KINETIC MOSS WALL PROTOTYPE

PROJECT INTRO: Stress is a constant part of modern life, shaping how people think, feel, and move through the world. Whether it occurs in a hospital waiting room, a university study space during finals week, or any environment where pressure runs high, stress often intensifies when people are left sitting with uncertainty. In these environments, thoughts can spiral as people worry about outcomes they cannot control, replay worst-case scenarios, or push themselves past exhaustion.

Access to nature is one of the most reliable ways to interrupt that cycle. Natural environments are known to calm the nervous system, restore attention, and reduce stress. Yet many high-stress spaces are designed with little or no connection to the outdoors. Hospital rooms, interior classrooms, testing centers, and study halls don’t consistently offer sunlight, greenery, or a view beyond a wall.

This kinetic moss wall was created in response to that gap.

Made with preserved moss and living air plants, the piece moves in a slow, rhythmic way that emulates breathing. It functions as a living window where no physical window exists and is designed to survive without access to sunlight. It is informed by biophilic design principles, which recognize humans’ innate connection to nature, along with research showing that natural forms, motion, and sound can provide health benefits. However, the experience does not rely on understanding the research. It works through the body and the senses. Calming, nature-based sounds delivered through noise-canceling headphones accompany the motion, creating a multisensory experience that viewers have described as “like being sucked into a different world.”

The piece sought to reframe robotics away from speed, efficiency, and productivity, and toward presence, reflection, and emotional well-being. As an exploratory work, it considers new forms of robotic systems that are biophilic or meditation-based.

Initial feedback suggested that viewers felt they were already “breathing in sync with the movement.” This observation has shaped future research questions, including whether adjusting the piece’s movement to match a viewer’s breathing rate and then gradually slowing it could encourage the body to slow its breath in response.

Future iterations of the work aim to explore guided meditations in relation to the kinetic movement. These may include synchronized breathing exercises where the piece breathes in and out as the meditation guides the viewer to do the same, and movement-based meditations that encourage the body to mirror the motion of the piece. Additional approaches include touch-based meditations that invite gentle exploration of different parts of the form, and environmental connection meditations that encourage gratitude and reconnection with nature. Together, these approaches explore a new form of meditation that is physical, spatial, and relational rather than purely auditory or screen-based.

Some viewers described the breathing motion of the moss as “calming but uncanny,” likening it to a peaceful, alien presence. This response opens further avenues for exploration, including whether more familiar natural movements, such as the swaying of a tree in the wind, may feel more grounding. Future biophilic robotic forms can build on these insights to better understand how motion, material, and form influence emotional response.

The project is presented as an evolving work, if you have ideas, questions, or interest in collaborating on future iterations or research, please reach out.

IN COLLABORATION WITH: AMY KOIKE