Veg.itecture #47

As we delve into this installment of Veg.itecture - it dawns on me that the current format of this feature may be ringing a little hollow and venturing into cliche after a year or so of it's existence. It is definitely a valuable viewpoint to push forward these projects and visions, and I've definitely tried to round out the dialogue with some of the practicalities involved in applying this flora to buildings in a variety of ways. But is there something more needed to increase the dialogue and informational aspects of vegetated architecture. I'm not sure if this will be possible due to the pragmatics and lack of information on projects, but perhaps a worth spinoff... so starting with Veg.itecture #50 (giving me some time to experiment with a process and format) - we shall adopt a more rigorous analysis of projects - versus the typical eye candy... any thoughts on this would be welcome.

For now, we shall move deftly into the projects - as it is an important element - if even to elicit discussion. This project by from Chile came via World Architecture Community provides some graphics of the Centro intercultural indigena, by Pablo Correa. The stepped forms allow for a delicate insertion into the surrounding site, as well as usable open spaces - particularly the fully accessible upper roof. The greenery is the typical lawn-like coverage which looks more like a soccer pitch than anything else.






:: images via World Architecture Community

And a similar quickie from eye candy features a verdant rooftop scene from nabil gholam architects of a building tucked into the woods...


:: image via eye candy

Herzog & de Meuron's BBVA Headquarters is one of those uber-provocative examples that needs some real analysis... but looks good on paper - or at least digitally.




:: images via Dezeen

And some snippets of architectural statement from HdM (via Dezeen): "We propose the creation of an artificial garden, an oasis, evolving from inside out—a place that establishes a balance between the natural environment and the buildings, and functions like a small city... A linear structure composed of three-story buildings, alleyways and irrigated gardens is laid over the entire site like a carpet that follows the topography. Analogous to an Arabian garden, a cool, moist, fresh microclimate is created. Each workspace has a “green view."


:: image via Inhabitat

A simpler entry, the Rock Row Townhouses, via Treehugger, offers some minimal vegetated terraces.


:: image via Treehugger

And a couple of images of the The Eco•Laboratory in Seattle’s Belltown neighborhood by Weber Thompson, winner of the Natural Design Talent Competition at Greenbuild. (via Treehugger + Inhabitat)




:: images via Inhabitat


:: image via Treehugger

The concept of technology and nature has been subject to some recent dialogue, notably the idea of PHRWEE offered by urb... epitomized by this project by Harrison Pitt for the Flood Design Competition by Norwich Union, replete with a "...New Survivalist dream houses with water tanks, photovoltaics, terraces to grow and dry food, everything but a gun rack."


:: image via Treehugger

And an interesting subterranean project with a splash of greenery - directly addressing nature/culture, via Arch Daily. The Pionen, White mountain by Albert France-Lanord Architects is located 30 meters below Stockholm, Sweden. "The starting point of the project was to consider the rock as a living organism. The humans try to acclimate themselves to this foreign world and bring the ‘best’ elements from earth: light, plants, water and technology." What better spot for a green wall.




:: images via Arch Daily

This reminds me of a recent post on Land8Lounge by Lisa Town related to the Zurich, Switzerland airport's installations of interior greenery from around the world - sort of a large-scale terrarium and botanical garden for the weary traveler. Some images below:




:: images via Lisa Town/L8L

And check out the botanical labels - in this case Epipremnum aureum, a plant indigenous to the Salomon Islands of Malaysia... something Patrick Blanc probably knows pretty well... although we know it better as Pothos, a common houseplant.




:: image via Lisa Town/L8L

And a visual feast at Contemporist, featuring the large and beautiful portfolio of Green Fortune's Plantwall System (seen here at L+U). A couple of nice ones here:




:: images via Contemporist

And some interesting links, including an interview with Renzo Piano from Today Online - discussing amongst the California Academy of Sciences building, as well as some great quotes... a mashup of a few to chew on:

"Ecology can be a lovely source of inspiration and an enormous opportunity... Environmental constraints should not be seen as an assault on freedom. You find that the planet is vulnerable. Does this have to be a crisis? ... Architects should be able to interpret the changes of their times and live with their times ... Our duty is to translate the codes of this ecological language in a poetic way, to marry beauty with respect for the environment..."

Sounds like Veg.itecture to me...

VIA: 1-10

Taking time off from blogging is wonderful - but the backlog of great projects to catch up on is a bit daunting. At the risk of Veg.itectural overload - I'm packing up 10 projects per post, in both the Veg.itecture In Action (VIA) category and the Veg.itecture in Visual Assessement (VIVA) categories (read here to review) to blast out the 100 or so great images in east. Consider it a summary snapshot, or a month in review for April where my posting was sporadic. Or consider in further research for the Veg.itecture book - a proposal of which is in the works.

