**Summary Nuggets: Vertical Gardens / Green Walls in Sustainable Building**

- **Rising Popularity and Aesthetics:** Vertical gardens or green walls have become prominent features in sustainable architecture, favored for their visual appeal and ability to blend built environments with nature.

- **Environmental Benefits:**
    - **Air Purification:** Indoor green walls are effective at improving air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide and pollutants, and releasing oxygen.

Certain plants are known to filter toxins such as formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene from the indoor environment.

- **Temperature Regulation:** Green walls contribute to the natural regulation of building temperatures.

Through the process of evapotranspiration, plants cool indoor spaces, reducing reliance on artificial air conditioning.

In colder climates, interior green walls can also serve as insulation, minimizing heat loss.

- **Urban Heat Island Mitigation:** By adding green surfaces to urban structures, vertical gardens help reduce the urban heat island effect, cooling the surrounding microclimate.

- **Mental Health and Wellbeing:**
    - **Stress Reduction:** Research shows that proximity to greenery, even indoors, lowers stress levels, enhances mood, and can boost productivity.

- **Connection to Nature:** Biophilic design elements such as green walls create a sense of connection to nature, making interior spaces more inviting and mentally restorative.

- **Practical Implementation:**
    - **Modular & Adaptive Design:** Many systems use modular panels or containers, enabling quick installation, maintenance, and flexibility in design.

- **Integration with Architecture:** Successful examples often see green walls incorporated into the early design stages, maximizing exposure to natural light and integrating with building systems for watering and drainage.

- **Maintenance Needs:**
    - **Irrigation Systems:** Most green wall installations require integrated irrigation (often automated) to maintain plant health, with some systems also featuring fertilization and drainage management.

- **Lighting:** For indoor green walls, supplemental grow lights may be necessary, especially in spaces lacking sufficient natural sunlight.

- **Plant Care:** Routine maintenance tasks include replacing dead plants, controlling pests, pruning for growth and aesthetics, and periodic checking of irrigation infrastructure.

- **Long-Term Planning:** Choice of plants and system design should consider long-term viability, ease of access for maintenance, and adaptability to seasonal changes.

- **Plant Selection by Climate:**
    - **Temperate Indoor Sites:** Ferns, philodendrons, pothos, peace lilies, spider plants, and dracaenas are common for their robustness and air-purifying qualities.

- **Tropical/High-Humidity Areas:** Bromeliads, orchids, and certain moss species thrive in moist, warm settings.

- **Arid Climates/Low Maintenance Settings:** Succulents, cactus species, and drought-resistant vines (like certain types of hoya or sedum) are suitable due to their lower water requirements.

- **Custom Adaptations:** Selection must consider local microclimates, maintenance capacities, and the specific environmental benefits desired (e.g., maximum VOC removal, visual impact, etc.).

- **Socio-Economic and Regulatory Considerations:**
    - **Sustainability Policies:** Governments and industry leaders are beginning to incentivize or require green infrastructure for new developments, especially in urban centers.

- **Material Innovation:** Use of recycled or locally sourced materials in green wall systems contributes to a project’s overall sustainability.

- **Summary Insight:** Vertical gardens/green walls are more than an aesthetic trend—they offer measurable benefits for air quality, climate comfort, and occupant wellbeing, while requiring thoughtful design and maintenance.

Their adaptability makes them an integral element in the future of sustainable, healthy architectural design.

**Vertical Gardens: Practical Benefits and Applications in Sustainable Architecture**

**Overview and Popularity:**
Vertical gardens, also known as green walls or living walls, are increasingly being integrated into contemporary architecture and urban design.

Their meld of functionality and visual appeal has seen them used in diverse settings—from office spaces to public venues, hospitals, schools, and skyscrapers.

Projects highlighted in architecture forums and global competitions (e.g., the Skyscraper Competition by eVolo) showcase vertical forests and integrated plant systems as solutions to urban challenges, even in extreme climates (e.g., adaptations for water-scarce cities like Cairo or wind-swept regions in Mongolia).

**Aesthetic and Environmental Value:**
- **Aesthetics:** Vertical gardens offer a striking visual impact, softening the harshness of urban environments, creating vibrant, restorative spaces, and enhancing the prestige or attractiveness of properties and workspaces.

Artistic features such as shadow play, reflection, and material combinations add to their value.

- **Environmental Impact:** Green walls absorb atmospheric carbon, trap pollutants and dust, and help mitigate the urban heat island effect.

In large-scale urban implementations, they contribute to biodiversity by providing habitats for insects and birds.

**Practical Indoor Benefits:**
1.

**Air Purification:**  Green walls improve indoor air quality by filtering harmful toxins and airborne particulates.

Select indoor plant species (e.g., Spathiphyllum, Sansevieria, Philodendron) are particularly effective at removing formaldehyde, benzene, and VOCs common in indoor environments.

**Temperature and Humidity Regulation:**  Living walls act as natural thermal insulators.

By shading building exteriors and providing evaporative cooling, they reduce interior temperatures, potentially lowering HVAC energy consumption.

Indoor green walls moderate humidity, improving comfort and reducing respiratory irritants.

**Mental Health and Well-being:**  Exposure to greenery is linked with reduced stress, increased focus, faster patient recovery (as seen in hospital applications), and enhanced sense of well-being in schools and workplaces.

**Design Flexibility and Space Efficiency:**
- Projects highlight the ability to integrate green walls in areas with spatial constraints (e.g., atriums, office meeting rooms, and school corridors), transforming them into transit zones or social spaces.

- They enable developers to optimize usable areas (as seen in educational facilities), providing more functional space with added biophilic benefits.

**Maintenance Requirements:**
- **Watering and Irrigation:** Automated irrigation and carefully designed water flow systems (as in vertical forest towers) are critical.

Water-poor regions require drought-tolerant plant selections and water-recycling mechanisms.

- **Plant Selection:** Species must be chosen based on light availability, indoor air quality goals, climate, and system complexity.

Common choices include ferns, mosses, pothos, philodendrons, native grasses, and flowering perennials.

- **General Care:** Regular pruning, nutrient supplementation, and pest management are necessary to maintain vitality and appearance.

**Adapting to Climate and Context:**
- In harsh climates or regions with resource constraints, plant selection and system design are adapted for maximum efficiency and resilience (e.g., vertical lawns in regions with frequent wind, year-round indoor botanical gardens in healthcare settings).

**Conclusion:**
Vertical gardens are a proven, adaptable sustainable innovation in architecture, offering measurable environmental, health, and social benefits.

Their application—from individual offices to entire skyscrapers—demonstrates their value as a core element of biophilic and sustainable urban futures.

**Nuggets of Information on Vertical Gardens (Green Walls) in Sustainable Architecture:**

- **Growing Trend in Environmental Design:**
Vertical gardens, or green walls, are increasingly popular in sustainable building design due to their environmental and aesthetic benefits.

- **Air Purification:**
Indoor green walls help filter indoor air by removing pollutants, absorbing CO₂, and releasing oxygen.

Certain plants (like ferns, spider plants, pothos, and peace lilies) are especially effective at improving air quality.

- **Temperature Regulation & Energy Efficiency:**
Green walls contribute to insulation, reducing temperature fluctuations inside buildings.

They provide natural cooling through evapotranspiration, which can decrease the need for air conditioning and lower energy consumption.

- **Mental Health & Wellbeing:**
Access to greenery, even indoors, has proven positive impacts on mental health—reducing stress, improving mood, and increasing productivity.

Green walls bring the biophilic benefits of nature into interior spaces, which is valuable for occupant well-being.

- **Noise Reduction:**
Plants and their supporting structures can absorb, reflect, and diffract sound, helping reduce indoor noise pollution.

This contributes to more comfortable and productive environments, especially in offices and urban settings.

- **Biodiversity Enhancement:**
By hosting diverse plant species, green walls can provide micro-habitats for beneficial insects and small organisms, supporting urban biodiversity.

- **Design Flexibility:**
Green walls can be adapted to varying scales and building types—ranging from feature walls in lobbies or offices to entire facades of buildings.

They are used in both retrofits and new constructions.

- **Maintenance Considerations:**
Vertical gardens require specialized maintenance, including regular watering (often via automated irrigation systems), pruning, nutrient management, and monitoring for pests or diseases.

Modular systems with replaceable plant panels ease long-term care.

- **Temperate Zones:** Ivy, hedera, grasses, peace lilies.

**Summary Nuggets: Vertical Gardens / Green Walls in Sustainable Building**

- **Rising Popularity and Aesthetics:** Vertical gardens or green walls have become prominent features in sustainable architecture, favored for their visual appeal and ability to blend built environments with nature.

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World Environment Day: 5 sustainable and eco-friendly design ideas that can transform your workplace into a green haven

Jun 04, 2023 05:47 PM IST

On this World Environment Day, embrace a greener future with these five innovative and sustainable design ideas to transform workspaces into eco-conscious hubs.

World Environment Day, celebrated annually on June 5, is a global initiative that raises awareness about pressing environmental issues. It is a reminder of our responsibility to protect the planet. With an increasing focus on environment-friendly practices, "future of workplace" has evolved into a more sustainable approach to design spaces that we work in. Creating a sustainable workspace is not only beneficial for the environment but also for the well-being and productivity of employees. In honour of World Environment Day, let's discover five innovative and practical design ideas that can transform your workplace into a green haven, fostering sustainability and eco-consciousness. (Also read: 5 environment-friendly and cost-effective home design strategies )

Sustainable Workspace Design Ideas

Apoorv Mittal, Architect, Concept Consilio India Pvt. Ltd, shares with HT Lifestyle, five innovative design ideas that not only enhance productivity and well-being but also prioritise environmental sustainability.

1. Use furniture and fixtures that are sourced locally

A huge part of designing a space sustainably is to source all the furniture and fixtures locally. This cuts down immensely on carbon emissions in transportation and in turn, helps in reducing building costs of the project.

2. Provide green areas in and around the office

Pockets of green around the office can create a net positive impact on the well-being of the users as well as give the space a refreshing energy. Furthermore, there can be several HR initiatives that can help support the biophilic nature of this design scheme; such as "adopt a plant" and the use of hydroponic plants.

3. Use of modular meeting spaces and booths

Modular meeting spaces and modular booths are great innovations in truly reusing and recycling not only the waste that we create but also the spaces we use. Using such modular settings enables the design to last longer, which in turn leads to a more sustainable approach.

4. Proper use of natural light

Designing efficiently to maximize the use of natural light can reduce the load of electricity consumed by a space. On similar lines, the use of diffused light should be considered and utilised as much as possible to increase visibility while reducing the heat incurred. This brings down the air conditioning needs of the design as well.

