Veg.itecture #24

I decided to clean out the archives of great vegetated architecture - partly from necessity and partly spurred a special Architectural Element feature on Vertical Gardens from A Daily Dose of Architecture and by the recent coverage in the NY Times Design & Living 2008 special mag, featuring the likes of Ann Demeulemeester's vegetated Seoul store by Mass Studies, the work of living wall pioneer Patrick Blanc, and techno-saavy Mathieu Lehanneur (yes, all featured here before... and yes, it is a trend that seems to have staying power).


:: image via Inhabitat

And the writing from the NY Times adds a level of poetry. From the article, some quotes regarding Blanc: "I love the symbol and meaning of creating new laws of gravity for the earth." ...and Minsuk Cho (of Mass Studies) "These green walls also work as air fresheners... the moss in the project [is] the best way to produce oxygen." ...and of all the projects, via Paula Hayes "The vertical is a great way for urbanites to live... You can become monumental when you go up."

A zoomy new project via Inhabitat encompasses a range of strategies. A project Foster + Partners in Singapore skyline is "...pushing the green envelope from top to bottom in this sophisticated downtown design."


:: image via Inhabitat

This design offers some interesting forms, as well as a very informative design which captures sun, wind, and technologies to provide a integrated yet simple solution: "All facades will be fitted with solar cells and, to help control solar gain, direct sunlight will be filtered through ribbon-like canopies rising from the base of the entire complex to the exposed east and west elevations of the towers. ...The canopies will form vertical louvers at the elevations and provide more renewable on-site energy with integrated thin-film solar arrays. Vertical green spaces, and extensive sky gardens are also important components of the towers, further greening the whole structure with natural vegetation and ambient temperature moderation. ...The slanted facades are designed to catch the wind and direct it downwards for natural cooling of the ground floor spaces. A rainwater harvesting system, geothermal heating system, chilled beams and ceilings, and an ice storage system for cooling are further enhancements planned for the complex."




:: images via Inhabitat

The rooftop potential of usable sport field space is an upcoming future post, with some amazing imagery of an fantastic Aussie green building. These and another project from that is worthy of their own attention. In the meantime, a sampling of some less intense but equally interesting examples spanning a range of Veg.itecture Archetypes.


:: LA Mixed Use (Site Insertion) - image via WAN


:: Tower (Abstracted Natural Forms) - image via WAN


:: Green Roof Residences (Roof Greening) - image via WAN


:: Invisible House (Biomimicry) - image via The Design Blog


:: Orchid House (Biomimicry) - image via WAN

The above Orchid house recently sold (unbuilt) for almost $15 million... showing green building does have a big market cache. While the cost is palatable for the uber-riche for a single-family - there is the concept and shape that is worthy of a large price-tag has to walk the walk visually. An example, for instance, is BLDGBLOGs coverage of the 'Desert Getaway' or Destination Universitas on Lake Las Vegas... "The site will then be nothing less than the place "where the most powerful men and women on the planet can get away from it all with a combination of reading, contemplation and even a spot of gardening."


:: image via BLDGBLOG

And speaking of outrageous costs (oh I just can't stop), we mentioned the ASLA Headquarters Green Roof previously but the most valuable thing to come from the project is the book Green Roof - A Case Study by Christian Werthmann, which provides the most comprehensive overview of a single rooftop project I've seen. And due to the growing but still slim library of green roof literature, this is an great addition.


:: ASLA Headquarters Green Roof - image via Architecture.MNP

And why not finish with a little more whimsy, via Dwell, and set of refridgerator magnets from Dutch designer Richard Hutten which, to quote Dwell "...could be used to shrub up your kitchen or garage, provided you have exposed metal surfaces."




:: images via Dwell

Looks much more affordable too...

Veg.itecture #23

It's been a wild week - and finally settling down to getting some posts that have been in process finished up and out the door. (That is, before heading back to work :) Although Martha Schwartz would disagree, I'm still betting on vertical and horizontal building greening as a way of redefining landscape architecture for the future. So, with that, it's time for some more Veg.itecture, with a new crop of building and landscape interventions.

