NATIONAL COLLEGE OF ARTS, RAWALPINDI

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

LANDSCAPE ASSIGNMENT

URBAN LANDSCAPE INTERVENTIONS

By:

MARSHA MIAN #116

(2020)
VERTICAL GARDEN?
A vertical garden is a technique used to grow plants on a vertically suspended panel by using
hydroponics. These unique structures can either be freestanding or attached to a wall.
Vertical gardens have been used since ancient civilizations; many modern vertical gardens
can last for decades and give a pop of nature into the modern day business. It is also a
vertical arrangement of plants and other organisms that naturally remove toxins and
unhealthy contaminants from the air that we breathe. They can be a complete ecosystem or a
simple configuration of plants and they have been introduced to decontaminate urban
environments. Living walls are both indoor and outdoor.
A successful vertical garden is an assemblage of many different types of plants, suited to
adapt to verticality, specific moisture conditions on the wall, solar exposure, wind exposure,
and varying levels of disturbance. As such, it bears much similarity to the roof garden.

While vertical gardening obviously includes a few challenges that differentiate it from roof
gardening, overall the two are quite similar in the following aspects; micro-climate, limited
soil, irrigation requirements, and plant pallet. But, before you go out and buy a roofing
system to put on your wall, you should know that wall planting systems are very different
from roofing systems, and it is critical that you choose one that is suited to your intended
application. However, these similarities mean that many of the advantages of vertical
gardening are similar to those of green roofs, namely:
– Aesthetic improvement,
– Reduction of the Urban Heat Island (UHI) Effect,
– Improvement of air quality through pollution and dust control, as well as carbon
sequestration,
– Storm water absorption (if designed to receive storm water run off from a horizontal
surface like a roof top),
– Noise reduction and refraction,
– Potential for native habitat integration,
– Potential for food production,
– Increased urban green space and improved livability (Biophilia),
– Corporate image greening,
– Local job creation,
– Use of under-utilized urban spaces (facades),
– Worth LEED points.

HISTORY
1920’s: There was a garden city moment from the British and Americans which encouraged
the integration of garden features and plant usage, for example, using pergolas, trellis
structures and self-climbing plants.

1988: There was the introduction of the stainless steel cable for green facades.
1990s: Cable and wire rope net systems and modular tellis panel systems enter the market
place
1993: The first major application of the new trellis panel system was featured at the
Universal City Walk in California. It’s a stunning example of what a lovely feature plants
can make in a city.

1994: In Canada, in the Canada Life Building in Toronto, an indoor living wall was created
an indoor with bio-filtration system
2002: A stunning example of a living wall is found in the MFO Park. It is multi-tiered
approximately 300 inches long and 50 inches high. The park structure opened in Zurich,
Switzerland. This project had 1,300 plants.

2005: Japanese Federal government sponsored a massive Bio Lung exhibit, the centre piece
of the expo in Aichi Japan. This wall had 30 different modular systems available in Japan.

2007: Seattle implements the Green Factor, which includes green walls.
EVOLUTION

IN THE BEGINNING, THERE WERE VINES

The first vertical gardens date back to 3000 BCE in the Mediterranean area. Grape vines
were, and continue to be, a very popular food crop for people in the region, so they were
commonly grown in fields, homes, and gardens throughout the area. Sometimes vines were
planted for the purpose of growing food, and others to simply provide shade in places where
planting trees was not an option. Above is an example of Vitis vinifera that is being grown
today in Greece.

University of Toronto’s Falconer Hall covered in Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspid at)

In the last couple centuries, vine-based gardening has spread steadily throughout the world,
aided largely by the Garden City Movement. The Garden City sought to integrate nature into
the city, and because of the limited footprint needed for vertical gardens on grade, they
quickly became an easy and fairly inexpensive way to green many cities. Species like
Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), English Ivy (Hedera helix) and Boston Ivy
(Parthenocissus tricuspidata) are historically some of the most commonly planted vine
species. Still widely used today, these plants are looked upon favorably for their ability to
survive various climates and affix themselves to facades without the help of a trellis.
Although vertical gardening has existed throughout history, its modern-day popularity boom
didn’t begin until the 1980s. In particular, German government incentives for city greening
led to the creation of many vertical gardening projects, sparking further research into the
living wall’s thermal benefits.
In 1987, leading German researcher Manfred Köhler wrote a thesis on vertical gardens’
thermal properties–how the green insulation layer cools buildings in the summer and retains
heat in the winter–and it remains to this day a primary source on vertical gardening in colder
climates. Köhler has since collaborated with researchers around the world, and has
contributed to a famous German guide to vertical gardening: The Forschungsgesellschaft
Landschaftsentwicklung Landschaftsbau (FLL) Richthimie für die Planning, Ausführing und
Pflege von Fassadengegrüngen. It was first published in 1995, with a second edition
published in 2000. Unfortunately, the guide is only available in German and it is unknown if
the FLL has plans to translate it into any other languages.
 Espaliered Pear Tree.