5. Utilizing eco-friendly materials

The utilization of eco-friendly materials involves employing natural alternatives instead of synthetic products, which not only imparts a visually appealing natural aesthetic but also contributes to a more environmentally friendly approach. An example of such an alternative is the use of cork boards as a substitute for synthetic materials in the construction of acoustic panels. By opting for cork boards, we not only achieve a rich natural appearance but also prioritize sustainability and the preservation of our ecosystem.

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- **Environmental Benefits:**
    - **Air Purification:** Indoor green walls are effective at improving air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide and pollutants, and releasing oxygen.

Certain plants are known to filter toxins such as formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethylene from the indoor environment.

- **Temperature Regulation:** Green walls contribute to the natural regulation of building temperatures.

Through the process of evapotranspiration, plants cool indoor spaces, reducing reliance on artificial air conditioning.

Title:

Content: 7 Bioclimatic Façade Strategies for Tropical Architecture

When we think of the word "tropic," the image that typically comes to mind is an exotic space, characterized by perpetual warmth and humidity, with frequent and heavy rainfall nurturing lush vegetation. Throughout history, this tropical climate has been romanticized as a paradise and criticized for potentially fostering weakness due to its perceived clemency.

Thankfully, those judgments and associations have been relegated to the past, paving the way for theoretical and practical projects that outline the advantages and disadvantages of living in a tropical climate. These projects acknowledge the various strategies to enhance human adaptability within these distinctive climatic conditions.

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Certainly, climate is the most pivotal element of the natural environment, as it impacts all geomorphological processes, from soil formation to plant growth. It's this profound interconnection that renders climate change so concerning. Hence, akin to how the natural environment reacts to climate, architecture must also be responsive to it.

In temperate climates, houses typically remain "closed" to shield occupants from harsh weather, retaining warmth. Conversely, in tropical climates, it's essential to "open up" the house to dissipate heat and humidity while shielding it from the sun and heavy rainfall. The abundance of tropical climate and vegetation often encourages outdoor living or greater interaction with nature. The main challenges in tropical architecture involve protecting against rain and direct sunlight, with a focus on strategies to regulate internal temperatures.

Bioclimatic strategies play a crucial role in achieving these objectives. They guarantee that buildings adapt to the local climate, boost energy efficiency, and enhance occupants' comfort. These strategies encompass principles and design techniques that leverage natural elements to establish sustainable architectures. By minimizing buildings' environmental impact and prioritizing occupants' well-being, these strategies collectively contribute to overall sustainability.

Since many of these strategies are implemented at the junction between a building's interior and exterior, we've listed below seven bioclimatic strategies and how they are applied to the facades of residential projects in tropical climates.

Shading Elements

Incorporating shade devices such as brise-soleil, cobogós, or other latticed structures on facades is crucial. These elements effectively block direct sunlight while allowing diffused light and natural airflow. This helps to minimize solar heat gain, reduce glare, and maintain comfortable indoor temperatures.

The Kenz House / Srijit Srinivas Architects

Casa Delta / Bernardes Arquitetura

Vegetation

Introducing vegetation on facades through vertical gardens, living walls, or planters can provide natural insulation, reduce heat absorption, and improve air quality. Plants also contribute to shading and evaporative cooling through transpiration, further enhancing thermal comfort and reinforcing the tropical ambiance within architecture.

Tropical Shed / Laurent Troost Architectures

Stepping Park House / VTN Architects

Ventilation Strategies

In tropical architecture, facades often incorporate operable windows or strategically positioned openings to facilitate cross-ventilation and natural airflow. This design approach effectively reduces humidity levels and improves indoor air quality.

Valley Expansion House / Studio Heya

OF House / Studio Otto Felix

Sun Orientation

Ensuring the correct solar orientation of buildings maximizes natural light penetration while minimizing solar heat gain. In tropical climates, designing buildings with a north-south orientation reduces direct sunlight exposure, particularly during peak heat hours of the day.

The House of Silence / Natura Futura Arquitectura

Country house in Puente Iglesias / Oficina de Arquitectura y Paisaje OAP + MDE estudio

Thermal Mass

Using materials with high thermal mass, such as concrete, stone, or adobe, in facade construction helps absorb and retain heat during the day. The heat stored during the day is gradually released at night, helping to stabilize indoor temperatures and reducing the need for mechanical cooling systems.

Discreet House / Jirau Arquitetura

Earth Farmhouse / Studio Verge

Reflective Surfaces

Using light-colored or reflective materials on facades helps minimize heat absorption by reflecting solar radiation. This reduces the need for cooling and helps mitigate the urban heat island effect.

Nagato House / RASA Architektura

House COVE(R) / TOUCH Architect

Adaptability

By integrating responsive facade systems like adjustable blinds or dynamic shading elements controlled by sensors or automation, buildings can adapt in real-time to environmental conditions. This real-time adjustment optimizes both energy performance and occupants' comfort.

Patio House / Caio Persighini Arquitetura

ABK House / Bernardes Arquitetura

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About this author
Cite: Ghisleni, Camilla. "7 Bioclimatic Façade Strategies for Tropical Architecture" [7 Estratégias bioclimáticas aplicadas nas fachadas da arquitetura tropical ] 10 Apr 2024. ArchDaily. (Trans. Simões, Diogo) Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1015392/7-bioclimatic-facade-strategies-for-tropical-architecture> ISSN 0719-8884

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In colder climates, interior green walls can also serve as insulation, minimizing heat loss.

Title:

Content: Gloria Cabral: “Everything Begins With the Wisdom of a Place”

Gloria Cabral: “Everything Begins With the Wisdom of a Place”

Born in Brazil and educated in Paraguay, Gloria Cabral is an architect who early on learned that home can be many places—or none at all. Guided by a comprehensive understanding of the geography, culture, and social conditions of the places she designs, she has left her mark on buildings and artistic installations constructed in various locations, from Assumption to Venice.

Besides her interest in the specificities of the places where she operates, Gloria focuses on resource economy and material reuse — a trending theme that Gloria has championed for over fifteen years. We had the opportunity to speak with the architect about her experiences in Paraguay and Brazil, some of her works involving recycled brick, and her insights into architecture and sustainability.

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Romullo Baratto (ArchDaily): Until recently, I did not know you were Brazilian. I always thought you were Paraguayan. I would like to hear about your childhood in these two countries.

Gloria Cabral: My parents are Paraguayans, and they came to work in São Paulo. They already had two children at the time, but my younger sister and I were born in São Paulo. We lived on Bela Cintra Street, right in the center. Last year, I visited the building where we lived. It's still there, small and beautiful. It's curious how, upon visiting, I realized that it is actually much smaller than the image I had in my memory.

In my childhood, we spent a lot of time at MASP and Ibirapuera Park. My mother loved Ibirapuera and even studied landscaping there with Burle Marx. When I was six, we returned to Paraguay, and at the age of nine, I joined the Colegio Experimental Paraguay-Brasil, designed by Affonso Eduardo Reidy. That was my journey from one marvelous building to another. I completed my entire elementary education in that building and was fascinated by those concrete structures. I knew they were not just for providing shade. It was great to walk under those beams during recess.

RB: In interviews, you often mention that you are neither from here nor there, and your father used to say you're a citizen of the world. This brings to mind the word "desterrar" (to be unrooted or without land). Perhaps you are a kind of unrooted person or, even more, someone with many "lands"—many places to call home. This seems an essential aspect of your personal story. How has this influenced how you perceive and practice architecture, a discipline so deeply connected to a sense of place?

GC: Interestingly, I find myself in situations where people do not know if I am Paraguayan or Brazilian. But now, I truly feel I belong to both places. I have this fondness for putting down roots wherever I go. For feeling like I belong to the local culture. For taking off my shoes and sensing the energy of the place.

I enjoy sensing and understanding how people live in each location. Once this is comprehended, I try to envision how to enhance these spaces. That is our tool – how we can improve people's quality of life by changing scales and altering the proportions of spaces. I do not believe there is only one way to think about architecture. There are thousands of approaches for each situation.

When someone commissions a project, be it for an office, a house, or anything else, understanding the context and the way people live enables us to envision improvements. By grasping the unique dynamics of the place, we can always find ways to enhance it not just for the client, but for everyone around them. And what works here might be entirely different in Stockholm, for example. But I can work both here and in Stockholm with bricks and demolition materials. Creating shade in a place with only 6 hours of sunlight in winter does not make much sense. Designing a place that offers shelter and protection with the same materials, that's when it starts to make sense.

RB: You started designing in Paraguay. How did the landscapes there influence your projects?

GC: In Paraguay, after finishing high school, I was not sure if I would study architecture, medicine, or something related to mathematics. I chose architecture, perhaps influenced by my mother. Initially, the university seemed trivial, concerned only with aesthetics and what was trendy at that moment. When I realized that we could bring about change through architecture, that it is our tool for making the societal transformations we desire, that's when I truly started to enjoy the profession. I was on the verge of quitting the course when I discovered the work of Gabinete de Arquitectura. Understanding how we could change society through our discipline made me realize that this was what I wanted to do.

One characteristic of Paraguay's landscape is that temperatures can reach almost 50ºC. So, my practice revolved around figuring out how to create architecture that does not rely heavily on air conditioning. At Gabinete de Arquitectura, our research heavily focuses on creating shading structures to shield us from the sun — a crucial aspect that has always held great value in Paraguay. The challenge now is dealing with extreme heat in places not accustomed to such temperatures. It has become a global necessity: architecture that is not heavily dependent on air conditioning, incorporating passive comfort strategies.

I believe everything begins with the wisdom of a place. However, when you not only understand what to do but also why you're doing it, wisdom transforms into adaptable knowledge applicable to any region.

RB: I have realized that your approach to architecture extends beyond conventional aspects of geography like territory, topography, biomes, and climate. Your comprehensive view of geography also embraces the social aspect. This is evident in the practices at Gabinete de Arquitectura, where there's a distinct interest in the materiality of brick, particularly due to its connection with Paraguayan culture. In Latin America, characterized by economic scarcity, it seems there is an expansion in the understanding of the landscape that goes beyond mere territory considerations to encompass social and economic spheres.

GC: Certainly! For example, when clients approached Gabinete, we aimed to maximize the built area within the available budget. A good example is the rehabilitation project for Teletón: the funds available would cover only a third of the required area, and there was a long waiting list of children in need. I knew that if we could lower the cost per square meter, we could offer more built space and provide all the necessary services, such as physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, and speech therapy.

If we didn't construct the entire necessary area, the children would have to wait until the following year to receive certain treatments. That was the pressure the project was under.

Doing this required a significant planning effort to reuse all the demolished bricks. However, it was crucial to ensure that reusing them did not incur an additional cost in the budget. When I talk about economic issues, it is not a matter of finances. It is about energy savings. If we were to reuse the bricks in the Teletón project, we would have to clean the demolition bricks and then prefabricate the closure modules again, for instance. At that time, bricks were inexpensive in Paraguay, so the cost of buying new bricks, breaking them, and using them, or taking demolition bricks, breaking them, sorting them, and using them was practically the same.

