Popping up in cities and towns around the world is the relatively unheard concept of living walls. These living walls are exactly what they say on the tin: plants or grass are grown off-site and then professionally installed to any size and shape of structure. For those of you wondering which unlucky person will be given the task of getting the watering can out, think again, an irrigation system is installed beneath the plants, which allows the plants to be given the correct amount of water.
Living wall systems are being used in American cities to disguise the dreary and ugly buildings which weren’t built for their looks but instead their functionality. Not only used as a disguise, they breathe a new lease of life into the area, bringing tourists and locals to see this unusual spectacle.
These living walls aren’t just used to make the exterior of the building more aesthetically pleasing, they offer practical uses too such as insulation resulting in lower energy bills. They also clean the air, cleansing it of dust and dirt, making the environment, especially in a big city, much healthier and more pleasant place to be.
The social impact is enormous, from keeping the interest of people year round with the different colours and flowers appearing and disappearing, to people taking more pride in the area. They are much less likely to be graffitied.
Who wouldn’t want to work, rest and play in a cleaner, environmentally-friendly and beautiful area? Much better than those dull buildings you normally see!