ESPALIERED TREES
The next incarnation of vertical gardening is known as Espalier. Espaliered trees became
very popular in France in 2500 BCE and continue to be grown around the world today.
Espaliers are usually fruit bearing trees, with apple and pear trees as the most commonly
used species. The trees are tied to a wire framework or fence in order to train the young
branches to grow into specific shapes (the process bears many similarities to the process
undertaken to create a bonsai). They are grown in various patterns, the most popular of
which are horizontal lines, 45° lines, and diamond shapes. The pattern shown above is
known as Candelabra.

Mur Vegetal at the Taipeh Concert Hall

HYDROPONIC WALLS
Back in the 1980s, the world renowned French botanist Patrick Blanc began to experiment
with his trademark hydroponic system, Mur Vegetale, which he has now applied to massive
internationally-acclaimed green wall projects around the world. His first major project was
completed in 1996, and he has since gone on to work with some of the most internationally
recognized architects worldwide.
Blanc’s gardens are probably the most widely recognizable type of vertical garden by the
general public. Amazingly, his lush creations subsist on a growing medium comprising just
two thin sheets of felt, with a total thickness of only a couple millimeters. This means the
system is relatively lightweight and soil-free. Because of the lack of soil, hydroponically-
grown green walls are susceptible to fewer pests and fewer structural modifications are
needed to accommodate the weight. Since the first installation of Mur Vegetale, many
similar systems have turned up on the market.

University of Guelph’s Humber Campus Biowall. Designed by Nedlaw

BIOWALLS
In the 1990s, another interesting development in the technology of vertical gardening took
place at the Guelph University’s Humber Campus in Toronto, where a team of researchers
built and tested a hydroponic vertical garden that would double as a giant air filter. This
research, initially funded by NASA, evolved into a company by the name of Nedlaw, which
currently operates out of Ontario.
BENEFITS OF VERTICAL GARDENS

1. Save Your Space:

A vertical garden uses a very limited space for planting, you can have piles of plant vertically
arranged one by one or hanging one above the other. You just need to take care that the plants
are getting proper sunlight.
2. Keeping your Diversity of plants:
You can even experiment with growing diversity of plants like decorative and vegetable plants
row by row to give aesthetic to the garden. Comparatively the vertical garden is easier to grow
and maintain as well.
3. Safe way of gardening:
The plants are grown off the ground which minimizes the risk of pest. It also protects the plant
from damage due to pets which dig up the outdoor gardens

4. A Protective Shield:
Everybody knows that plants absorbs pollutants and harmful compounds, so when we grow
plants vertically in compact way, it acts as a protective shield and gives you a pure environment
to breath in.
5. Insulate your building:
Your green living wall do not only absorbs the air pollutant but also the heat, noise, harsh
weather and UV rays. It regulates temperature through transpiration and gives you cooling.
6. Easy to maintain:
Vertically arranged Plants are easy to reach, makes fertilizing, watering, pruning and
harvesting are also convenient.
7. Gives you privacy:
You can grow your green wall outside windows or a little far from the door but to keep it
hidden from the outsider and also it gives you shades from the sunlight out and privacy from
the passerby.
8. Living room divider:
You can grow a vertical garden on wheeled container and keep it indoor as a beautiful &
attractive room divider. This wheeled container will help you to move the garden to the
sunlight as needed.
9. Reuse your wastes:
This type of green architecture can be easily made by the use of recycle materials such as
plastic bottles, old shoe organizers, broken ladder, basket, shoe, can etc.,
10. Grow more kinds of Plants:
You can actually increase the varieties of the plant by adding the climbers including
cucumbers, tomatoes and melons downside of the garden and the small plant varieties to the
top of it.
11. Poor quality soil? Don’t worry:
If you have poor quality soil in your garden there is no need to go for cost wasting treatment
to grow your garden, you can always opt for vertical gardening with the use of appropriate
good quality soil.
12. A healthy vegetation:
In vertical gardening the plan gets more exposure of sunlight and air circulation as it grows
upwards, which results in a healthy garden.
13. Plants reduce stress:
Many studies have found the Physiological effect of Plants in reducing the physical signs of
stress and promote access to vegetation for having a greater positive human health impac
14. Aesthetic Visual appeal:
Vertical gardens are ivy on the wall. You can incredibly transform the wall or any empty space
into something aesthetically pleasing and creatively stimulating by vertical gardening. It can
be used in making green wall, or gate decoration, or hangings basket or window boxers,
whatever it may be it gives a soothing natural beauty and makes a great impact on the visualize.
These helps you to turn your apartment into a luxury villas which you always desire for.

