This miniature model represents a concept I’ve been thinking a lot about lately: a tree-saving asteroid designed as a sanctuary for Earth’s flora in a future where humanity has left the planet behind.
The idea had been orbiting in my imagination for some time—what if, instead of traditional seed banks or arboretums, we created autonomous, life-sustaining asteroids that drift through space, preserving biodiversity? These floating biospheres would act like living libraries, each containing samples of trees, seeds, and foliage, safely housed within self-contained, powered domes.
When needed—whether to repopulate a barren landscape or to study lost species—these asteroids could be accessed or even redirected to habitable environments.
To bring the concept to life, I scratch-built the model using salvaged materials: a polystyrene ball forms the asteroid base, a deodorant cap for the dome, and a plastic spout from a squeezable drink pouch to suggest propulsion or exhaust. A small tuft of real garden scrub stands in for the miniature tree canopy, hinting at the living contents protected within. The piece was finished off with a bit of hand-painted weathering for realism.
This piece is intended both as a speculative artifact and a gentle provocation—raising questions about conservation, space colonization, and the strange beauty of preserving life through technology.
Client: self-led
Input: art direction, concept, making
