Green Building Facades in Post-Modern Architecture

Arup was spamming my news feed in September about green urban facades, and while apathetic toward the spamming, the aesthetic potential of green facades ignites the imagination and so I've finally found time to write about this excellent sustainable design option. The example linked above comes to us from Milan and is nearing the end of construction (to the best of my knowledge). The random arrangement of balconies with their rectilinear presentation lends the project a modern slant and one can only imagine that once the tree canopies fill-in the balconies will become an inviting place to visit in a crowded city. Found at the end of this post is the work of architect Jean Nouvel of Paris whose building One Central Park in Sydney, Australia, won the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat’s award for ‘Best Tall Building – Worldwide’ in 2014. From what I can tell from the details online the design is sharp sharp sharp. I love the strong square stance and radical approach to vertically. The building is also notable for its broad approach to sustainability, throwing everything at the problem, including the kitchen sink, to reduce its carbon footprint. I had to look up what a heliostat was – and this building has many – and in combination here the heliostats counter the creation of any dark void which might be created by the overhang and give extra support to the green canopy underneath.

Now if one is excited as me to use a green building envelope in a project one word must brightly flash as warning before starting: Complicated! I mean, firstly there is the issue that not all plants tolerate confined spaces equally well. I'm not a botanist nor landscape architect nor really a green thumb so this would necessitate inviting a plant consultant onto the team for sure. Then secondly, it's well-known that plants held near the surface of a building also holds in the moisture as well. And though it's possible to navigate these risks on smaller projects, once a certain scale is reached the need for a building science specialist to detail the green facade will be an important step in mitigating any long-term deterioration of the structure due to moisture. Lastly, the weight of the soil needs to be accounted for structurally. It imposes loads on the structure not typically found in generic buildings and therefore how these loads are transferred to the ground without ruining the design takes engineering expertise.

The advantages of green building envelopes are many and the same group who fought through the problems of green facades have also kindly cataloged their benefits: Foresight, Arup's R&D arm, first stresses human's fundamental connection to nature and plants, contrasting that with how urban environs have developed. Green infrastructure reduces our carbon footprint and reduces local pollution. Furthermore, green building envelopes cool the surrounding areas and makes them quieter. All these characteristics together make our cities much more walkable, another sustainable policy I might be even more passionate about to which Arup has also contributed research.