A project featured previously in preliminary form, the Antilla is now taking shape on the inside, and offers some interesting views of the green facade and terrace spaces. Featured in Forbes, the $2 Billion dollar price tag for this project has raised eyebrows but seem to have some potential sustainable goals (note: sustainable strategies does not a green building make). We can talk about scale and excess - but as an article in A/R points out - the efficient use of land is one feature that makes it less-impactings, than say, a 50,000 s.f. sprawling house on 5 acres in the suburbs.


:: image via Architectural Record

The gardens offer a variety of spaces for respite: "For more temperate days, the family will enjoy a four-story open garden. In profile, the rebar-enforced beams form a "W" shape that supports the upper two-thirds of the building while creating an open-air atrium of gardens, flowers and lawns. Gardens, whether hanging hydroponic plants, or fixed trees, are a critical part of the building's exterior adornment but also serve a purpose: The plants act as an energy-saving device by absorbing sunlight, thus deflecting it from the living spaces and making it easier to keep the interior cool in summer and warm in winter. An internal core space on the garden level contains entertaining rooms and balconies that clear the tree line and offer views of downtown Mumbai."

Forbes offers some interior views and details of these spaces in a slideshow as well... here's a couple:




:: images via Forbes

A recently revealed project via A Daily Dose of Architecture et. al. is Five Franklin Place by UN Studio which is a condominium in New York City featuring a swooping facade of black ribbons and some punctuated vertical greenery.

:: images via Archidose

It gets somewhat more coheseive and interesting at ground level, where the ribbons are framed by more substantial vertical greenery.


:: image via Archidose

A recent competition offered some interesting vegetated solutions and graphics. As featured on BDonline, the competition for Bridewell Island redevelopment looked at a couple of different tracks of solutions - to rebuild or to build high. The winning entry by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris offered compelling restoration of the old, along with a great exploded axon describing the spatial arrangement and rooftop greening.


:: Allford Hall Monaghan Morris - image via BDonline

Some other runner-up entries in the vegetated realm:


:: Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios - image via BDonline


:: Spacecraft - image via BDonline

Continuing with an interior-exterior blending, a project from Dezeen in Amsterdam named Kinderstad is "...a penthouse where children being treated at an Amsterdam hospital can relax and meet friends, designed by Sponge Architects and Rupali Gupta in cooperation with IOU Architecture." The exterior facade has natural patterns on the exterior titanium cladding.


:: image via Dezeen

These elements protrude out, and continue inside for whimsical flourish of interior spaces: "With their playful prints of natural materials the boxes in the facade that stretch from the inside of the building through the glass facade to the outside give an impression of the thematic design of the interior and wear away the border between interior and exterior."

:: images via Dezeen

And to finish up with some more whimsy, a flowery example of a shelter via The Design Blog with an bright and evocative natural form. "The steel flower has 11 petals that ascend synchronously around a central stalk. The latter creates the space within around which a stage rotates. The design is very versatile and adaptive. Not only can an entry be created through either of the different gaps in-between petals, but the looks can also be modified by changing the petals’ positions."


:: image via The Design Blog

From a perusal of the links stored up, there will be another installment of Veg.itecture soon... check back.

Listen to your Martha

It's not often I hear something that really resonates with the profession of landscape architecture - particularly from one of the major players in the profession. It's definitely less-often I hear this from Martha Schwartz, whom is better known for edgy design and controversial project aesthetics than sustainability. A recent BBC article offers her surprisingly compelling challenge to landscape architects to grab their rightful place as agents of change. It's worth a read.


:: Martha Schwartz - image via Archinect

In summary, via the introduction: "The focus on greening homes and offices is ignoring the wider landscape of our towns and cities, argues Martha Schwartz. In this week's Green Room, she says 21st Century urban spaces must undergo a green revolution." Schwartz goes on to make her case with some poignant commentary. A few choice cuts (but really, read the whole thing, even you LAs that say you don't read):

"...I have found that we lag behind architects when it comes to participating in the conversation around sustainability; in fact, we are often relegated to presiding over green roof technology."

"...The reason for the focus on buildings, as opposed to that of the surrounding landscape, is down to the fact that the uses of resources and energy can be addressed with a degree of simplicity and directness. ...Meanwhile, landscape architects are left outside looking in on the discussion because our professional remit rests outside these technologically oriented and building-focused discussions."

