MILKWEED
& THE MONARCH
Monarch butterflies are specialists; their young feed on milkweed and nothing else. Nature is built upon these coevolved relationships that collectively tell the story of our delicate interdependence.
Designed for the pediatrics courtyard of a new medical facility, Milkweed & the Monarch invites viewers into the local ecosystem, centered around the native monarch butterfly and the milkweed plant that nourishes it.
A series of unique, hand-drawn illustrations are water-jet cut into aluminum to create this 146’ long guardrail. Amongst the milkweeds, drawings of elderberry, poppies, lupines and native grasses complete the composition and form a robust ecosystem. Creatures are hidden throughout the foliage for curious kids to discover.
Inside the facility we painted a pair of murals that visually tie to the illustrated guardrail, creating a sense of cohesion throughout the space. The painted imagery broadens the context of our monarch narrative to include the nearby river and downtown neighborhood in which the medical facility is located.
