Justina Alexandroff
(+44) 77725 93484
justinaalexandroff@gmail.com
Work
About
Contact
︎
Urban and industrial air pollutants disrupt floral odors, changing the smell of flowers and making it difficult for pollinating insects to find essential plants. ‘Faux Flora’ is an artificial flower system designed to guide pollinators to flower-rich areas in air-polluted environments.
Combining parametric 3D design, chemical ecology and nanocellulose structural colour, Faux Flora acts as a visual and olfactory beacon - guiding insects to nearby flower-rich areas.
In collaboration with NICE Labs, which studies insect-flower interactions and chemical ecology, ‘Faux Flora’ incorporates three essential traits that transform an inorganic object into a ‘flower-like’ object for pollinators: a sweet scent, a reflective surface, and radial symmetry.
Nano-cellulose structural colour bio-mimics the surface of petals without using harmful pigments of dyes.
The design is inspired by the fractal geometry of pollen.
The models have been printed using SLA resin printing which has an inherent fluorescence that insects can detect. An essential oil mix designed using statistical modelling, formulated to attract insects and remain stable in polluted air has been added to the resin before printing.
By providing visual and olfactory beacons, ‘Faux Flora’ directs insects to real flower nectar, helping to regulate natural ecosystems and supporting biodiversity. This project explores ‘flower-ness’ from the perspective of an insect and proposes urban infrastructure for more than humans.