However, I knew we would save on the energy spent in producing new bricks and allocate about 65% of the budget to labor, instead of new materials, by using demolition bricks. This would involve more work and more people on the construction site, resulting in less embodied energy. It also meant more complications, especially when dealing with the inherent challenges of working with people. Certainly, it was easier to call a supplier and order new bricks than to plan and calculate everything that reuse entailed.

We were also going against all members of the Foundation's Board, who wanted to build quickly. It required calculating how many people we needed to hire to avoid exceeding the deadline and not spending more money. In the office, this meant a lot more work. The same happened with the glass we used, all from rejected tempered glass with flaws. By purchasing these glasses and using them creatively in the openings, we reduced glass expenses to one-fifth, and with that savings alone, we managed to build an additional 300 square meters. That was the challenge: how to do more with less.

RB: I immediately made a connection with your indecision between architecture and mathematics. It seems your approach to architecture is closely intertwined with mathematics, calculations, and spreadsheets. A pragmatic approach that involves solving a complex puzzle.

GC: When I joined Gabinete, we spent more time working on Excel spreadsheets than on actual drawings, seeking ways to cut the budget. The spreadsheet was crucial. It is not just mathematics; it is logic. We exchanged this for that and opted for this glass instead of that one...

RB: Yet, it is socially and economically responsible, and using the word everyone employs, sustainable. In the end, it is about saving resources. It is a logical exercise, as you mentioned, to do more with less.

GC: Exactly. When I started giving lectures in 2008, our projects were seen as picturesque. A novelty, something unusual. Now, people call me because they need to learn new ways of building. Especially in Europe, where there are already many laws in this regard, they are seeking examples and different ways of practicing architecture. The questions are all practical. "How did you do this?" "How do you work with bricks in this way?" "Is it possible to do it with wood?" These questions are frequent. They indicate an urgent interest in reusing materials that would have been discarded and turned into waste before.

For me, the idea of disposal, of waste, shouldn't exist. It's incongruent with the notion of sustainability. Everything has to be part of the cycle. We are discriminating against a material, setting it aside, but it's not to the side; it's right there.

RB: This material will be somewhere on the planet...

GC: Certainly. I am starting a research project with an artist here in Santa Catarina who works with discarded fishing nets. She began weaving and creating sculptures with these nets, which are usually thrown into the sea. A single boat can have about 30 of these nets. I am exploring how they can be used in the construction of prefabricated elements. In other words, it is about using what we have around us. Here, perhaps it is not bricks but fishing nets — it is essential to observe the specificities of the place.

It is clear that, in other situations, it will be necessary to produce new materials. There is no good or bad material. There are no villains. The material itself is not bad. Concrete is not bad. Concrete is great for many things. But we need to think about the best way to use it. If we prioritize demolition materials, the use of concrete becomes a fraction of what would be initially required. Concrete remains great for many things, but we need to find the right equation and the relevance of using a particular material in different contexts.

RB: Speaking of waste and unconventional materials in construction, I read that you are also working with biomaterials. Can you talk about that?

GC: I conduct research when invited to teach at universities. In Panama, Bolivia, Hong Kong, and Paraguay, I guided students to use materials that closed the cycle. We worked with mycelium, algae, cork, bioconcrete, translucent wood, and more. The most interesting part is that, typically, these students continue their research later on. It's a new universe that needs to be explored.

It is not just about stopping the production of materials that do not close the cycle but using traditional materials combined with new ones to close the loop. The idea of waste needs to disappear from our minds.

RB: Parece que esse é o único caminho possível para a arquitetura — e a sociedade — encontrar um equilíbrio. Ainda sobre reuso, gostaria de ouvir você falar sobre seu projeto na última Bienal de Arquitetura de Veneza: um muro, que na verdade é uma tapeçaria, feita com resíduos de vidro e tijolo do próprio local.

GC: I participated in the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative between 2014 and 2015, where I was a protégé of Peter Zumthor. The program has just completed twenty years, and to encourage the protégés — currently numbering more than sixty — Rolex invites them to collaborate on projects that combine their areas of interest.

That is how I began working with the artist Sammy Baloji, whose practice aims to highlight African roots in artistic works in Europe. When we started discussing our collaborative project, he was creating a sculpture in Belgium using bricks produced from material sourced from mining exploration. I was interested in brick production using industrial waste, so we decided to combine our research in the project Debris of History, Matters of Memory.

When Sammy expressed the desire to create a tapestry, I suggested using demolition bricks. We collaborated with the art historian Cécile Fromont and the activist architects' group Mutaforma in Venice. I chose to be involved in the entire process, not just hiring a construction company. We built the wall with local bricks, glass from the region, and a brick box from Belgium with Sammy's material. The variety of colors in the Belgian bricks was a crucial part of the project. When I see people touching the wall, taking pictures of the glass that allows light to pass through, I sense the energy the tapestry conveys.

RB: Brick and tapestry share the same tactile nature: we perceive both with our hands. This aspect of the process you mentioned is evident in the presentation. The scaffolding was kept, right?

GC: No regulation in Italy allows the construction of a wall with a width of 5 cm and a height of 4.5 meters using demolition material.

RB: Did the organization have reservations about removing the scaffolding?

GC: Is it impossible to obtain approval from the relevant authorities and leave the wall unsupported? We assembled the scaffolding as we built, securing props for support and wire ties to maintain compression and prevent the wall from collapsing. Since it was a laboratory, we decided to leave the scaffolding after completion.

RB: In this conversation, we have talked about Paraguay and  Venice, and now I would like to know why you returned to Brazil — and why Guarda do Embaú in Santa Catarina.

GC: For several reasons. Firstly, my sister moved to Florianópolis, which is nearby, 15 years ago. I came here to be closer to her and my nieces. Another reason is my desire to be surrounded by nature. Just yesterday morning, I encountered a lizard in my backyard. Occasionally, amid my meetings, a large blue bird perches on my window and begins to sing. I only bought one pair of shoes during the 3 years I lived here. I avoid using air conditioning, prefer walking everywhere, and only use the car once a week. Such experiences are uncommon in the midst of a city.

What captivates me here is the slow pace. I have realized that skipping work on a Wednesday won't be the end of me; in fact, it's quite the opposite. I dedicate Mondays and Tuesdays to work, reserving Wednesdays for learning something new—whatever it might be. Whether delving into understanding tensions or exploring new structures, Wednesday is my day. If I am keen on picking up a new language, Wednesday is the day for that. Dancing or singing? Wednesday is when I dive into those pursuits. I return to work on Thursday and Friday. Here, I find relaxation, breathe fresh air, and enjoy a good night's sleep.

We need to reflect on how we got to this point. At what moment did humanity enter this cycle? The pandemic revealed to us that it is not necessary (to work every day) and that we can stop at any moment, but we are forgetting it, missing the opportunity to learn something from that period.

For a long time in Paraguay, I used to say, "We should build in this or that way," but every day I would get into my air-conditioned car, drive to the office with air conditioning, and work all day. Twelve hours later, I would leave in my car and return home, turn on the air conditioning, and sleep to do the same thing the next day. Not anymore. If the day is beautiful, I close everything and enjoy the nice day. And when I have a lot to do, I work on Sundays, no problem. But the next day, I rest.

RB: It seems like a worldview quite aligned with the circularity you mentioned earlier. It's good that this came towards the end because it appears that you have not only learned a lot from the landscape of Paraguay but also the landscape of Guarda do Embaú. Today is Wednesday, and I've learned quite a bit too.

GC: It is an interview, a moment of learning together.

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About this author
Cite: Baratto, Romullo. "Gloria Cabral: “Everything Begins With the Wisdom of a Place”" [Gloria Cabral: "Tudo começa com a sabedoria de um lugar"] 24 Jan 2024. ArchDaily. (Trans. Simões, Diogo) Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1012261/gloria-cabral-everything-begins-with-the-wisdom-of-a-place> ISSN 0719-8884

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- **Urban Heat Island Mitigation:** By adding green surfaces to urban structures, vertical gardens help reduce the urban heat island effect, cooling the surrounding microclimate.

- **Mental Health and Wellbeing:**
    - **Stress Reduction:** Research shows that proximity to greenery, even indoors, lowers stress levels, enhances mood, and can boost productivity.

- **Connection to Nature:** Biophilic design elements such as green walls create a sense of connection to nature, making interior spaces more inviting and mentally restorative.

Title:

Content: The Home Standing Tall with the Trees

Luke Riley
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At homify we love to see homes that have been built to be at one with nature. For too long we have seen the natural environment suffer from destruction due to unsustainable home design and poor building practices. Thankfully, due to stronger government regulation, growing ecological awareness and a dedicated architecture and design movement—the good far outweighs the bad!

The project we're lucky to tour today is one of the stellar examples of good home design. Featuring both a sensitive building layout and many eco-friendly design aspects, this modern home by Robert Gurney Architect is the way of the future.

Let's check it out…

Leading us home

A long, sloping pathway directs us towards the entrance of the residence. As one walks down the pathway, they would pass by one of the many majestic pine trees that stand within the site. This is just one of the many mature trees that were respectfully protected and built around.

The design ethos from the owners and Robert Gurney Architect was for the home to be moulded by the rolling and wooded topography. This home does not simply imitate a particular architecture style but rather is formed as a unique expression of modern architecture and the natural landscape.

Natural forces

The massing and shape of the home has been dictated by the natural forces at play. Rather than cut and clear the site to be more favourable for a build, the home was instead built as a direct response to the steep elevation.

In terms of the materials chosen for the exterior, we can see how the architects have favoured natural materials to allow the structure to settle into position naturally.

Active and intricate

We are welcomed inside the home by an interior that is tranquil and minimal. Spaces here are not only pleasing to the eye, but they also appear active and intricate. Naturally we are drawn towards the warm flames of the ultra-modern fireplace that keeps all those who relax in the lounge area comfortable.

Bringing music to the ears is the majestic grand piano that stands not only as a beautiful feature of the space, but also subconsciously contrasts against the monochrome scheme of the rest of the space.

Sharing a meal

dining area on the landing upstairs introduces an exciting display of bold décor choices. Look no further than the gold shaded seats that surround the dining table. The table itself is a confident choice, with its transparent surfaces and intricate metal framework.

Positioning the dining area up on the landing appears to be an obvious choice considering the wonderful views that can be enjoyed from here. Diners wont miss a thing thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Business as usual

In today's modern life it is an unfortunate thing that we must occasionally work from home. Bringing work home can seem like a negative thing to do but we'd have to disagree in this instance. Just take a look at this amazing home office that brings the class of a CEO's office!

A huge meeting table that can fit all the board members has been positioned centrally to ensure that conversations flow and no important issue is unable to be resolved. Lining the walls are the beautiful timber bookshelves, filled with all the necessary books, documents and general paperwork.