This is a good point, and one that continually comes up in discussions of sustainability and design. A conference I attended yesterday focused so much on sustainable technologies I starting thinking this was the only answer to our problems. The reason - tangible and measurable results. It's hard to measure landscape architectural benefits to sustainability, much less some of the more intangible aspects of landscape. Continuing on, Schwartz outlines a more holistic viewpoint:

"The landscape is the canvas upon which we live our lives, join together as communities and build our cities. ...Embedded and integral to the landscape are the ecological systems that must be understood and respected, as well as the infrastructural systems connecting us all together."

"Landscape architects ought to help to make cities better places for all who live within them through the establishment of good connectivity and open spaces, the promotion of public transportation and, very importantly, ensuring water is used responsibly, with run-off being managed and put back into the ground. ...In addition, landscape architects ought to ensure developers plant as much as possible so that we have an abundance of trees and permeable surfaces."

Ironically, Schwartz uses a project she designed, Manchester Exchange Square - to make the point of this type design that will acheive this end. While an interesting urban space, it has neither the sustainable design credibility, nor the green open space and abundance of trees to really put to fine a point on the argument. My guess is there's probably a project or two in her portfolio that create urban greening with more success than this.


:: Manchester Exchange Square - image via Wikipedia

Schwartz goes on to explain that recent activities from PLAN NYC are a step in the right direction, but still lack a vital role for landscape architecture, and more notably, high-design in this process.

"PLAN NYC is certainly a marvellous commitment to improving the lives of citizens by giving them access to fresh, green, open spaces. But it does not push the envelope quite far enough. It does not advocate the vital commitment to landscapes that reflects the most forward visual thinking, through dynamic, inspirational design, and structured attentiveness to community histories. The role of landscape architecture is once again one of green embellishment, adding parks here and there, rather than sustainability agenda-setting through thought-provoking design."

"For the best examples of this, we have to look to areas like Germany's Duisberg Nord Parc in the Ruhr Valley, or the beautiful green spaces of the Park Andre Citroen in Paris."

:: Duisberg Nord Parc - image via Archidose

:: Park Andre Citroen - image via Wikipedia

Both of these spaces offer a glimpse of the possible iterations, but are very much leaning to the side of edgy design than true ecological sustainability. I appreciate these projects both - particularly the fantastic project in Duisberg by Peter Latz, but again think the project examples are disconnected from the text. The High Line to me might be a better example. Or perhaps the work of Herbert Dreisietl or Bill Wenk.

I very often bemoan the lack of real passionate voices calling for change in the profession. There is a need to fill this role and take our collective place on the soapbox from time-to-time. There is also the need to provide viable options and precedents for the concept - of which Schwartz hints at, but doesn't deliver fully. The point, perhaps not in detail, is in concept, which I think captures part of the real idea behind the story:

"It is therefore vital that landscape architects assert this both in our advocacy and in our actual work; for so long as we trail behind the architects by topping their buildings with green roofs, we are simply fiddling while Rome burns."

It's refreshing to see this candid discussion not just within the community and pages of Landscape Architecture, but happening outside in more mainstream media (ok, it's not Fox news...). This reduced focus on building and more on urban fabric is not necessarily cutting edge thinking. In some circles it's called public space design. In others, it's dubbed landscape urbanism. What is missing is not necessarily the fact, but the underlying reason.

Another item of note is what is exactly wrong with doing both... I dare say our focus has been less on actually interfacing with buildings that with dressing them up - and the integration is much needed and much late to the party. The interstitial weaving of green spaces within communities is the foundation of the profession. As we've matured, we have incorporated more appropriate ideas of sustainability and ecology into our work - opening up more the possibility of more significant and regenerative strategies. To mimimize the idea of incorporating vegetation into buildings is self-defeating at this point - as the buildings become an extension to and in the case of facades, a part of, this urban fabric. We should leverage more incorporation of building integrated landscape - along with strengthening our foundations of pure open space design and community building.

And all of these are good points... I say let's transpose these statements into the most recent National ASLA award winners, and try to figure out how these have not focused on greening buildings and have evolved towards re-making urban spaces in this 'green revolution.' Stay tuned for that.