As shocking pictures of London’s first living wall reveal it brown and lifeless, a green wall expert warns that Australian architects are mis-specifying plants and irrigation that could leave vertical gardens here in the same state.
Architects in Australia have the “vision” but not the “specific expertise” to specify green walls and living roofs, Jock Gammon from vertical garden experts Junglefy said.
Some architects are using unsuitable plants or inadequate irrigation in their designs, Gammon said.
“I've seen some living walls that have been designed as floor-to-floor plantation but without any water channels running the length of the design.”
A problem also exists where European designs are being brought to Australia without significant adaptations for climate, Gammon said.
“This certainly happened with some of the first vertical gardens inspired by French botanist Patrick Balnc,” he said.
Australian living walls need drought resilient plans, such as Australian grasses and hardy exotics like Liriope, he said.
“Most terrestrial plants can be grown vertically in the wall but you need to consider the extra sun and wind the plant will receive in the new position. Also, with indoor walls people need to consider the dry air from air conditioning that can affect growth.”
This comes as the UK’s first living wall in North London has died just three years after it was built. The $3 million children’s centre, designed by British architecture firm DSDHA, opened in 2006 with more than 30 species of plants growing on through a steel mesh on the 9 metre wall, reports the Architect’s Journal.
However, the plants are now brown and lifeless, according to new images of the building. The architects are “greatly dismayed” that the wall is in such bad condition.
A spokesperson for Islington Council said: “The wall was the first of its type to be installed in the UK and, as with anything new, carried a certain element of risk.
“Of course we’re disappointed that it hasn’t thrived. It seems this could be down to its design and we are looking at the best way to restore it.”
DSDHA remains actively involved London Borough of Islington in addressing the problems to do with the landscape and irrigation of the Paradise Park Children's Centre.
The green wall system used to realise the architect’s idea for a vertical garden at Paradise Park was invented, prototyped and adapted for integration into the building by the Green Wall Consultant Marie Clarke (Clarke Associates) who was appointed to the project based on her acclaimed prior development work on green walls.
Since the problem has appeared, both Clarke Associates and the services engineer Pearce Associates have been addressing these technical issues with DSDHA’s overview.
