The Ochroma Wild Things design was done as a commission for the Max Planck Institute for Animal Behaviour to help their scientists feel more connected to nature when they are away from “the field”. It attempts to evoke the environment on one of their research sites: Barro Colorado Island in Panama, with the water, islands and sky. The subject of this design is a remarkable phenomenon, studied by some their scientists, of multiple species of similarly sized mammals, as well as birds, reptiles and insects, exploiting the nectar of the Ochroma or balsa trees.

The scenic background repeat in panels: A, B, C, and D, such that the left edge of A would match with the right side of D, so that the pattern can repeat seamlessly one roll to the next.

The scenic design is itself unusual, but there is another unusual concept as well: in the foreground of each panel, we have a branching limb or tree, replete with leaves and buds and flowers and pods. This stylised tree is repeated on each of the four panels in almost an identical way. But each time it has different creatures occupying the branches and flowers and drinking at the ‘nectar bar’. Almost like a camera trap taking a series of images in one night. There are different colourways, referencing different nocturnal skies, as well one without colour in the sea and sky. 

This is an eco-friendly Fine gicleé digitally-printed “real” wallpaper. It is printed in the UK on a natural non-woven cellulose-based substrate made from recycled materials – recycled polyester (PET) fibre and recycled wood pulp. The production process is solvent free with minimal waste and energy inputs.