ENEA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE BRINGS THE TREE MUSEUM TO THE HEART OF ART BASEL 2026
A NEW IMMERSIVE LANDSCAPE INSTALLATION

For Art Basel in Basel 2026, Enea Landscape Architecture transforms the Rundhof (round inner yard) of the fair into an immersive natural environment, inviting a state of contemplation at the intersection of art and nature in one of the most influential art contexts. This year’s installation, The Living Fragment: Enea Tree Museum at Art Basel, on view during VIP days June 16 – 17, and public days June 18 – 21, 2026, showcases mature trees alongside wood seatings and wall coverings at the social heart of the fair. The installation reflects the legacy of the Enea Tree Museum in Rapperswil-Jona, near Zurich, a unique open-air museum where living trees and artworks are presented together in a curated landscape. Rooted in the belief that nature deserves the same contemplation we reserve for art, the museum brings rescued trees in dialogue with works by internationally renowned artists, such as John Giorno, Sylvie Fleury, Jaume Plensa, and Jürgen Drescher.

Amid the visual vibrancy of an international art fair, The Living Fragment offers a counterpoint: a place of tranquility, presence, and perception. The installation presents trees as carriers of time, planting as a living system, and landscape as spatial experience into a shared curatorial narrative. Originating from Europe, North America, the Caucasus, and East Asia, the trees selected for the installation represent a living atlas of the natural world, their diversity of form, texture, and seasonal character embodying the biodiversity at the heart of Enea’s practice. These elements interact to form a composed landscape: one that creates habitats and influences the microclimate. Deliberately free of permanent artworks, the atmosphere emerges from living material and sculptural wooden wall structures charred using the traditional Japanese Yakisugi technique. The installation features wooden seating elements developed and produced by Riccardo Monte, alongside rugs by Maana Studios, both exclusively created for Enea. Together, these bespoke pieces reflect a shared commitment to natural materials, craftsmanship, and timeless design, creating an inviting space where visitors can engage in dialogue on the interplay of art, nature, and people.

A testament to Enzo Enea’s lifelong commitment to preserving trees, the Enea Tree Museum stands as the only museum of its kind in the world. For more than 25 years, Enea has rescued trees, including ancient, mature specimens, from construction sites and developed areas, giving them new roots on the open-air museum grounds. Here, trees are presented as works of natural art, placed on equal footing with sculpture in a contemplative landscape. By presenting art by renowned artists alongside the trees, Enea demonstrates that architecture, art, and design are not only connected with nature but often originate from it in form and diversity. In the words of architect Enzo Enea: “Trees are living sculptures shaped by time, climate, and human care. Placing them alongside art feels entirely natural to me,” a conviction that makes bringing a fragment of the museum to Art Basel in Basel all the more intentional.

Courtyard Concept Art Basel 2026 © Enea Landscape Architecture

Enea Tree Museum in Rapperswil-Jona, near Zurich.