For a quick bite

In the early morning rush quick meals are an essential part of the routine. A formal dining table would naturally seem like a poor choice of location for these types of meals so a small table with a handful of chairs have been placed beside the kitchen. It is an easy place to grab a bite to eat before the commute to work or dropping the kids off at school.

Observing nature

An incredible feature of the residence is the decking that surrounds a large portion of the first level. One would feel high above the world when standing or sitting up here. From this angle we can appreciate how the deeply stained timber appears to match the leaves of the deciduous trees in the foreground.

Swimming by the woods

To conclude our tour we find ourselves beside the crystal clear waters of the swimming pool. We couldn't imagine a better way to spend time in this home than swimming in the water while occasionally pausing to take the time to appreciate the beautiful wooded landscape.

It would feel incredible knowing that a home as perfect as this could be built without any destruction of the sensitive ecosystem of the woodlands. It just goes to show what an incredible job Robert Gurney Architect have done.

For another beautiful eco-friendly project, enjoy: The Home Perfected by Nature.

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- **Practical Implementation:**
    - **Modular & Adaptive Design:** Many systems use modular panels or containers, enabling quick installation, maintenance, and flexibility in design.

- **Integration with Architecture:** Successful examples often see green walls incorporated into the early design stages, maximizing exposure to natural light and integrating with building systems for watering and drainage.

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How businesses learned to embrace sustainable design—and where it’s headed next

We look at the winners of Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Awards over the past 10 years as a lens onto a broader shift toward sustainable design thinking.

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When Fast Company launched the Innovation by Design Awards in 2012 to honor creativity in business, just two of the winning entries embraced sustainability as a central design thesis.

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This year, roughly a third of the winners prioritize the environment, ranging from a converted coal power plant to a device that transforms salt water into electricity. As the effects of climate change become increasingly visceral, spreading fires, hurricanes, and other disasters around the globe, design is becoming a crucial tool of adaptation. “Designing for human survival will become the new necessary field of design,” says Slow Factory Foundation founder Céline Semaan in a special Fast Company report on where the industry can have the greatest impact in the next decade.

In some ways, eco-friendliness has always been a key aspect of good design. Legendary industrial designer Dieter Rams declared it nearly 50 years ago, as one of his 10 principles of good design. But the parameters of what constitutes sustainable design have shifted over time. Is a plastic coffee maker that lasts 20 years, but ultimately ends up in a landfill, really sustainable? Today, many designers understand that every part of product development, from the materials used to a product’s afterlife, must be carefully considered to limit waste. Others have gone a step further and found creative ways to actively reuse waste. Forust, the winner of this year’s Innovation by Design Award in materials, uses 3D printing to turn sawdust into furniture, bowls, and other accessories. RED, the winner of 2019’s student Innovation by Design Award, explored using red mud, a waste product of aluminum manufacturing, to create gorgeous ceramics and building materials.

Some designs were simply ahead of their time. An early winner of Innovation by Design was the Fisker Karma, one of the world’s first luxury plug-in electric vehicles. It had a solar panel on its roof and sustainable materials inside, like trim made from salvaged wood. “The Fisker shows what you can do by taking risks in sedan design,” judge Erica Eden of Smart Design said at the time. Shortly thereafter, the company went out of business when its sole battery supplier filed for bankruptcy. Intriguingly, the Karma’s design ideas live on in this year’s winner of the products category, Polestar 2. An electric car spun out of Volvo’s skunkworks lab, it has seat backs crafted from old water bottles and carpet made from fishing nets. It also uses blockchain technology to trace the origin of its cobalt, a key component of lithium-ion batteries that is often mined to devastating effect on both people and the planet. Polestar’s investment in these features shows the long tail of bold design.

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Many of the biggest strides in sustainable design over the past 10 years have come from architects. This may be a case of necessity breeding invention: Architecture and construction are responsible for nearly 40% of global CO2 emissions, an astonishing footprint for an industry that doesn’t garner nearly the attention of polluters like agriculture (representing 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions) and aviation (representing about 2%). Architects have responded with a range of thoughtful solutions, including offices that usher the outdoors in and buildings that generate more power than they consume, but adaptive reuse may be the profession’s most impactful legacy. It’s the idea that one of the greenest ways to build is to reuse what’s already there. In Long Island City in Queens, New York, the architecture firms SWA/Balsley and Weiss/Manfredi converted an abandoned industrial landscape into a 30-acre park that is designed to protect the area from rising flood waters. The project, called Hunter’s Point South Waterfront Park, was an Innovation by Design winner in 2019. Two years later, the Chicago architecture firm Studio Gang has won accolades for another adaptation of industrial space, the Beloit Powerhouse, which transformed a coal power plant into a gym and student center at Beloit College in Wisconsin.

Some areas of design still have a ways to go. Disposable goods remain far too common in retail, and fashion and tech companies are particularly guilty of flooding markets with planned obsolescence in mind. “After nearly 15 years, I am using my fourth iPhone,” Frog Design founder Hartmut Esslinger tells Fast Company in the special report on design’s future impact. “Each time I had to buy a new one because of CPU (central processing unit) performance, [and] I put otherwise perfectly functioning products into my closet.” He calls on designers to extend their thinking beyond products and services to the very economic forces underpinning their work. “Recycling is a good thing, but not enough,” he says. “Design must inspire a new economic model and deliver much more long-term solutions.”

See more from Fast Company’s 2021 Innovation by Design Awards. Our new book, Fast Company Innovation by Design: Creative Ideas That Transform the Way We Live and Work (Abrams, 2021), is on sale now.

About the author

Suzanne LaBarre is the editor of Co.Design. Previously, she was the online content director of Popular Science and has written for the New York Times, the New York Observer, Newsday, I.D

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- **Maintenance Needs:**
    - **Irrigation Systems:** Most green wall installations require integrated irrigation (often automated) to maintain plant health, with some systems also featuring fertilization and drainage management.

- **Lighting:** For indoor green walls, supplemental grow lights may be necessary, especially in spaces lacking sufficient natural sunlight.

- **Plant Care:** Routine maintenance tasks include replacing dead plants, controlling pests, pruning for growth and aesthetics, and periodic checking of irrigation infrastructure.

- **Long-Term Planning:** Choice of plants and system design should consider long-term viability, ease of access for maintenance, and adaptability to seasonal changes.

- **Plant Selection by Climate:**
    - **Temperate Indoor Sites:** Ferns, philodendrons, pothos, peace lilies, spider plants, and dracaenas are common for their robustness and air-purifying qualities.

- **Tropical/High-Humidity Areas:** Bromeliads, orchids, and certain moss species thrive in moist, warm settings.

- **Arid Climates/Low Maintenance Settings:** Succulents, cactus species, and drought-resistant vines (like certain types of hoya or sedum) are suitable due to their lower water requirements.

- **Custom Adaptations:** Selection must consider local microclimates, maintenance capacities, and the specific environmental benefits desired (e.g., maximum VOC removal, visual impact, etc.).

Title:

Content: Designing Decarbonization, Jobs, and Justice (Part I)

“It’s not good enough to just be active designers, we also need to be influencing policy upstream,” said Barbara Deutsch, CEO of the Landscape Architecture Foundation (LAF), during the kick-off of Grounding the Green New Deal, a day-long summit held at the National Building Museum (NBM) in Washington, D.C. Landscape architects can “create a feedback loop in which we test designs and overcome barriers,” advancing climate, water, and infrastructure policy through innovative projects.

In 2020, LAF, the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, ASLA, and the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture (CELA) launched a collective, open source Green New Deal Superstudio focusing on how to plan and design the key goals of the Congressional legislative proposal H.R. 109, which are jobs, justice, and decarbonization. Some 180 universities, 3,000 students, and hundreds of practitioners submitted 670 projects. Of these, 55 projects have been highlighted by Superstudio curators, and many were featured in an exhibition at the NBM during the summit.

In a lecture to introduce the first panel, Billy Fleming, ASLA, the Wilks Family Director at the McHarg Center at the University of Pennsylvania, gave an introduction to the broad Green New Deal agenda, which was introduced in Congress in 2019. The agenda was seen as a criticism of the economic recovery package passed under the Obama administration, which was viewed as “too targeted, too Wall Street, and only one-time funding,” Fleming said. The economic havoc wrecked by the market collapse of 2008 was viewed by many liberals as a “crisis wasted.” The Green New Deal outlined an ambitious vision for addressing climate change while also tackling deep-rooted inequities in American society.

Like the original New Deal from the 1930s, which was a response to the Dust Bowl and Great Depression, the Green New Deal would yield thousands of public projects that would reshape communities. But in contrast to the original New Deal, which was not equitable in its distribution of public funds and reinforced the racist Jim Crow-era patterns of disinvestment in Black communities, the Green New Deal would be “more collaborative” and focused on lifting up long marginalized communities.

At the start of a wide-ranging panel discussion, Fleming argued that “carbon is mostly a technical problem.” Landscape architects, planners, and architects can’t focus solely on decarbonization, with “life the same afterwards.” Instead, he and other supporters of the Green New Deal argue that decarbonization should serve a broader economic and social transformation. Solving climate change can be connected to improving the quality of housing, creating new local jobs, and forging a more equitable society.

Nikil Saval, a Pennsylvania State Senator who represents Center City, Philadelphia, said the intersections of all these issues can be found when you “turn on your lights or stove.” Because of “historical redlining and disinvestment in Black and brown communities, many homes in these communities lack insulation and are in disrepair. As a result, the energy needed for lighting, heating, cooling is much more expensive.” Saval said this inequality in the end-use of energy mirrors an unjust “political economy of gas infrastructure” that also disproportionately impacts communities of color.

He argued that communities need to instead “attack the role of racism and inequality” in the current energy infrastructure while investing in energy efficiency in low-income communities and affordable renewable energy. Otherwise, a new clean energy system may simply reinforce many of the injustices of the current fossil fuel-based approach.

Colette Pichon Battle with the Gulf Coast Center for Law & Policy was displaced by Hurricane Katrina. The disaster changed the trajectory of her legal career, and since then she has focused on environmental and climate justice in Louisiana, Mississippi, and other southern states.

Her organization and others in 13 southern states launched the Red, Black, and Green New Deal, an initiative that aims to tackle the drivers of climate change — economic and social inequality — and their impacts on communities, rather than focusing on “invisible atmospheric changes.”

The current economic system that leads to environmental and climate damages and injustices must be the focus of climate action efforts, Pichon Battle argued. For example, post-Hurricane Katrina, many cities in Louisiana were submerged under water for years. An incredible amount of trash accumulated and was eventually moved into landfills. Those landfills now form the foundation of new housing subdivisions marketed to low-income Black residents. “Those landfills are going to go under water again at some point and become toxic. Those Black folks marketed to weren’t just happened upon but targeted.”

