Synthetic Plants is a speculative design project that explores the concepts of play and labor. The series investigates the role houseplants play within domestic spaces and fake houseplants within public spaces. By removing all labor required for sustaining a living houseplant, Synthetic Plants question the human desire for domesticating nature and living things.

The design process began with the decision to utilize a standard terracotta pot as a reference. A series of discs were laser cut to fit the inner lip of the pot, which acted as a base for the leaves to slot into. Prototypes for the disc and leaf shapes were made to identify the correct tolerance for a snap fit. Each leaf was bent by hand to achieve a playful, yet uncanny, result.