Call it serendipity, call it a silver lining… however you choose to look at it, sometimes a product comes along displaying such exquisite timing, it’s hard not to see it as meant to be.

And right now the Para Vert is just such a product.

With a staggering proportion of the global population largely confined to the indoors in widespread attempts to limit the spread of the deadly coronavirus known as COVID-19, the human yearning for nature and the botanical world has been brought into sharp relief.

It may not be entirely an instance of ‘not knowing what you’ve got until it’s gone’ as, undoubtedly, people have always appreciated the joys of the great outdoors and equally the myriad benefits of biophilic design, but certainly that appreciation has never been as strongly felt as it has in the first few months of 2020.

So what could be better than a product that brings the outside in? And does that safely and so beautifully? Para Vert is a system of room dividers that can be configured in multiple ways to alter spaces and make them fit for purpose. Suitable for residential, commercial, hospitality and many other settings, the system was designed by Ippolito Fleitz Group, a multidisciplinary Stuttgart design studio, which is renowned for its collaborative approach, working with its clients to create bespoke products and projects. Para Vert was designed exclusively for Brunner, the concept developed by the studio’s head of product design, Tilla Golberg.

The result can be a screen, a free-standing room divider, a separator delineating working zones or simply a green therapist in action. But however it is used, it becomes a way for nature to reclaim and define a space, with lush greenery.

Para Vert is a transparent spatial filter incorporating vertical planting and comprising two different modules. Vertical, curved metal poles are connected by cylindrical planters to create a biophilic three-dimensional fixture. The modules can be bolted together in various angled positions, resulting in free-standing combinations ideal for creating an adaptable and easily reconfigurated room divider and for room-height zoning.

Expandable and dynamic, the modular design ensures simplicity of redesign and redistribution as required.

The system comes in two different heights for greater flexibility in room height zoning and the applications range from offices and lounge areas to cafeterias and other hospitality spaces. Para Vert is also aesthetically pleasing and the floral design serves as a privacy screen that has the added benefit of improving the indoor climate and enhancing the well-being of the users of the space.

Para Vert consists of plantable containers, poles and disc bases with a hole pattern to enable the module to be arranged in various angle settings. When constructed it can then accommodate the user’s preferred plants – which can range from simple green elements up to dense plant walls.

As Goldberg has noted, “Doing more for the work environment is high on the list of priorities for management everywhere.” But these extraordinary times underline how those priorities can also be shared by managers of every sort of environment, from commercial to residential fitouts and beyond.

In an age when a global physical health threat has become the paramount and overwhelming focus, the status of our mental health has also become an area of increased concern. The soothing effect of nature in full bloom and the calming influence of being surrounded by greenery has never been more powerful and more welcome.

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