THE DRAWBACKS

Limited Growing Space

Vertical planters generally don’t provide a whole lot of space for roots to grow. Unless the
planter is a heavy-duty structure, larger plants will not be able to be supported. This means
that gardeners are more limited to smaller varieties or that grow more slowly.

Dries Out Quickly

Some planters that receive a lot of sun can dry out easily, weakening or killing plants. For this
reason, it is important to look at the materials used when building your planter. For instance,
if you want to make a gutter garden to grow herbs and lettuces in a sunny space, use a white
plastic gutter that will help reflect light and heat – instead of a dark grey metal gutter that will
heat up faster.
Can Be Expensive
Many pre-made vertical planting systems cost more than traditional pots. They are specially-
designed for easy set-up, easy maintenance and easy watering, which are all great benefits.
However, with a little elbow grease, you may be able to create your own structure for much
less money with materials at your local home improvement store.

Potential to Be Messy
Containers where the plants grow out to the side rather than up present the problem of dirt
falling out. A few ways to get around this issue are to
 Use a chicken wire or other wire mesh material through which to insert the plants.
 Place your plants close together to almost form a “seal” where the dirt cannot escape.
Succulents are good for this.
 Keep your planter in a horizontal position for several months before standing vertical.
This gives roots time to grow and take hold, which also helps keep the soil in place.

Watering and Drainage Can Be a Problem

This is an important issue to think through, especially if your plants will be indoors. A simple
solution that many growers use is choosing succulents or other drought-tolerant varieties.
Smaller containers can also be more easily moved for occasional watering. Some larger
structures include a catch basin at the bottom.

Vertical gardens has further two categories:

  GREEN FACADES
Green facades are a type of green wall system in which climbing plants or cascading
vegetation. Green facades can be anchored to existing walls or built as freestanding structures,
such as fences or columns
Three green facade systems that are frequently used are Modular Trellis Panel, Grid System
and Wire Rope Net System.

Modular trellis panel system

The building block of this modular system is a rigid, light weight, three-dimensional panel
made from a powder coated galvanized and welded steel wire that supports plants with both a
face grid and a panel depth. This system is designed to hold a green facade off the wall surface
so that plant materials do not attach to the building, provides a “captive” growing environment
for the plant with multiple supports for the tendrils, and helps to maintain the integrity of a
building membrane. Panels can be stacked and joined to cover large areas, or formed to create
shapes and curves, are made from recycled content steel and are recyclable Because the panels
are rigid, they can span between structures and can also be used for freestanding green walls.

Freestanding trellis fence (left), column trellis (bottom), custom trellis shapes (right)

Modular wall hung trellis (left), curved trellis (right)

Grid and wire-rope net systems
Planning the Grid and wire-rope net systems used cables and wires. Grids are employed on
green facades that are designed to support faster growing climbing plants with denser foliage.
Wire-nets are often used to support slower growing plants that need the added support these
systems provide at closer intervals. Both systems use high tensile steel cables, anchors and
supplementary equipment. Various sizes and patterns can be accommodated as flexible
vertical and horizontal wire-ropes are connected through cross clamps.

Grid System

Grid and Wire-Rope Net Systems

  LIVING WALLS
Living wall systems are composed of pre vegetated panels, vertical modules or planted
blankets These panels can be made of plastic, expanded polystyrene, synthetic fabric, clay,
metal, and concrete, and support a great diversity and density of plant species. Living walls
need more protection than green facades because of its diversity and density of vegetation.
Living Walls are made with three parts: a metal frame, a PVC layer and an air layer (do not
need soil). This system supports a variety of plant species, such as a mixture of vegetation,
perennial flowers, low shrubs, and ferns etc. It performs well in various climate environments.
However, the selection of better species may adapt to the prevailing climatic condition, so that
the maintenance of the system be made easy. Generally is used self-automated watering and
nutrition system, to make maintenance of the living walls easy.

Living wall, Semiahmoo Library in South Surrey.

