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Architects: Antti Laitinen, Ulf Mejergren
- Area: 5 m²
- Year: 2023
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Lead Architects: Ulf Mejergren + Antti Laitinen
'One Tree Four Seasons' is a collaborative work between the Swedish architect/artist Ulf Mejergren and the Finnish artist Antti Laitinen. From one tree they will make four different projects, one for each season, often with available material found in nature. Some of the materials that nature has to offer can only be found at certain periods over the year which makes each project a reflection of that particular time.
The different projects will also take advantage of the tree's different seasonal appearances since the tree is also a big part of each project. The tree that was chosen, is an alder tree standing solitary on a field south of Stockholm, Sweden. The tree grows on a small hill of overgrown rocks which is a result of an older farm practice where the fields were cleared from obstacles and put in one place, like small islands in the fields.
For the first project, which started in early April this year, the artists collected dead branches from the surrounding forest and encircled the tree by interweaving them with each other like a huge nest. A circular opening makes it possible to see a section of the tree and also the inside where there is a floor of bent willow.
For the second project, which started in August this year, the artists collected hay from the surrounding field to create a floor and seating inside the structure as well as inner walls while the tree crown became the roof. A concert performed by the local string quartet Julikvartetten was held inside the structure as a homage to the tree. Outside the entrance, the artists also added temporary stairs of hay bales for the musicians.
For the third project, which started in late October this year, the artists collected leaves that had just fallen from the tree and the surrounding forest and placed them in the structure. With An artificial wind, they made them move around and upwards and then fall again. A large portion of the leaves left the structure through the hole where real wind joined their man-made storm.
For the last seasonal project, which took place in February this year, the artists wrapped the project and turned it into a sauna. The plastic holds the heat and the steam on the inside while blending in with the snowy landscape on the outside. The sauna is heated with wood from the site and the smoke that rises creates a white moving volume in the bare tree crown.
