One of the first places that I thought of, which concerns our imitation of nature on campus, was Knowlton cafe and the “trees.” In many ways these sculptural fixtures are quite beautiful. They rise out of circular benches with trunks that resemble those of aspens, with felted leaves and hidden bulbs that illuminate. Yes these trees are not living, but as far as architecture goes, they are natural elements that reflect the towering oak trees just outside on the green.