Inside Future Green Studio's Japanese-Inspired Prehistoric Garden

Future Green Studio created a green atrium for this Manhattan residential building that extends nearly three floors, and features a green wall and viewing garden inspired by Japanese Tsubo-Niwa gardens.

Artist’s rendering of Future Green Studio’s 525 W 52 atrium

The atrium at 525 W 52 was created for this exact purpose: to enclose a “magical” garden. David Seiter, founding principal and design director of Future Green, says the design “reinforces the terrarium concept, where the “glass enclosed garden puts plants on display as sculptural objects.” Furnished with some of the earliest plant species on earth, the atrium includes magnolia, aristolochia, and a variety of ferns. “[It’s] a timeless environment,” he says, “where distinctive foliage is emphasized over flowers.”

In a city that sometimes feels overwhelmingly concrete, urban gardens are a welcomed reprieve for nature-starved New Yorkers. Seiter says the concept for the atrium stems from the Tsubo-Niwa gardens, where one might find a light-drenched courtyard garden incorporated into the interior architectural experience of a home.

Green walls and gardens are not simply aesthetic trends. They enhance wellbeing and have ecological benefits, especially when those benefits are inherent in the design principles. But it’s also important not to disrupt the existing ecology when implementing truly “green” design: “We can reveal the hidden assets of each individual project to cultivate existing ecological opportunities and figure out how landscape can enhance—not disrupt—the natural life already taking place.” This symbiosis is necessary in terms of green architecture, where a deep-rooted respect for the beauty and the sanctity of nature should be at the core of design work.

525 W 52, Terrace design by Future Green Studio

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.