Eclosion Planter

The 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.