“We need to be careful about talking about climate justice at a high level; it’s easy to decouple the issues from humanity,” argued Bryan Lee, another speaker on the panel, an architect and founder of Colloqate Design. “If you are talking about it at a high level, it means you don’t know your community. You need to know the people to know the climate impacts.”

Linda Shi, a professor of urban planning at Cornell University, asked everyone in the audience the question: “Who is part of the resilient future? Who makes space for others’ resilience dreams?” She argued that in any discussion about climate change, “we must center equity or it’s not about equity.”

She added that one challenge is that many engineering professions involved in building new climate infrastructure “have never been trained to deal with social issues.” Furthermore, governments and the private sector are more focused on reducing risk and legal liabilities with new infrastructure. “These legal concerns are different from justice, equity, and creating a sense of place.” This is where planners and landscape architects, who are skilled in equitable community planning and design, can help.

The Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act created enormous opportunities for communities to improve their park, water, and transportation infrastructure. $50 billion has been allocated for improving water infrastructure alone, with 20 percent of that for water efficiency and reuse.

For Katherine Baer with River Network, the bill is a “transformative moment” and creates opportunities to design green infrastructure to achieve greater water equity. “We believe in connecting communities to their rivers, centering rivers in their life. In the built environment, there are too many buried rivers, creeks, and culverts. And these buried rivers impact some communities more than others.”

Anne Whiston Spirn, FASLA, professor of landscape architecture and planning at MIT, highlighted the ways landscape architects can empower underserved communities, address injustices, and increase climate resilience.

When her father took her to the March on Washington in 1963, “her life was transformed.” The march helped hone her life-long passion for “civil rights, environmental action, and beauty.” However, studying ecological design with Ian McHarg at the University of Pennsylvania, she found design academia at the time was “deaf to civil rights.”

Beginning 40 years ago, Spirn began partnering with communities through the West Philadelphia Landscape Project. White flight had led to disinvestment, but Spirn sought to keep people in cities by improving their environmental health and beauty. Realizing that “no one was going to pay me for this work,” she left private practice and took a job in academia. Using her salary she helped “communities who didn’t know they needed a landscape architect.” Through her “action research” approach, Spirn helped communities improve their landscape literacy. With the founding of her project, her goal was to “improve the natural environment and racial justice.”

She found that in low-income Philadelphia communities there is a lot of vacant land, which is almost always in the floodplain and often on buried streams. While she couldn’t convince the city government in the 1970s and 80s, she called for transforming those vacant lots into green infrastructure to manage water. She started partnering with middle school students to discover the communities’ environmental history. “I learned that landscape literacy could change the future. We need to empower youth. These kids are brilliant.”

Spirn and the West Philadelphia communities were eventually vindicated when the city reached more than a decade ago out to discuss its then-nascent Green City, Clean Waters plan. But she is now concerned all the green infrastructure improvements that have occurred in West Philadelphia as a part of her advocacy efforts are “catalyzing speculation and gentrification.”

She urged the audience to “think five to ten years ahead to the possible displacement impacts of your vision.” Any improvements in community green infrastructure should be coupled with “education, jobs training, affordable housing, and community land trusts.”

Read Part II

- **Socio-Economic and Regulatory Considerations:**
    - **Sustainability Policies:** Governments and industry leaders are beginning to incentivize or require green infrastructure for new developments, especially in urban centers.

- **Material Innovation:** Use of recycled or locally sourced materials in green wall systems contributes to a project’s overall sustainability.

- **Summary Insight:** Vertical gardens/green walls are more than an aesthetic trend—they offer measurable benefits for air quality, climate comfort, and occupant wellbeing, while requiring thoughtful design and maintenance.

Their adaptability makes them an integral element in the future of sustainable, healthy architectural design.

Title:

Content: Projecten

Nieuw project

At Cartoni we combine our knowledge of design and sustainability to help architects and designers create healthy and durable designs without ever losing sight of aesthetics. We believe architects and designers can create better designs if they understand what is really sustainable what components are available. We feel strongly about taking our responsibility and explaining how our work fits in a broader societal context. At Cartoni we research and source sustainable components that designers can use every day. We track these components down to the very fiber and make sure they can be used and modified according to industry standards. Always keeping in mind that these components not only have to be healthy but also need to be aesthetically pleasing and modular. By creating a simple system for these components and sharing our knowledge, we help them get ahead. Making truly better designs possible. Positive for architects, designers, society, and our own personal lives.

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**Vertical Gardens: Practical Benefits and Applications in Sustainable Architecture**

**Overview and Popularity:**
Vertical gardens, also known as green walls or living walls, are increasingly being integrated into contemporary architecture and urban design.

Title:

Content: Architect
Design of public spaces and residential premises.
Execution of sketches, design and working documentation of the architectural section, calculation of specifications and compilation of statements, layout.
Portfolio link: https: / / drive.google.com / open? id = 14qjA1ucID2bPf-me _ 3M6Z8RAAODzhZq3

Their meld of functionality and visual appeal has seen them used in diverse settings—from office spaces to public venues, hospitals, schools, and skyscrapers.

Projects highlighted in architecture forums and global competitions (e.g., the Skyscraper Competition by eVolo) showcase vertical forests and integrated plant systems as solutions to urban challenges, even in extreme climates (e.g., adaptations for water-scarce cities like Cairo or wind-swept regions in Mongolia).

Title:

Content: The combination of nature and metropolis: in China built a tower with a “vertical forest ”
2 min
In the Chinese Huangan (Hubei province) completed two of the five towers of the residential complex with a “vertical forest ”.
A couple of weeks ago, people started moving in here.
According to Dezeen, the two residential towers of the complex have a height of 80 meters and are covered with more than 400 trees, as well as other plants and greenery.
The building was designed by the Italian studio Stefano Boeri Architetti.
The architects designed the object so that the foliage on the balconies fit perfectly into the design of the facade.
Studio founder Stefano Boeri said that this version of the towers is characterized by the presence of opening bay windows with indoor plants.
Thus, residents will be able to enjoy the environment of nature, being in the urban space.
The studio used the vegetation of the local flora, using about 400 species of trees.
Among them are Ginkgo biloba, Osmanthus fragrans, Acer griseum, Ligustrum lucidum and Chimonanthus praecox.
Also on the facade "grow" 4620 bushes and various herbs in an area of 2.4 thousand square meters.
According to the developers of the project, this amount of greens will be able to absorb 22 tons of carbon dioxide per year and produce oxygen in return.
According to the architect, China has recently seen a trend of greening cities, which allows more to absorb dust, which is one of the main factors of air pollution in cities.
Easyhome Huanggang Vertical Forest City Complex is the first vertical complex to open in China, and Boeri believes such buildings could be particularly suitable for the country.
As reported by NERUHOMI, the first part of the multifunctional complex was opened in Shanghai before the New Year, the authors of the project of which were inspired by the Hanging Gardens of Semiramis from Babylon.
Author:
Vladimir Grishenko
Journalist / Editor
Education – graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Journalism.
I have been working in the profession for more than 15 years.
My favorite topics are economics and politics, I understand cryptocurrencies and markets, I am interested in real estate.
On the resource NERUKHOMI since May 2020.
All articles by the author
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**Aesthetic and Environmental Value:**
- **Aesthetics:** Vertical gardens offer a striking visual impact, softening the harshness of urban environments, creating vibrant, restorative spaces, and enhancing the prestige or attractiveness of properties and workspaces.

Title:

Content: News of Sevastopol
Hospitals will have healing gardens.
Special botanical gardens, plants in which will bloom all year round and will help in the treatment of patients, have been developed for hospitals in Sevastopol, the press service of Sevastopol State University reported.
Special botanical gardens, plants in which will bloom all year round and will help in the treatment of patients, have been developed for hospitals in Sevastopol, the press service of Sevastopol State University reported.
“In total, within the framework of the project, scientists are working with more than 300 plants, of which therapeutic gardens of certain color and therapeutic directions will be created in the future.
Plants have not only a therapeutic effect, but also a coloristic effect has a great impact on humans. <... > Scientists have already developed six botanical gardens for city hospitals.
One of the projects — a rose garden for the hospital named after Dasha Sevastopol — will be presented in the near future, ” — quotes the message of TASS.
It is specified that the work was carried out within the framework of the research project “The concept of landscape and urban development of the territory of health facilities of Sevastopol ”.
It is planned that the gardens will bloom all year round: the flowers are selected in such a way that when one plant blooms, it is replaced by the next.
“We selected flowers specifically for the color and aroma that affect specific diseases.
We have a white garden, there are pink, red, orange and greenish and blue gardens. <... > This is the connection of the color code of plants, their habitus, height, competent combination: we selected natural compositions so that it does not have an aggressive effect on a person.
When a person gets into the conditionally natural environment created by human hands, he calms down, ” the words of the head of the Department of Architecture and Design, Professor Elina Krasilnikova, are quoted in the message.
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Select it and press Ctrl + Enter

Artistic features such as shadow play, reflection, and material combinations add to their value.

Title:

