Publisher's Synopsis
Sustainable architecture is one of the most popular trends today. With dense urban living and less green space available, green walls and roofs are helping to fill that gap. These living structures can be created with vegetation, which helps to absorb rainwater, provide insulation, and lower temperatures while creating a habitat for natural flora and fauna. Green Walls Green Roofs features projects from all over the world, showing how these elements work in various climates. Ranging from the tropical houses in Singapore to inner-city buildings in North America, this richly illustrated book will show you how living architecture can enrich our world. Projects featured include: Britomart East Complex Auckland, New Zealand: An office's green wall incorporating a combination of native and exotic species, set out in a repetition of planting patterns that loosely reference those found in traditional Maori carvings PET Bottle Greenwall Project Sydney, Australia: A school's soil-less vertical garden comprising 600 recycled PET bottles and other inorganic media Solaris Singapore: A skyscraper featuring a mile-long ecological 'vertical linear park' that connects the vegetation at ground level with a cascading sequence of roof gardens Städel Museum Frankfurt, Germany: A cultural institution's new extension, buried beneath a geothermic, domed roof garden punctured by circular skylights High Line Park New York City, USA: A catwalk-like, green walkway connecting the entire length of the High Line, flanked by a great mix of microclimates, from very wet, moor-like zones to vegetation with dry, steppe grass Welham Studios Somerset, UK: A home studio constructed using a curved grass roof rising up from the ground over a timber framework Sky Garden House Singapore: A multi-storey residence with roof gardens on each level typically overhanging the story below, providing shade and reducing overheating in Singapore's tropical climate Edgeland House Texas, USA: A residence based on the native North American pit house design, typically sunken, the green roof taking advantage of the earth's mass to maintain thermal comfort throughout the year
