Like a giant work of long-term land art, a pair of eerily precie circles can be seen over Miyazaki, Japan, made up of cedars planted a half-century ago. As it turns out, though, this was not aesthetic in intent, but scientific: the trees were carefully arrayed to test out a botanical theory.

Specifically, Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries secured land in the mid-1970s to create this experimental forest to determine how tree spaces would impact growth speed and height. Trees were planted at ten-degree increments to create ten concentric circles – the closer to the center, the naturally tighter-packed they were, hence the geometry of the results.

And it turns out tree growth is shaped by proximity, so the trees toward the outer rings grew taller, resulting in an overall graduating shape from the lower trees in thee center, which makes the result look even more designed for effect rather than science. The trees were to be cut down after the experiment, but upon seeing the results, officials may preserve them as works at the intersection of art and research.

The NYC Parks Department offers an amazing resource in the form of an online map that “includes every street tree in New York City” (spanning 422 species) first mapped by volunteers in 2015 and now updated daily by their forestry team. “On the map, trees are represented by circles. The size of the circle represents the diameter of the tree, and the color of the circle reflects its species. You are welcome to browse our entire inventory of trees, or to select an individual tree for more information.”

Clicking the trees reveals not just species and size but also ecological benefits provided, quantified in dollar terms, from things like capturing storm runoff and reducing air pollution. “We know that trees improve the environment and the health of a city in measurable ways. Trees can capture storm water runoff, reduce energy costs, and make the air less polluted and easier to breathe. We can calculate the benefits that each tree provides to the people of New York City based on a formula developed by the Center for Urban Forest Research. The benefits each tree provides varies based upon its species, size, and location.”

Fans can even track their favorite trees over time and add notes about tree-related activities. So far, nearly five thousand trees have been “favorited” and 20,000 activities reported. For those interested in doing even more, the Parks Department also encourages people to become involved: “It’s easy to become a tree steward! We host volunteers all year long. We can train you in basic activities such as watering trees, adding mulch and soil, and removing weeds and litter; as well as advanced activities such as installing a tree guard, expanding tree beds, and installing or removing stone or brick pavers.”

One caveat: the map only shows trees that grow on land under the jurisdiction of NYC Parks, but this includes trees planted along sidewalks or other public rights-of-way (still, it doesn’t have all trees maintained by the state or federal government or, of course, on private property). Still, with over 600,000 trees to explore, urban plant fans should have plenty to do just tracking and examining the ones that are covered!

Flowing out like the rings from the center of a tree, the veneers on this chest of drawers were carefully selected, perfected and oiled to create a remarkable effect.

The lightening of the wood as it pushes outward creates a compelling organic variant, and reinforces the impression that the whole piece was cut from a single tree. In reality, it was meticulously created using a combination of fumed oak, brown oak, oak, olive ash and ash.

Designer Edward Johnson says the inspiration was partly aesthetic, but also a nod to longevity — rings signify the passing of years, and his pieces are crafted to be durable as well. Small details, like a curved base and finger slots, play on the contrast of circular and rectilinear shapes.

Meanwhile, the “radiant desk takes on a sculptural asymmetrical design and is constructed from fumed and brown oak … veneers flow seamlessly from a semi-circular core that radiates out and down each side of the feature aerofoil shaped legs.”

The process can be painstaking. “Hundreds of thin strips of wood are cut in the workshop and joined back together using contrasting tones, resulting in sweeping lines and curves that envelop the furniture, bringing a soft, organic surface to the angular forms.”

Taking arbosculpture to the next level, German designer Ferdinand Ludwig is working to build not just sculptures but bridges and buildings from living trees. Many of his designs will take years or even decades to fully unfold.

His largest project yet in Nagold, Germany, was a multistory structure made up over over 100 trees slowly combined into a single organism, coaxed into place with a steel framework that will eventually be redundant. The lattice of interconnected tree trunks and branches ends up forming its own self-supporting truss system.

The support beams are labeled with the years in which they can be removed, allowing the structure to stand on its own by 2028. Like a conventional curtain wall on an ordinary architectural facade, this system could be used to wrap other buildings as well.

Even now, though, the slow-growing ‘building’ makes for a shady and cool space in the summer. Through each season, of course, it changes with the natural cycles of spring, summer, fall and winter.

A pioneer of what he calls ‘Baubotanik’ (think: Bauhaus using botanical techniques), Ludwig’s living plant constructions were inspired in part by native tribes that grow living bridges out of trees over time.

Taking cues from both tree sculpting and reverse graffiti traditions, SpY’s work in Besancon, France, turns pruning into a mural-making technique, shaping vines into a circular work of wall art.

Seeing a shape hiding in the wild-growing vines, the artist rented an elevated work platform and began to cut into the vines, picking and trimming his way around key branches to create a perfect circle.

The result is rather stealthy, easy to mistake as perhaps some kind of natural pattern, and well-composed, a round shape against a rectangular backdrop, with nods both to nature and architecture. As an organic work, it must be maintained, or perhaps part of the art is in how it goes wild all over again.