Content: Office of Military Representation
art & arch
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The widespread fascination with hyperrealism and competition in the naturalism of computer visualizations is a phenomenon that manifests itself in Russia more strongly than in the whole world.
I am not going to judge what lies behind this desire for an indispensable substitute for reality.
In fact, the more realistic the visualization, the less the author ’ s handwriting in it and the lower its artistic value.
In Europe, manual graphics and technology are valued much more than impeccable imitation.
For them, the main task of the architectural presentation is the transfer of the ATMOSPHERE, which the author is trying to create with the help of his project.
Proof of its artistic value.
For the realism of the idea answer detailed drawings, long tables of names and explications.
Today we offer you a project that illustrates the creative process from the first ideas and sketches.
We are talking about the state office space in Moscow, the design project was completed in 2014.
Office of the General Director
Cabinet. Moscow.
Blauderman Bureau
Blauderman Bureau
As you can see, the office of the CEO has not undergone much change since the first sketch was made: the same composition, the same models of furniture.
On visualization, the objects gained materiality, physical density, texture and color.
From the objects, a classic element of the office was added - a leather sofa and two leather armchairs.
Horizontal partitioning of chipboard panels is picked up by the geometry of wooden blinds and a small grid suspended ceiling.
Office of the General Director
press attaché office
Blauderman Bureau
View from the window inside the office.
It is obvious to our eye that this is not a photo and when looking at the picture, it concentrates not on minor details that give out a fake, but on the idea and real merits of the project: the game of shadows, reflections and materials.
Meeting room
Meeting and negotiations hall. Moscow.
Blauderman Bureau
Blauderman Bureau
In the meeting room, we see the same wall panels as in the office, but the floor tile, retaining its dimensions and color from matte turns into glossy.
Meeting room
Meeting and negotiations hall. Moscow.
Blauderman Bureau
Blauderman Bureau
Please note that the wooden table also acquires lacquer, which was absent in the director ’ s office.
This emphasizes the ceremonial nature of the meeting and reception room.
Sanitary unit
Simplicity in the modern world has long been the equivalent of wealth and style.
There is no mistake about it: doing it simply is difficult.
Choose one material, one door handle, one type of lamp out of a million possible.
One, but not the same as the last time, not the one that flaunts on the first page of the catalog, but the one that you need to first imagine and then find.
Or make it yourself.
Sanitary unit
A modern office is almost inconceivable without a shower.
And not only for the CEO, who often stays at work late, but also for ordinary employees who get to work by bicycle or jogging!
Cabinet.
Sketch
Sketch before 3D.
Cabinet. Moscow.
Blauderman Bureau
Blauderman Bureau
The first sketch defines the basic composition-spatial division of the cabinet space.
The location of the main volumes, taking into account their own functionality and depending on the lighting, location relative to the entrance, etc.
Cabinet.
Sketch of furniture
Furniture for the office. Moscow.
Blauderman Bureau
Blauderman Bureau
On the second outline, the dimensions and materials of furniture are specified, which will be made to order.
Architects often think in pencil in the format of perspective or axonometry.
Two-dimensional projections appear already when the idea is clarified.
Kitchen.
Sketch of furniture
Dining area. Moscow.
Blauderman Bureau
Blauderman Bureau
In the third sketch we see a sketch of a compact kitchen area, organized in the form of an island.
There is also a small working area with a sink and an electric burner, and a bar counter.
The meeting room.
Sketch
Meeting and negotiations hall. Moscow.
Blauderman Bureau
Blauderman Bureau
The fourth sketch shows the hall of meetings and negotiations.
Despite the fact that this is just a quick drawing with a felt-tip pen, we already see the main solutions: the models of chairs, and the size of the table, and the blinds on the windows, and the color of the floor almost unchanged go to the final version, which is presented below.
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- **Environmental Impact:** Green walls absorb atmospheric carbon, trap pollutants and dust, and help mitigate the urban heat island effect.

Title:

Content: “If you manage to realize at zero, this is already a good result ”
How Ural developers build schools in Yekaterinburg
The shortage of places in schools encourages Ural developers, together with the authorities, to design and build educational institutions in the built-up and newly developed territories.
Developers depart from the principles of the same type of Soviet development and apply modern approaches in their work, including work not only with architects, but also with psychologists, and also focus on the principles of sustainable development.
Schools are at their peak
According to the Department of Education of the Administration of Yekaterinburg, there are 165 municipal schools in the city, 191,000 children study there.
Annually, the number of students increases by 8-9 thousand and, according to forecasts, by 2025 will exceed 200 thousand people, including due to migration flows.
Since the educational sector has been experiencing a serious shortage of places for several years, the municipal program “Creating new places in general education organizations of Yekaterinburg ” was launched in 2016.
In seven years, 16 new buildings were built in the city, 13 operating schools were overhauled and 17 thousand educational places were created.
Only this year there will be 3,400 new places.
On September 1, school No. 40 will open on Michurina Street, the construction of which is at the final stage, will be overhauled in schools No. 24 on Sevastopolskaya Street, No. 99 on Bauman Street, No. 140 on Reshetnikov Drive and No. 63 on Crowley Street.
The municipal program will last until 2025, but taking into account the dynamics of the growth in the number of children, Deputy Head of the Department of Education of the City Hall Mikhail Ladeyshchikov believes that the timing of the program should be increased.
Social responsibility of developers
The design and construction of schools in Yekaterinburg is most often done by local developers.
The work is carried out jointly with the administration, since in the vast majority of cases the customer and the financier of social projects is the state or municipal authority.
“Business, including developers, assist in the implementation of these projects.
This is mainly expressed in the design, providing the necessary data.
If possible, the largest developers allocate land ”, — said the President of the Guild of Builders of the Urals Vyacheslav Trapeznikov.
He noted that the practice, which is common in Moscow, when developers at their own expense build schools and kindergartens, unfortunately, in the Urals and the rest of Russia is impossible: “Profitability indicators do not allow our business to build such facilities at its own expense. ”
Despite the fact that both developers and city authorities are interested in the construction of social facilities, the process itself has many nuances.
“Working on a contract for the construction of schools and kindergartens is often not about financial benefits.
If such projects can be implemented at zero, this is already a good result.
However, the importance of such work for the future growth of the enterprise and the city is enormous, ” said Valery Ananiev, General Director of Atomstroykomplex.
According to him, it is impossible to develop the city one-sidedly, erecting only commercially profitable objects.
In order for people to want to live, work and invest in a particular territory, a fully balanced urban environment is needed there.
“If you have children, you will hardly want to buy a modern, spacious apartment in an area where there are no schools and kindergartens.
The developer will not invest his funds in the construction of a new quarter where there is no demand for new housing.
Consequently, this urban land will not be involved in circulation, it will not have new streets, cafes and shops, will not be updated networks, will remain unsettled dilapidated houses, the Treasury will not receive taxes from those enterprises and owners that could appear on it, ” explained Mr. Ananiev.
The head of the development department of Pervostroitel Group, Andrei Ponomarev, agreed that citizens should receive ready-made kindergartens and schools together with the apartment, but pointed out that the state finances the construction of social facilities not as quickly as developers would like.
“There is a dissynchronization that disturbs everyone.
To keep the balance, there are two ways: to build commercial facilities for the appropriate purpose or to help the city build municipal facilities, ” said Mr. Ponomarev.
The developer determines his task in assisting the mayor ’ s office in the construction of social facilities within the framework of the formation of land plots for construction, the preparation of various documentation, including for obtaining budget financing, and the passage of state expertise.
Another Ural developer, Brusnika, due to the increase in the share of social facilities in its portfolio (11 facilities are in operation), organized an additional workshop, which focused only on the design of schools and kindergartens, it also includes specialists in interior and landscape.
“We design some of the social facilities ourselves, and we entrust some of them to contractors.
Depending on the agreements with the municipalities, Brusnika either transfers the project documentation of the social facility to the city administration for further construction, or prepares it independently.
Examples of such cooperation are a school in Novosibirsk, a kindergarten and a school in the Vidny Moscow Region, ” Brusniki ’ s press service said, stressing that despite the changing agenda in the world, the company has not abandoned ESG initiatives.
Another approach
During the USSR, schools were built according to standard projects.
Therefore, in different cities you could see almost identical objects, not too different from each other.
Now developers, though standardize the typical elements from which projects are “assembled ”, but at the same time strive to preserve the uniqueness of each object.
“Standardization will speed up both design and construction, allow the use of prefabricated elements and reduce the commissioning time, while maintaining the quality of the product, ” explained Brusnik.
The design institute of the company "Atomstroykomplex" has developed several standard projects of schools and kindergartens, which are now recommended by the Ministry of Construction of the Russian Federation for replication throughout the country, their use allows to reduce the time and cost of preparing design and working documentation.
Now the developer is trying for himself the role of concessionaire.
The company was the first in Yekaterinburg to enter into concession agreements for the construction of two schools in the city along Kotelnikova Street and Sovetskaya Street.
According to Valery Ananiev, through concessions, the provision of educational services itself reaches a new level, since PPP implies that the design, construction and operation is concentrated in the hands of one company.
And yet, approaches to construction are changing – schools are becoming more like multifunctional centers, which in some cases become available not only to students, but also to all residents of the city.
“The modern school is like a spaceship, where the maximum of processes — from access control to the regulation of the microclimate — are automated.
Almost every classroom, every public space of the school is equipped with complex equipment - media systems, sports equipment, dispatching.
This requires colossal competencies from both the one who builds and the one who will manage the facility, ” said Mr. Ananiev.
Unlike Soviet schools, when designing modern educational institutions, preference is given to open spaces, unused premises are minimized, developing and unifying environments are created, that is, the developer follows the principle of economy in the operation of the building.
So "Brusnika" in its project in Novosibirsk refuses the H- and U-shaped in favor of a rectangular building with an atrium.
“This solution allows to reduce the total area of   the building by 5 thousand square meters, while the usable area in terms of one student becomes more.
Another solution is an atrium instead of an assembly hall.
This principle is based on studies that show that the assembly hall in the school is empty 90% of the time.
Atrium performs its function and becomes the most visited space - the heart of the school.
It connects the floors with each other and acts as a transit zone.
Also, due to the large area of   glazing in the room, it is light most of the day, it allows you to save electricity, ” the press service of the company commented.
Often, when designing schools, developers resort to the advice of psychologists and sociologists to understand how to more effectively implement all methodological recommendations in the future school.
For example, "Brusnika" did this when designing a school in the microdistrict "Eurobereg" (Novosibirsk).
This consultation helped to introduce into the project the idea of   inclusivity of a modern school - its readiness for joint education of children, regardless of their social status, abilities and characteristics of health.
Forum Group also used such advice when designing the new building of Gymnasium No. 99 on Elmash.
As the general director of the company Maxim Shaburov said, the developer ’ s team held a session to discuss the concept of the project with the participation of the Department of Education of the Administration of Yekaterinburg, the team of the gymnasium and experts of the Center for Psychological and Pedagogical Innovations, which deals with the architecture of educational spaces from the point of view of pedagogy and psychology.
Another principle practiced by Ural developers is the absence of blind partitions between class-clusters and the recreational area, as well as the rejection of the basement - instead of it, all communications are placed on the floors and on the technical floor under the roof.
Such architectural solutions reduce the heated area of the building, simplify the construction and operation of the school.
“In our projects, the landscape is responsible for the development and learning at school, including a dense and diverse landscaping, in the area around schools and kindergartens, we design places for bird watching, zones for the development of tactility, beds for growing greens and vegetables, ” the press service of Brusniki noted.
Developers also strive to minimize the number of partitions, fences, gates and other obstacles on the territory of social facilities, but so far this is difficult during the coordination of projects.
Non-standard solutions
With the complex development of built-up areas, developers sometimes have to resort to non-standard solutions.
For example, during the development of the territory of the former Uralobuv enterprise (Vtuzgorodok, Pervostroitel is engaged in the development of the territory) in 2015, it became clear that the prospects for the development of the new district exceeded the capacity of the existing school.
At the same time, it became clear that there was not enough land for the reconstruction of school No. 134 or the construction of a new
To solve the problem, the developer proposed to increase the capacity of the school from 600 seats to 1.5 thousand seats by adding a neighboring section of the children ’ s clinic and building a new school building.
To form a land plot for the development of the school, the company designed and built the building of the children ’ s clinic, and then equipped it and transferred it to the regional Ministry of Health.
Last year, “Pervostroitel ” at its own expense developed the design documentation of the school building, and this year the developer plans to receive a positive conclusion of the state examination.
In addition, the company appealed to the administration of Yekaterinburg with a request to include the reconstruction of the building in the municipal program for the construction of schools, which will ensure the financing of the future facility.
The package of agreed documentation for the inclusion of the project in the budget funding will be ready by the end of May.
Maria Ignatova
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In large-scale urban implementations, they contribute to biodiversity by providing habitats for insects and birds.

