You might begin to notice more living and green walls appearing across cities and major buildings. Although, are living walls another trend? Perhaps another extension of our love for houseplants? We believe living walls are much more than that. In fact, they are crucial to the evolving craft of biophilic design.
So what is biophilic design?
Biophilic design sounds like an unusual concept – but it’s simply the art of bringing the outside in and designing the inside with nature in mind. Think trees inside buildings or large plant displays at the heart of shopping centres, residential buildings or stations. Not only do plants look great, but they also bring us joy, health and happiness too. When used thoughtfully as part of a considered commercial plantscape, they can have many benefits. We specialise in biophilic design and using plants to create inviting spaces that people enjoy spending time in.
What is a living wall?
A living wall or ‘green wall’ is a living plant installation situated on a wall and covered with leafy plants or moss. It’s ‘living’ as it creates its own ecosystem, powered by an integrated watering system. Living walls are planted for a number of reasons and there are plenty of upsides to making the investment. Here are our top five reasons to opt for a living wall in your space.
Noise dampening
Most plants have great acoustic abilities to dampen noise, especially when many plants are grouped together. What makes a living wall even better is its density. Acting like natural soundproofing, a green wall can dampen noises in cavernous hallways, large open plan offices as well as stairways in large buildings.
Due to their increased surface area and the inclusion of leafy plants, a living wall takes best in show when it comes to damping noise, creating a more pleasurable environment for people to live and work in.
Improved air quality
We all know that plants use light to live while absorbing unwanted carbon from the air we breathe – but plants can actually improve the air quality in many other ways.
For example, living walls can increase humidity in large offices where air conditioning can leave people feeling dehydrated and a bit under the weather. By transpiring water vapour through microscopic leaf pores, living walls can passively absorb pollutants on the external surfaces of leaves and make the air we breathe cleaner.
Increase your building value
Did you know that buildings with living walls are increasing in value? Soon, living walls could be a staple in new building developments due to their revenue generating and eco friendly credentials. Moreover, living walls can have an insulating and cooling effect during temperature extremes which can help reduce the costs associated with running a large building.
Create moments within Architecture
When considered from the building stage, living walls can become a striking feature within commercial architecture and urban areas. Not only are they pleasant to behold, they also encourage conversation and can even build a sense of community. When more of us are seeking a slice of nature in everyday life, living walls provide a bit of greenery in places we least expect to see it, not to mention the increase in biodiversity that green walls bring.
Stress-reducing properties
There is a reason nature helps us to feel calm, our senses tell us a lot about how we’re feeling. Humans and plants have a connection which works like magic. Plants improve our health, help us to feel happy and much more. Indoor plants help improve mood, concentration and even our sense of creativity, according to a Scandinavian study. Being surrounded by greenery such as living walls helps us to feel grounded and at ease subconsciously – which is pretty magical if you ask us.
We’re botanical experts, with more than 30 years of experience in designing and installing bespoke plantscapes. We work with you to design something that’ll add a wow factor to your space – whatever the brief. Find out how we can help you with commercial plantscapes.