LANDSCAPE WALLS
These walls are an evolution of landscape 'berms' and a strategic tool in an approach to 'living'
architecture. Landscape walls are typically sloped as opposed to vertical and have the primary
function of noise reduction and slope stabilization. They usually are structured from some
form of stacking material made of plastic or concrete with room for growing media and plants.
VEGETATED MAT WALLS
The ‘Mur Vegetal’ is a unique form of green wall pioneered by Patrick Blanc. It is composed
of two layers of synthetic fabric with pockets that physically support plants and growing
media. The fabric walls are supported by a frame and backed by a waterproof membrane
against the building wall because of its high moisture content. Nutrients are primarily
distributed through an irrigation system that cycles water from the top of the system down.

MODULAR LIVING WALL

A modular living wall system emerged in part from the use of modules for green roof
applications, with a number of technological innovations. Modular systems consist of square
or rectangular panels that hold growing media to support plant material.
CASESTUDIES

BOSCO VERTICALE
LOCATION: MILANO, ITALY
YEAR: 2007
CLIENT: HINES ITALIA
BUILT AREA: 40.000 SQM
ARCHITECT: BOERISTUDIO
CONSULTANT FORTHE VEGETATION PROJECT:
EMANUELA BORIO, LAURA GATTI.

It is a project for metropolitan reforestation that contributes to the regeneration of the

Environment and urban biodiversity without the implications of expanding the city upon the
territory. It is a model of vertical densification of nature within the city. The Bosco Verticale
is a system that optimizes, recuperates, and produces energy. It aids in the creation of a
microclimate and in filtering the dust particles contained in the urban environment. The
diversity of the plants and their characteristics produce humidity, absorb co2 and dust particles,
producing oxygen and protect from radiation and acoustic pollution, improving the quality of
living spaces and saving energy.

SECTIONS
The towers, measuring 110 and 76 meters will become home to over 900 trees and that’s
excluding wide range of shrubs and floral plants.

LIVING TOWER
PROJECT DETAILS
Partners: Lafarge Cimbeton
Year: 2006
Architects: SOA Architects, Pierra Sartoux and Augus tin
Level: 30
Total Area: 50470 sqm
Height 112 m without wind mill (140m with wind mill)
Mixed program: offices, housing, shopping and
horticultural hydroponic production.
 PLANS

SECTIONS
INTERIORS

The concept of the Living Tower’s aim is to associate the agricultural production, dwelling
and activities in a single and vertical system. This system would allow to make the city
denser meanwhile a greater autonomy could be gained reliance in agricultural plains,
reducing the need of transportation between urban and extra-urban territories. The yet
unusual superimposition of these programs finally makes it possible to consider new
practical and energetic relations between agricultural culture, tertiary spaces, housing and
trade inducing a very strong energy saving. With a topographic game of opposition between
full and unfilled spaces, the system of the Living Tower is designed as an autonomous
ecological machine which associates places of production, places of consumption and spaces
of life. The full spaces systematically fulfill the requirements of housing and the offices, in
term of comfort, heat insulation, acoustic and sunning, while the unfilled spaces can adapt to
various functions of production
Apart from integrating agriculture (greenhouses) into the building, the 'La Tour Vivante: an
eco-tower' also integrates other resources that support the ecological system of the tower.
Windmills: The two windmills are located on the roof facing the predominant winds. The
electric Power produced is about 200 to 600 kWh per annum. These wind machines are also
used to pump recycled rainwater and grey water from the treatment solution in the basement
for the irrigation of plants.
Photovoltaic panels: Photovoltaic panels measuring 4,500 m2 have been included into the
facades to generate electricity from solar energy. The windmills and the solar panels ensure
that the TV is a self-sufficient building.
Rainwater: After the rainwater has been filtered, it is used for the facilities of offices and
residences and for the watering of the hydroponics. Excess rainwater is collected, pumped by
the wind machines, and then stored in tanks at the top of the tower
Black water: The black water produced by the tower is recycled and purified in a treatment
solution in order to feed and to fertilize the agricultural production of the greenhouses

REFRENCES
https://gardentabs.com/pros-cons/

https://easyverticalgardening.com/types-of-vertical-gardens/pros-and-cons-of-vertical-gardens/

https://www.slideshare.net/ArchDuty/vertical-gardens-dissertation

https://www.alliancein.com/14-advantages-vertical-garden/

https://land8.com/a-history-of-vertical-gardens-from-simple-vines-to-hydroponic-systems/

https://www.intechopen.com/books/advances-in-landscape-architecture/vertical-gardens