, DECENTRED, Xiaodong presents the concept of a tree as being a circular enclosed space made up of “floating leaves”, where people can freely move in and out. Xiaodong’s tree features high and low “leaves” that create a unique landscape in themselves.

XiaoDong completed his Bachelor of Architecture from Huaqiao University in Fujian Province and joined RLP upon graduating in 2018. He is passionate about creative and entertaining architecture, and sees the metaverse as a means for him to create fun, boundary-less designs.

THE ULTIMATE CAT TREE by Zi Jiapeng, Architect, based in Shenzhen

Zi Jiapeng believes that metaverse designs should go beyond being human-centric. His design, THE ULTIMATE CAT TREE, intends to create a tree that provides a joyful and exciting experience for cats (or human avatars as cats) in the metaverse. Jiapeng’s focuses on pleasant experiences and habitats for creatures other than humans – he feels this is something designers consider for future metaverse developments.

Jiapeng graduated from École Spéciale d'Architecture in Paris and joined Ronald Lu & Partners in 2022. As an architect, he wants to dedicate himself improving cities by ensuring the safety and well-being of people and all other living beings – he hopes his project will raise awareness about animal welfare.

UNTREED by Sarah Wong, Architectural Assistant, based in Hong Kong

Sarah Wong’s project, UNTREED, acts as a virtual monument to the devastating impacts of climate change. In her words, “When a tree no longer needs to be a living and breathing object, people begin to reimagine a new vision of trees. Stripped, metallic and leafless, these trees are haunting reminders of how nature is ravaged by climate change.”

Sarah, a sustainable architecture enthusiast, is an alumni of the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom and the University of Hong Kong. She joined Ronald Lu & Partners in 2019.

LIGHTWEIGHT by Chen Yan, Architectural Assistant, based in Guangzhou

LIGHTWEIGHT was designed by Chen Yan to deliver maximum biological and physical efficiency. Inspired by how living organisms in nature support themselves through material structures kept to the bare minimum, his pared-back design has no redundant features, and has a simple, elegant form.

Chen Yan joined RLP in 2021 after graduating from the Architectural Association School of Architecture. He uses organic forms in nature to inform his work, which is full of fluidity and fully integrates form and structure.

GREEN SOCIAL SPACE by Nathan Yu, Architectural Assistant, based in Hong Kong

GREEN SOCIAL SPACE reimagines a space for social activities and communication around the crown of a tree. This mimics the biodiversity of a rainforest tree’s canopy, which is always full of life. Nathan Yu’s aim for the project is to make users feel connected to nature and the virtual world simultaneously.

Nathan is a member of Behave, and joined RLP in 2021 after studying Architecture at the University of Plymouth in the UK. He is fascinated by innovation, and his work takes inspiration from the newest technologies, experiences and ideas.

PINECONE by Lv Wenrui, Architectural Assistant, based in Shanghai

Lv Wenrui sees trees in the metaverse as symbols of life, wisdom and a lasting legacy – just as in real life. His PINECONE design presents the pinecone as a depository of a tree’s biological data in the virtual world, which will last beyond the species’ extinction in the real world.

An alumni of the Anhui Jianzhu University and Southeast University Chengxian College, Lv Wenrui joined RLP in 2021. His dearest wish is to contribute to a better world through his designs.

High resolution images and animated videos can be downloaded HERE.

For more information on Ronald Lu & Partners, please contact Camron PR

About Behave

Behave is the research arm of Ronald Lu Partners, formed with the belief that architecture needs to embrace creative, future-ready solutions for urban environments. Today's cities are at a crossroads: technological disruptions, shifting geopolitics, the growing impacts of climate change, and a persistent global pandemic clearly point to the fact that the cities of tomorrow cannot continue to rely on old-world certainties. Behave limits their clients' exposure to these impacts through research and alliances with experts and other partners. Behave co-creates new concepts and insights to build new mindsets and develop infrastructure that addresses these challenges – and the future challenges to come.

About Ronald Lu & Partners 

Ronald Lu & Partners (RLP) is an award-winning architecture practice focused on human-centric, future-ready design. Founded in 1976, RLP is known throughout Asia as being a trailblazer in sustainable architecture. For more than 45 years, our deep roots in China and our international perspective have allowed us to build a global portfolio spanning green architecture, master planning, transit-oriented development, and interior design. Working in partnership with many of the world’s leading developers, government bodies and institutions, we bring the values of our clients to life in high-density urban environments to “Design Better Life” for the people and communities that use these spaces. 

www.rlphk.com