Page 14 - I-Plants Magazine May 2021 Issue #5 v2

Vertical Green

Living Carpets

By Dr Vanessa Champion
Editor Journal of Biophilic Design / The Space Doctors / www.journalofbiophilicdesign.com www.thespacedoctors.com
Video Credit: Everette Conklin – youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c00aqiw6xE

A lot of us live in cities or towns Temperature control building to cover, chat to a structural
where green space has been cur-
engineer and maybe an artist, as
tailed in favour of sidewalks and Buildings thermal efficiency – buildings collaborating with more people also
freeways. There are more and are a major cause of global warming benefits the community aspect and
more studies explaining how being near in the US for instance, 40% of total helps spread the positive word of
nature is good for our wellbeing and health, carbon emissions, 50% used for space your installation!
inside and out. Also, with greater urbanisa- heating and cooling… solar reflection/
tion we see an increase in pollution! shading, latent heat evaporation, wind
shelter = energy savings.
Sometimes it might not be possible to dig Get seasonal!
up the road and plant trees, but we have Cities create little mini “Heat islands”, If you love planting, why not consid-
millions of square metres of walls (and where the buildings reflect heat into er a living wall you can switch up?
roofs, which is another opportunity!)! the environment, causing the area to
be warmer than the surrounding areas. Changing the colours, scents, struc-
Living Walls reduce this by 14% (if you tures of plants over the year. Plant
for spring, summer and fall, and don’t
The Magic of the Green Wall. combine with a green roof, you get a forget the winter too, something that
double whammy of 34%!)
Did you know there are already nearly Biodiversity has dramatic colour or structure like
1,200,000 square metres of living walls in a pyracantha (which will grow up the
US, Europe and Asia? Long gone are the If you plant a variety of species outside, wall on its own thank you very much!)
days where the humble pot plant is the you can get creative with your Living will flower and spark joy during the
only option designers have for livening up walls can mimic different biodiverse dark winter months is good for our
an interior or the façade of a corporate environments, shade, light, variety of wellbeing. Biophilic Design isn’t just
headquarters! Now with better technology species, seasonal planting encouraging for Spring or Summer!
and improved containers there are more pollinators, birds and little critters who
and easier options for people to create will naturally eat any bugs too. There
living walls. are companies who can advise on How about Living food gardens?
which plants are best, and who can also Herbs, Tomatoes, lettuce, strawber-
help you design them (and install them ry, salads… and just think of all that
Here are some benefits of having these for you too!). colour!
gorgeous green living wallpapers in our Stress Busting
cities, towns, workplaces and healthcare:
With my Biophilic Design hat on,
Reduces Air pollution Attention Restoration Theory
many readers will know that seeing
This is an obvious one! Healthier people, and surrounding yourself with more So, here’ a tip. Consider different
makes for happier people. Roadside emis- greenery and natural elements relieves textures, colours, smells, shapes
sions. 8 million deaths worldwide in 2018. Psychosocial stress too. So aggression, and sizes when you’re choosing your
Premature deaths associate with poor air crime rates all drop where there is more planting. And there’s a reason for
quality. Plants, their roots and soil remove nature. Using biophilic design you can this… You might have a look for the
air pollutants. create a sense of place, where people lovely, variegated red of a Heuchera,
love to hang out, helping them have a the various Philodendrons like the lit-
Sound absorption positive experience of a space rather tle rampant Cordatum or the Split-leaf
Noise reduction/ improved acoustics… than a stressful one. version which I love, or the tropical
nuisance noise. Did you know the World Creativity looking Congo Green (where you can
Health Organisation (WHO) claims that 1 imagine there’s a family of gorillas liv-
million healthy years of life are lost every Pull on your inner Monet! There are ing by the photocopiers), the Maranta
year as a result of nuisance noise causing many plants which love a living wall, Red or an Antherium to give colour
psychological stress. It’s not just us, it’s varying planting patterns, colours, and interest, shapes and structure. All
our furry friends too, as urban wildlife textures and by arranging containers of these help with resetting our mindset
also suffers! Plant foliage scatters higher all these plants, you can create an im- according to what people say in the
frequency sounds. pressionist mural! If you have a massive psychology business, the “Attention
Restoration Theory”.

14 Making The New Normal Better!
Photo Credit: AD Classics: The Ford Foundation / Kevin Roche John Dinkeloo and Associates, copyright KRJDA