LITERALLY GREEN FACADES
by Nigel Dunnett and Noel Kingsbury
http://www.ArchitectureWeek.com/today.html
http://www.ArchitectureWeek.com/2004/0728/environment_1-1.html
"Facade greening" is essentially the use of a living -
and therefore self-regenerating - cladding system for
buildings in which climbing plants, or in some cases
trained shrubs, cover the surface of a building.
Climbers can dramatically reduce the maximum
temperatures of a building by shading walls from the
sun. They can reduce the daily temperature fluctuation
by as much as 50 percent, a fact of great importance in
warm-summer climate zones.
The practice of greening facades is long established in
parts of Europe, largely, but not entirely, for
ornamental purposes. It is quite common to see houses
covered in Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus
tricuspidata), but its supporting structure is often
completely inadequate.
Traditionally, self-clinging climbers have been used
because they require no supporting network of wires or
trellis. Modern facade greening, however, favors the
use of climbers supported by steel cables or trellis,
holding the plants away from the building surface.
... full story continues online (10 images):
http://www.ArchWeek.com/2004/0728/environment_1-1.html
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by Nigel Dunnett and Noel Kingsbury
http://www.ArchitectureWeek.com/today.html
http://www.ArchitectureWeek.com/2004/0728/environment_1-1.html
"Facade greening" is essentially the use of a living -
and therefore self-regenerating - cladding system for
buildings in which climbing plants, or in some cases
trained shrubs, cover the surface of a building.
Climbers can dramatically reduce the maximum
temperatures of a building by shading walls from the
sun. They can reduce the daily temperature fluctuation
by as much as 50 percent, a fact of great importance in
warm-summer climate zones.
The practice of greening facades is long established in
parts of Europe, largely, but not entirely, for
ornamental purposes. It is quite common to see houses
covered in Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus
tricuspidata), but its supporting structure is often
completely inadequate.
Traditionally, self-clinging climbers have been used
because they require no supporting network of wires or
trellis. Modern facade greening, however, favors the
use of climbers supported by steel cables or trellis,
holding the plants away from the building surface.
... full story continues online (10 images):
http://www.ArchWeek.com/2004/0728/environment_1-1.html
--
The Design-L list for art and architecture, since 1992...
To subscribe, send mailto:design-l-subscribe-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.
To signoff, send mailto:design-l-unsubscribe-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx.
Visit archives: http://lists.psu.edu/archives/design-l.html