**Practical Indoor Benefits:**
1.

**Air Purification:**  Green walls improve indoor air quality by filtering harmful toxins and airborne particulates.

Title:

Content: 13 structures that will save gatherings from bad weather
Tatyana Vashchenko
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Despite the work of meteorologists, people still can not be 100% sure of the weather.
Sometimes it can completely upset all plans, or spoil an important moment in your life.
How often it happens that the clear sunny sky, under which it is so good to cook a barbecue with friends, in a matter of minutes is drawn by clouds and overthrows the flow of water!
Homify has prepared 13 great ideas for such cases.
Now you can have parties and friendly gatherings in your garden, without fear of changes in the weather – you will always have somewhere to hide.
This is especially useful for gardeners.
Let ’ s build a shelter together!
1.
Patio under awning
Garden furniture
Lothian Design
The easiest way to shelter your yard from the rain is to pull a durable tarpaulin awning.
However, this lifehack will save your patio from the scorching sun.
In addition, this solution can look very stylish if you choose the right furniture and decor.
In the photo you can see a very good example: under the canopy are comfortably located wonderful wicker chairs, a table, tubs with green plants.
2.
Barbecue terrace
Outdoor Living Pod, Louvered Roof Patio Canopy Installation.
homify
If you like to cook barbecue and do it often, get serious and build a covered terrace specially designed for this purpose.
There you can place the necessary equipment - and not just a grill, but a good stove - and put a table for guests.
3.
Rustic style
Exposed Braai
The Braai Man
The barbecue corner can be decorated in a rustic style - this will make it more cozy.
A massive wooden canopy, a cast iron stove, a log cabin with neatly folded firewood, a basket with firewood, bundles of dry herbs for cooking - all this creates a special atmosphere.
The main thing is to take care of the proper processing of wood, so that the canopy itself does not deteriorate from the rain.
4.
Magnificent Pavilion
Virginia Water
Keir Townsend Ltd.
If you have a large family, or you like to collect noisy companies, you will need a lot of room for parties.
And if we talk about a covered corner in the garden, then nothing can be better than a spacious pavilion.
Having placed a large banquet table there, you can accommodate all guests.
Do not forget about good lighting - for sure the fun will continue in the dark, so the lamps should provide excellent visibility even at the furthest ends of the table.
5.
Cozy gazebo
Rattan Garden Cabana, Weatherproof Wicker Shade Room and Sun Loungers
Ingarden Ltd
For natures romantic ideal will be a small, cozy gazebo, where you can be alone with your thoughts, a good book or a loved one.
For greater comfort, it is possible to equip not ordinary benches, but sofas or armchairs with soft pillows.
6.
Dining terrace
A great idea is to build a small terrace directly next to the dining room.
In case the bad weather rages too much, and your guests become uncomfortable even under a canopy, you can quickly move into the house.
7.
Electrotents
Patio Awning Installation in Cheshire.
homify
A very modern solution is to install an electric canopy in your yard, controlled by a remote control.
Depending on the weather, you can open it, close it, change the angle of location, etc.
This option, perhaps, can be considered the most convenient.
Spending once on the device itself, you will be spared a lot of trouble.
8.
Under the umbrella
Hangman Valley Residence
Uptic Studios
A classic option that will bring Mediterranean notes to your yard – umbrellas installed above the dining table, seating area and other strategically important places.
It is convenient, practical, simple and very beautiful.
9.
Water treatments
And meanwhile, hide under the canopy is not only the dining area, but also the pool.
If you do not know why to do it, because you have never been burned in the sun, swimming in the water, just take our word for it.
However, a wide durable awning will save not only from the scorching sun rays, but also from rain, allowing you to swim for your pleasure in any weather.
10.
Living room in the fresh air
If guests gather at you regularly, you can equip not just a gazebo or pavilion, but a real living room.
Yeah, yeah, one more.
Or even combine the living room with the dining room, putting under the canopy sofas, dining table and equipment necessary for making tea.
11.
Increased protection
Why not build a gazebo that will not only have a roof, but also walls?
In this case, not only rain, but also wind and cold will not be afraid of you - especially if you build a simple heating system.
To keep the feeling of being on the street, just glaze the gazebo from all sides.
12.
Eternal Classics
The decoration of the traditional garden will be a gazebo in a classic style.
It is perfect for family dinners, and for gatherings with friends, and for relaxation in proud solitude.
A special charm of the gazebo will be added by lush green plants, wrapping it around.
13.
In the spirit of eco
If you love natural materials and care about the environment, your choice is reclaimed wood.
From this material, you can build a magnificent pavilion in the rustic style, charming with its rough, natural beauty.
From modern designers, you can always get inspiration for such a project.
Need help with a home project?
Contact us!
Find inspirational ideas for your home

Select indoor plant species (e.g., Spathiphyllum, Sansevieria, Philodendron) are particularly effective at removing formaldehyde, benzene, and VOCs common in indoor environments.

**Temperature and Humidity Regulation:**  Living walls act as natural thermal insulators.

By shading building exteriors and providing evaporative cooling, they reduce interior temperatures, potentially lowering HVAC energy consumption.

Indoor green walls moderate humidity, improving comfort and reducing respiratory irritants.

**Mental Health and Well-being:**  Exposure to greenery is linked with reduced stress, increased focus, faster patient recovery (as seen in hospital applications), and enhanced sense of well-being in schools and workplaces.

**Design Flexibility and Space Efficiency:**
- Projects highlight the ability to integrate green walls in areas with spatial constraints (e.g., atriums, office meeting rooms, and school corridors), transforming them into transit zones or social spaces.

- They enable developers to optimize usable areas (as seen in educational facilities), providing more functional space with added biophilic benefits.

**Maintenance Requirements:**
- **Watering and Irrigation:** Automated irrigation and carefully designed water flow systems (as in vertical forest towers) are critical.

Water-poor regions require drought-tolerant plant selections and water-recycling mechanisms.

Title:

Content: Architectural magazine eVolo, which back in 2006 established the Skyscraper Competition, dedicated to various bold projects of skyscrapers, named the winners of 2023.
In addition to the triumphants, more than a dozen works were noted, and, most pleasantly, the projects were mainly aimed at combating environmental problems.
Who knows, maybe in the near future we will see these buildings put into practice.
And more importantly, it will save our planet.
First place: Nomadic megacities
Country: China
This project is aimed at solving the problem of housing for migrants and those who constantly move from place to place.
The capsule is relatively compact, and its design consists of a fixed part (for example, the kitchen and toilet are located in fixed parts of the house for connecting piping systems) and a rotating part, which includes the rest of the living quarters.
The capsule closes the issue of psychological comfort of the tenant associated with the move, and also saves resources for the construction of new houses for people rocking the planet.
Second Place: Ocean Re-clamation
Country: New Zealand
The skyscraper is a stunning example of an innovative idea that solves the problem of plastic pollution, as well as contributes to the conservation of biodiversity and wildlife.
First, the tower itself will be built from recycled plastic.
Secondly, it is designed so that, moving along the natural flow, collect plastic debris, which will later be sent for processing.
And thirdly, thanks to its unique design, the skyscraper has vast spaces and balconies that can accommodate trees and other natural objects that attract birds to live and nest.
And another important point: in addition to collecting plastic, the skyscraper systems are also designed to eliminate oil spills in the ocean.
Third place: K8 Forest take-off
Country: Germany
The K8 skyscraper aims to protect the Amazon rainforest ecosystem from anthropogenic damage, while improving the living conditions of its biodiverse inhabitants and neighboring communities.
Well, below you can get acquainted with other architectural projects that were awarded the attention of the jury.
Plastic skyscraper of blown panels
Country: USA
A skyscraper is a place where plastic waste can be useful.
The tower itself is built of recycled plastic, and the panels inflated with compressed air can be turned into steam balls that will pollinate the area around.
Spiral Farm Skyscraper
Country: Indonesia
A spiral farm skyscraper is a system of vertical farming.
Plants are located in the building so that they do not shade each other and receive enough sunlight for active growth.
The driving force that ensures the nutrition of plants, as well as the mobility of trays, is the flow of water.
Evaporative cooling and geothermal heating systems are used to minimize energy costs.
Gate of Cairo
Country: China
Cairo is one of the most water-poor cities in the world.
The Cairo Gate skyscraper system incorporates a tensioning membrane to produce water resources by collecting mist from the Nile water.
The captured water resources allocated from the mist will be used to grow desert algae that will replace fertilizers.
And also this liquid can irrigate agricultural land and be used for the daily needs of residents.
The skyscrapers themselves will act as full-fledged residential premises.
Wind seeding tower
Country: China
The sowing tower was created in order to stop the desertification of Mongolia and restore the natural ecology and national economy of the country, sowing fields for grazing and, thereby, once again increase the level of livestock production.
The tower itself is designed taking into account the unique conditions of Mongolia ’ s strong wind for spreading grass seeds.
The seeder uses the principle of accelerating the Laval nozzle, which can increase the wind speed by 10 times only by changing the cross section, so that the seeds can be sown on the ground at a distance of 1 km.
Origami skyscraper
Country: China
Fiji is known for its cyclones and other destructive natural phenomena.
The origami skyscraper is a place where you can hide from tropical cyclones.
Also, the building can become a place that will provide employment for the population.
And here you can conduct meteorological observations and equip habitats for birds.
Under normal conditions, the system will be flat and suitable for the development of agriculture and fisheries, but as soon as tropical cyclones appear, it will collapse to protect people, birds and ships.
PRIMUS: terraforming structure of Mars
Country: China, USA
Primus systems provide for the creation of industrial structures that will use modern technology to gradually change the Martian environment to make it suitable for human habitation.
The interior space under the system is intended as initial housing for Mars explorers and inhabitants, and it will provide the necessary infrastructure for research.
Antarctic Rescue Line
Country: China
In order to slow down the melting of glaciers and the imminent environmental catastrophe, a complex has been developed that will absorb heat from the cracks of the earth's crust (which accelerates melting) and convert it into electricity, which will then be charged in batteries.
Battery-powered submarines from other areas will transport discharged batteries here and full ones to other areas for use.
In addition, the upper part of the tower can create ice, which will gradually accumulate on the upper walls of the caves, strengthening and restoring the glaciers.
The Renaissance Skyscraper
Country: China
The essence of the project of this skyscraper is to help restore the Great Barrier Reef, increase the coral population and restore the marine ecosystem.
As the authors of the project say: "Life originated in the ocean, and this is not only the revival of corals, but also the revival of humanity."
Whale: Coral Forest
xxx
Country: South Korea
The whale is another system designed to restore the marine ecosystem by collecting plastic and other debris that actively accumulates on the water surface.
On the outer underwater surface of the building are corals, which perfectly harmonize with the marine fauna.
Also, the generators actively enrich the space around with oxygen, which helps to breathe and move freely and naturally to various marine inhabitants.
Source

- **Plant Selection:** Species must be chosen based on light availability, indoor air quality goals, climate, and system complexity.

