A living wall is no longer an unusual sight in many parts of the world. This is partly because governments and companies are innovating a lot in this exciting area of modern architecture. Living walls are versatile, too; not only are they easy on the eye, they can reduce air pollution and can provide a habitat for small creatures in cities. Urbanization is having an impact on the space available for public parks and planted walls do help address this issue.
A fine example in Seattle
A large corporation in Seattle has chosen to build a planted wall. When the weather is good, it is apparently very pleasant to sit in the special area provided. The wall is very attractive and has a positive impact on the brand of the company in question. It reinforces the impression that the enterprise takes environmental concerns seriously.
An innovative project at Sheffield University
The pluses and minuses associated with planted walls are being assessed in Sheffield. In a process that will take a year, the relative success of different planted wall types will be examined. There is involvement in the scheme from the private sector and from the charitable sector. The government is also providing resources for the scheme.
While a year might not be long enough to determine all the true qualities of each solution, the findings should make fascinating reading. In addition, the experiment is a great showcase for planted walls in general. It should encourage more research and might help lead to more planted walls being built in Britain.