When was the last time you felt a deep connection to a natural landscape in an urban setting? 

Not often would be the most common answer among many. This is why living walls and greenery in cities is becoming a hot topic worldwide. 

While plants and vines have always grown on walls on their own accord, the concept of nurturing these plants and spaces dates back to the iconic Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Although vertical gardens we see today didn’t really take off until the 1990’s. Since then they’ve been improving air quality and adding a natural beauty to the disconnected city life. 

The importance of nature

Individuals, companies and the public sector are beginning to see the importance of nature around us and how we need to start bringing it back into cities. Are you really a progressive city now if you don’t have a big living wall in the heart of the city? 

Not only does it liven up the city with a lush green blanket but it helps to combat highly polluted areas. It’s a win win.

The innate connection between humans and nature is embedded in our DNA. Research reveals that regular contact with nature has a number of benefits, including, but not limited to reduced stress levels, relaxation properties and helps us become more present. Nature is now on our minds, and those areas designed without it are now pushing to get it. 

The Benefits

The benefits that plants have on humans is endless, but some of the key points are listed below: 

• They are aesthetically pleasing, brightening up busy cities 

• The emotional connection of watching the plants grow and change in the different seasons

• Biophilia - the innate human attraction to nature 

• Improved air quality by detoxifying the air from HAPs (hazardous airborne pollutants). 

•  Reduction of PM10s (small partials and dust) and VOCs (volatile organic compounds)

• Re oxygenation of the local environment

• Increased motivation, health and wellbeing

• Decrease in elements responsible for breathing disorders 

• Increased management of water, a mechanism to alleviate flood risk and offset poor drainage systems. 

• Urban cooling to offset the lack of wind circulation which is reduced in a built environment. 

The study, The Economics of Biophilia by the environmental consultancy Terrapin Bright Green raise an interesting point, that reveals the financial aspect of biophilic design. Obviously there is a rise in online purchasing, therefore in store shopping is all about the customer experience. If biophilic design does all the benefits stated above it is likely the space will be more enticing and the shoppers will feel more relaxed. According to the UN 68% of the world population is going to live in cities by 2050, then surely throughout the cities we will see more developments of not only indoor and outdoor living walls but all types of greenery.

Green your city

One living wall we currently admire is the CaixaForum Museum in Madrid Spain. This massive outdoor vertical garden boasts over 15,000 plants of 250 different species. It was designed and created by a French artist and botanist Patrick Blanc and was the first of its kind in Spain. Are living walls the way of the future, we think so.