In Vitro Landscapes

In Vitro Landscapes explores the intersection of landscape architecture, ecology, art, and science in the context of growing ecological awareness. The text examines how contemporary landscape design moves beyond anthropocentric frameworks, embracing complex interrelations between human and non-human agents. Drawing on the theories of thinkers like Timothy Morton, Jakob von Uexküll, and Emanuele Coccia, the text proposes an expanded understanding of coexistence and perception in ecological systems. The terrarium becomes a central metaphor for this new perspective—a microcosm that visually and conceptually encapsulates interdependent life processes and encourages non-hierarchical, immersive observation. The article reflects on how miniaturisation, mise-en-boîte, and experimental design strategies employed by landscape architects like Catherine Mosbach and Günther Vogt reveal the invisible dynamics of ecological systems. These designers approach nature not as a set of forms to replicate, but as evolving processes to interpret and engage with. Through projects such as Mosbach’s Inside Outside installation and her Lost in Transition garden in Ulsan National Park, the text underscores how landscape design today operates on multiple spatial and temporal scales—from the microscopic to the planetary—blurring the boundaries between scientific observation, artistic expression, and environmental ethics.