Forest Rising was an ‘island community’ floated on some 40 trees, including a field, pier, helicopter platform and a school, complete with solar panelling and satellite dish.
In focusing on a commendable local response to de-forestation and rising water levels, Potrč’s commission inevitably pointed to the dangers of globalization, climate change and unsustainable urban growth. However, firmly imbued with an aesthetic of hope, Forest Rising showed how rural living can offer a model for the future; a vibrant community that is both self-supporting and globally connected.
Most positively of all, Potrč found a commonality between the utopianism of the Barbican, with its high-walks and monolithic raised dwellings, and the inspired strategies of a community on the other side of the world.