Common choices include ferns, mosses, pothos, philodendrons, native grasses, and flowering perennials.

- **General Care:** Regular pruning, nutrient supplementation, and pest management are necessary to maintain vitality and appearance.

**Adapting to Climate and Context:**
- In harsh climates or regions with resource constraints, plant selection and system design are adapted for maximum efficiency and resilience (e.g., vertical lawns in regions with frequent wind, year-round indoor botanical gardens in healthcare settings).

**Conclusion:**
Vertical gardens are a proven, adaptable sustainable innovation in architecture, offering measurable environmental, health, and social benefits.

Their application—from individual offices to entire skyscrapers—demonstrates their value as a core element of biophilic and sustainable urban futures.

**Nuggets of Information on Vertical Gardens (Green Walls) in Sustainable Architecture:**

- **Growing Trend in Environmental Design:**
Vertical gardens, or green walls, are increasingly popular in sustainable building design due to their environmental and aesthetic benefits.

Title:

Content: 5 buildings around the world that are environmentally friendly and beautiful | Oasis of Culture | DW | 03.06.2023
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Oasis of Culture
5 buildings around the world that are environmentally friendly and beautiful
There are various futuristic ideas that architects around the world are developing.
But they have something in common: precise knowledge of the location, and the use of the resources available in the region. It is essential to adopt effective methods to keep our planet habitable.

- **Air Purification:**
Indoor green walls help filter indoor air by removing pollutants, absorbing CO₂, and releasing oxygen.

Certain plants (like ferns, spider plants, pothos, and peace lilies) are especially effective at improving air quality.

- **Temperature Regulation & Energy Efficiency:**
Green walls contribute to insulation, reducing temperature fluctuations inside buildings.

Title:

Content: Annual report showcases innovative sustainability solutions
Climate Scout included in Fast Company ’ s list of ideas that can change the world for 2022
Callison RTKL, a global planning and architectural consultancy, has revealed in one of the industry ’ s leading annual sustainability reports three key ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from current construction by 40%.
The report highlights the importance of effective use of technology in construction processes for more sustainable results.
Callison RTKL has committed that 50% of its projects will adopt building performance simulations by the end of the year, where the performance of these projects is tracked and measured innovatively using a digital dashboard.
This is in line with the company ’ s commitment to having all of its projects achieve positive climate impact operationally by 2030, in terms of materials used by 2040, and in line with efforts across the region. A recent survey found that 82% of IT decision-makers in the UAE consider sustainability to be one of the most important factors in their organization ’ s success in achieving science-based goals. [1]
Kashev Davidar, partner at Callison RTKL, said: “Innovative digital technologies that make building designs more sustainable are key to creating a low-carbon architecture environment, offering low-carbon climate solutions that reduce emissions, enhance carbon neutrality efforts and contribute to setting standards for positive design impacts on the planet. ”
The three main ways in which digital technologies can reduce the impact of the architectural environment on the world include:
Climate Scout
Callison RTKL has launched the award-winning Climate Scout, the first open-source platform of its kind, which allows users to design unique buildings that meet the requirements of the construction site by providing climate-specific design consultancy covering all aspects of the building.
Climate Scout instantaneously links climate, design and architectural elements appropriate to the surrounding environment, and contributes to the ability to interact through a diagram showing the relationship between design strategies and climatic conditions.
It is worth mentioning that since its launch less than a year ago, the platform has achieved remarkable success with 14,000 visits.
The platform integrates the Köppen-Geiger climate classification with the building design strategies of Architect 2030 ’ s Palette Platform and is included in Fast Company magazine ’ s list of world-changing ideas for 2022.
The electronic platform uses a combination of images with data to enhance the ability to create designs for buildings that are flexible, renewable, low emission and able to adapt to the surrounding environment.
PERFORMANCE BASED DESIGN
Performance-based design is a data-driven design process that combines digital and traditional tools to design buildings that are low emission, more resilient and responsive to climate conditions.
This process is flexible, allowing it to be used to achieve all project objectives and providing designers with information and guidance that adopts scientific principles, research methods and performance simulations in an increasingly complex world, improving the quality and value of any project.
Data Analysis and Computer Design
Utilizing the potential of data, computer design aims to provide the highest possible value by providing design solutions that meet the needs of customers and communities.
Drawing on numerous evidence and indicators on the social, economic and environmental impact of architectural design, Building Performance Simulation (BPM) performs the greatest analysis of available information and data to create a design that has tangible benefits for humans, the environment and the world.
Data analysis in the design process contributes to the sustainability of the architectural environment by reducing the impact on the natural environment.
Kashev Davidar added: “As one of the leaders in computer design and product development, we continue to build on our company ’ s knowledge and deliver responsible design solutions that are highly responsive to climate conditions.
We provide our designs with sustainable strategies using a range of ready-made tools developed by the company ’ s team. ”
For more information, please visit the website.
# Company Data
- Done.

They provide natural cooling through evapotranspiration, which can decrease the need for air conditioning and lower energy consumption.

Title:

Content: Monday 08 July 2024
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
Abdurrahim Ali
Editor-in-Chief
Dalia Abdul Rahim
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editorial Board
Abdurrahim Ali
Editor-in-Chief
Dalia Abdul Rahim
Gate Light
Engineering students invent a new system to charge electric cars with solar energy
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A group of students from the Faculty of Engineering and Advanced Technology at the Arab Academy for Science and Technology, Cairo branch, designed new fast charging systems for electric cars with the benefit of solar energy, which enhances the efficiency and sustainability of fast charging operations in less than half an hour through the design and implementation of advanced electronic circuits that enable accurate control of power outputs to ensure a safe and fast charging process.
Youssef Hossam Mohammed, 22, a graduate student at the Faculty of Engineering and Advanced Technology at the Academy, spoke about the nature of the project, saying: “This project contributes to the preservation of the environment by reducing dependence on fossil fuels and reducing carbon emissions by using solar energy as an additional source of energy.
This project is also unique in Egypt, where this advanced technology has not been used in any of the Egyptian electric car charging companies before to implement a solar powered car charging station that can efficiently meet the needs of charging cars through the continuous work of all the students involved.
The idea has been with us for a long time, especially with the beginning of the world ’ s trend to replace traditional energy sources with renewable energy sources that support the environmental balance, which is in line with the university ’ s approach, which adopted a new approach that promotes sustainability and reduces pollution in order to develop the environmental industry, which will be required by labor markets in the coming years.
The idea is to take advantage of solar energy, enhance the efficiency and sustainability of the charging process and reduce dependence on fossil fuels and carbon emissions to create new and clean energy that contributes to environmental changes.
In recent decades, the technology of solar cells has witnessed a great development, where they have become more efficient and less expensive, which gave birth to the idea to be used in the design of cars, many of which have developed during recent decades, and have been improved and increased efficiency, and some of them are able to walk long distances and withstand daily use.
The design process began with the development of a general plan and the selection of materials used in the construction. These materials include aluminum, fiberglass, reinforced plastic, carbon fiber, silicon and other materials, then the construction of the structure, tools, safety and various electronic systems. These cells include a large number of individual cells that are converted into electrical energy and stored in batteries inside.
After the completion, we tested performance control and improved efficiency in different conditions to ensure that it is able to withstand and perform in harsh and different conditions in partnership with the team consisting of (Youssef Hossam - Omar Wael - Mahmoud Helmy - Mennallah Mohammed - Omar Sarhan) and under the supervision of Professor “Ibrahim Abdel Salam - Mostafa Marei ” from the Department of Electrical Engineering at the Arab Academy for Science and Technology in Cairo Branch.
The system aims to rely on a clean and renewable energy source: where the car uses solar energy, which reduces dependence on fossil fuels and the use of another type of energy is electric energy, where the car charger is connected in less than half an hour.
This contributes to low cost of operation as running the vehicle does not require conventional fuel, resulting in reduced complex operation and maintenance costs.
Low carbon emissions: There are no carbon emissions, which helps to preserve the environment and reduce pollution. This type of car contributes to the improvement of sustainability and energy savings, which can be used in places where there are strong sources of solar energy, such as desert areas and areas with high energy consumption, and improve the power generation performance in different weather conditions and able to perform well in different weather conditions including cloudy and rainy days.
Consumer awareness: by raising awareness of the benefits of solar energy and improving awareness of the damage to the environment from the use of ordinary fuels to improve energy efficiency, increase storage capacity and improve solar charging technologies.
In addition to improving the electric charging infrastructure and expanding it to include more regions in general, it is necessary to develop and improve its technologies to meet the needs of consumers and the environment, improve performance efficiency, reduce costs and develop new and advanced technologies in the future.
Youssef stressed that we must learn more about solar energy technology and convert it into electric energy to run cars and know how to design and improve its efficiency and reduce energy consumption to see the model we have designed and consider it a model that can be developed.
I would also like to thank the teaching staff of the university for sharing with us and giving us the most accurate information and help us throughout the implementation of the project and through the submission of suggestions, which made us avoid some mistakes in addition to being constantly updated with the latest technologies and innovations to improve the design to increase attention to the preservation of the environment and the use of alternative and clean energy sources.
He concluded: We hope that this will be a national project adopted by all, as preserving a clean environment is the future of future generations and all thanks and praise to all those who facilitated the implementation of the idea, which was just a dream and contributed to turning it into a reality on the ground.

- **Mental Health & Wellbeing:**
Access to greenery, even indoors, has proven positive impacts on mental health—reducing stress, improving mood, and increasing productivity.

Green walls bring the biophilic benefits of nature into interior spaces, which is valuable for occupant well-being.

- **Noise Reduction:**
Plants and their supporting structures can absorb, reflect, and diffract sound, helping reduce indoor noise pollution.

This contributes to more comfortable and productive environments, especially in offices and urban settings.

- **Biodiversity Enhancement:**
By hosting diverse plant species, green walls can provide micro-habitats for beneficial insects and small organisms, supporting urban biodiversity.

- **Design Flexibility:**
Green walls can be adapted to varying scales and building types—ranging from feature walls in lobbies or offices to entire facades of buildings.

They are used in both retrofits and new constructions.

- **Maintenance Considerations:**
Vertical gardens require specialized maintenance, including regular watering (often via automated irrigation systems), pruning, nutrient management, and monitoring for pests or diseases.

Modular systems with replaceable plant panels ease long-term care.

- **Temperate Zones:** Ivy, hedera, grasses, peace lilies.