VIA 1: Ex Ducati



:: images via Platforma Arquitectura

VIA 2: SchwimmHausBoot

:: images via The Design Blog

VIA 3: Mercado de San Sebastian

:: images via Urban Greenery

VIA 4: Khyber Ridge

:: image via ArchDaily

VIA 5: Vancouver Aquarium Green Wall

:: images via National Geographic

VIA 6: OUTrial House



:: images via Space Invading

VIA 7: Vertical Garden



:: images via Urban Greenery

VIA 8: EggO House

:: image via Platforma Arquitectura

VIA 9: Shimzu Corporation Green Wall

:: image via Urban Greenery

VIA 10: Moss Carpet



:: images via Inhabitat

Veg.itecture: VIVA Conceptual 1

There seems a never-ending parade of Veg.itectural visuals on the web... many more than I can possibly try to keep up with in any meaningful way... in less than a week, I've accumulated over 35 examples of projects fitting the representational characteristics of Veg.itecture in Visual Assessment (VIVA) as well as a similar amount for the Veg.itecture in Action (VIA) posts. Ah, if I only have a few extra hours of each day :) So onward, with the amazement, and very few complementary words. They do speak for themselves... don't they?

Residential/office complex, Riga, Latvia


:: image via Urban Greenery

Panda Enclosure Adelaide Zoo, Adelaide, Australia


:: image via WAN

Nouvel atrium, Chelsea, Manhattan


:: image via Urban Greenery

New Park Station




:: images via Arch Daily

Centre for Sustainable Energy Technologies (CSET) - Ningbo, China




:: image via SpaceInvading

Zamet Recreation Centre - Rijeka, Croatia




:: images via WAN

Elphinstone Mills Tower, Mumbai, India


:: image via Urban Greenery

JDS Seaside Resort, Rimini, Italy




:: image via Urban Greenery

Five-Star Hotel near Shanghai, China


:: image via Urban Greenery

Milstein Hall by Rem Koolhaas, Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA)




:: images via SpaceInvading

Veg.itecture: VIA Olive 8, Joost, Mission, + Busan et.al.

VIA: Vegitecture in Action: As promised, the inevitable death of posts related to Veg.itecture has spun, in this auspicious 50th post, into a new series that will investigate the dual sides of the concept - the VIA and the VIVA, if you will (explained here in detail). For this inaugural installment of Veg.itecture in Action (VIA) - a look at four distinctly different, yet equally real, projects along with a few ephemeral touches sprinkled on as endnotes.

Olive 8
The Seattle DJC blog had some installation photos of Olive 8, a condominium in Seattle that features a couple of green roofs - one a tray-based system of sedums. From the DJC: "The roof is actually two green roofs so the developer, R.C. Hedreen, can test out which system it likes best. Above the chillers there is a sod-based green roof. On the actual fourth floor ground level, there is a tray-based sedum system. There is a lasting argument between which one of these techniques is better, which I will discuss in a later post at greater detail. For more on this project, or to learn about R.C. Hedreen’s conversion to being a green developer, read the story in the DJC here."




:: Tray System - images via DJC


:: Sod-based System - images via DJC

Joost Greenhouse
City of Sound featured this interesting project from Melbourne Australia - a temporary structure with some inventive rooftop planters and a unique living wall: "The Greenhouse, by Joost and others, is an opportunistic temporary insertion into a gap in Federation Square, Melbourne. It’s built entirely from recycled and recyclable materials. The exterior is dis-assembled shipping containers and packing crates, filled with straw bale and covered with plants. When I was there, the walls were embedded with strawberry plants and potatoes were planted on top (and used in the potato salad served below), amongst other things."






:: images via City of Sound

More info about the agricultural aspects: "Particularly interesting to me - as a keen if limited urban gardener - is the building as platform and showcase for urban agriculture. A little more could be done to explain the system at work here - which plants make it into the food; how the waste is turned into compost etc. - and the opportunity for increasingly greening all urban spaces with productive planting."




:: images via City of Sound

Pacific Garden Mission
This project, found on Jetson Green, offers some images of the Pacific Garden Mission in Chicago - which had some rooftop interventions. The ratty-looking tray system and rooftop? greenhouses shown below show some of the examples.




:: images via Jetson Green

But they definitely could use a little extra rooftop greening perhaps - looks comfy...


:: image via Jetson Green

Busan Green Room
This brief post from Vulgare highlights the unique 'Green Room' - a utility on the outside, green on the inside temporary pavillion installation from Gruppo A12 - for the Busan Biennale 2006.




:: images via Vulgare


:: image via Gruppo A12

et.al.
Getting ephemeral, there's a few little projects of veg.itectural work that caught the eye in the past few weeks. Both aim at some normal functionality, but fall perhaps a bit short in action. Starting with the ridiculous - Carpark in Taipai - from 3RW Arkitekter - comes courtesy of Vulgare - and gives new meaning to the term parkway:


:: image via Vulgare

And the sublime, a post from Inhabitat of some soft moss used as a bathmat: "This Moss Carpet by Nguyen La Chanh brings the outside indoors in an unconventionally natural way by placing it underfoot. The lush green lawn thrives in humid environments, which makes your bathroom a perfect place to grow."


:: image via Inhabitat

To the just plain wrong - another billboard greening - this time hawking the wares of Adidas. Thanks to Bill Badrick for pointing this one out - and linking to Toxel.


:: image via Toxel

And for an end to the ephemera, check out this interview with High Line Horticulturalist Melissa Fisher, as she describes the nitty gritty of planting the High Line, the Mod Eco-Deep Haus with green roof, courtesy of Jetson Green, and another simple and silly introduction to green roofs from Portland. Enjoy.