drb
logo


"Vertical Grass" Art & Architecture


"QUANTUM SHOT" #205(rev)
Link - article by Avi Abrams




"Farewell, Horizontal!" - Transient Green Masterpieces

Making grass grow on vertical surfaces is a wonderful way to create "transient green" masterpieces and, perhaps, also to highlight the "beauty in decay": merging the elements of partly abandoned, or purely functional boring gray cement surfaces, with the life-giving splendour of growing grass...

Make use of boring grey surfaces: transform them into vertical gardens! Seen in Madrid, Spain, these are the Patrick Blanc's "Vertical Gardens", also sometimes called "living walls" -




(top image credit: Sergey Markin; other images Patrick Blanc)


Patrick Blanc is undoubtedly one of the leading "vertical gardens" specialists in the world today. His site bursts with a multitude of lush green projects undertaken around the world (see one good retrospective here), and one can not but gain a huge appreciation for what that man is doing - he is almost single-handedly transforming gray concrete urban landscapes of today into "windows to a better, greener world"!

Top image row: installations at Quai Branly Museum in Paris. Bottom image: Hotel Departement Hauts de Seine, Nanterre:



(images credit: Patrick Blanc)


Here are a couple of upcoming projects that re-define a conventional high-rise building (planned for Sydney, Australia), and even a skyscraper (planned for Kuala Lumpur, left image):


(images credit: Patrick Blanc)


One Central Park in Sidney (architect: Jean Nouvel) is scheduled for completion in 2013. Can't wait to see this radical combination of modern urban high-rise building with wild jungle growth, reminiscent of some abandoned overgrown landscapes in recent computer games:


(image credit: Patrick Blanc)


Another similar "hanging gardens" skyscraper project is the Stefano Boeri's Vertical Forest, under construction in Milan, Italy:


(images via)


Here is an interesting glimpse on how these vertical garden walls are structured and maintained (as seen at the Musee du quai Branly in Paris):


(images credit: Hustler of Culture)


Some traditional houses in various cultures feature grass growing in roofs, or even encompassing the whole house, like these Icelandic "Turf" houses (right image below) - more info:


(right image via)


The Ever-Changing Grass Sculptures

This sleeping grass maid was displayed at the 2006 Chelsea Flower Show in London, UK: "The Dreaming Girl", created by Pete and Sue Hill - on the right is the "Mud Maid", a sister creation:


(images via 1, 2)


Grass "grows" on cars, too! Here are some green cars "grown" by some unknown street artists:


(images via)


The transient nature of our existence becomes the defining element of such work, as these masterpieces don't last longer than six weeks without vigorous maintenance. Indeed, like it says in the Psalms, "Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die..." and "The grass withers, and the flowers fade... And so it is with people." (Isaiah 40:7). These beautiful installations do not need to be mowed; the grass will usually wither and die in two months...

On a smaller scale, one can even purchase a special DIY "living wall growing kit" nowadays - here is a roundup of some simple ways to make this happen. I am on my way to Home Depot to look for one of these kits... See ya later!

Article by Avi Abrams, Dark Roasted Blend.


CONTINUE TO OUR "AMAZING ARCHITECTURE" SERIES! ->





RECENT ARTICLES:

Visual Caffeine #8
Visual Caffeine, Issue 8

A thrilling blend of art, myths and technology

Visual Caffeine #7
Visual Caffeine, Issue 7

A thrilling blend of art, myths and technology

Art Deco
Imperial Dreams: Art Deco Update

Wings, Gears, & Glamorous Ladies

1970s SciFi
DRB Pics-of-the-Day

Grand Space Adventure 1970s Art



"Dark Roasted Blend" - All Kinds of Weird and Wonderful Things, Discovered Daily!"

DRB is a top-ranked and respected source for the best in art, travel and fascinating technology, with a highly eclectic presentation. Our in-depth articles in many categories make DRB a valued online magazine, bringing you quality info and entertainment every time you visit the site - About DRB

Connect with us and become part of DRB on Facebook and Twitter.



YOUR COMMENTS::

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

From a purely engineering perspective, anyone growing plants on the side of a building is nuts.

Water and roots are NOT a building's friends.

___  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

quickly call the no-fun police to come and take mr building engineer Nazi away

___  

Post a Comment

<< Home


SF ART & BOOK REVIEWS:
Don't miss: The Ultimate Guide to NEW SF&F Writers!
Fiction Reviews: Classic Cyberpunk: Extreme Fiction
Short Fiction Reviews: Lovecraft's "At the Mountains of Madness" (with pics)
New Fiction Reviews: The Surreal Office



READ OTHER RECENT ARTICLES:


Abandoned, Dieselpunk
DRB Pic-of-the-Day

Abandoned: Streamlined Three-wheeler

Visual Caffeine #6
Visual Caffeine, Issue 6

A thrilling blend of art, myths and technology

Visual Caffeine #5
Visual Caffeine, Issue 5

A thrilling blend of art, myths and technology

Hellish Weather on Other Planets

Wild, Untamed, and Uncut

Medieval Suits of Armor

Metal Body Suits vs. Weapons of Medieval Destruction

World's Strangest Theme Parks

Amusement to the (twisted) extremes!

Enchanting Victorian Fairy Tale Art

"Then world behind and home ahead..."

Adorable Pedal Cars

Collectable Pedal Vehicles Showcase


Japanese Arcades: Gundam Pods & Other Guilty Pleasures

These machines have gone up to the next level


Modernist Tallinn Architecture

Delicious blend of old and new!


Early Supercomputers: A Visual Overview

"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons"


Futuristic Concept Cars of the 1970-80s

French, Italian & Japanese rare beauties


Epic 1970s French Space Comic Art

DRB Time-Slice: Valérian and Laureline


The Trees Are Escaping! The Abandoned Prison in French Guiana

"Great Escape" from the Devil's Island



FULL ARCHIVES
(with previews, fast loading):

2022/16
2015/14
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006

Link Lattes

Feel-Good & Biscotti Issues





CATEGORIES:
Feel-Good! | airplanes | animals | architecture | art | auto | boats | books | cool ads | famous | futurism | food
gadgets | health | japan | internet | link latte | military | music | nature | photo | russia | steampunk
sci-fi & fantasy | signs | space | technology | trains | travel | vintage | weird | abandoned