Sunday, April 27, 2008

gravity defying plants in Paris

This living façade was intended to be temporary, but everyone liked it so much that they kept it.


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Standing in front of it, I was astonished at how it made me feel. Then my analytical brain kicked in and wanted to pin the logistics, the how of the whole thing. I have two plausible theories for anyone interested. No one? Right.
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However it was done, it's just wonderful.




















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4 comments:

Anonymous said...

are those not climbing plants? if not , then perhaps it's a building made of mud? but then when they water it, wouldn't it melt like chocolate? very interesting.

so you're still in paris? are you passing through london on your way home? fancy some tea with the scbwi brits?

Angela said...

C'mon - share your theories with us!

kathleen duey said...

I would love tea with you UKers, but alas, no. I am home,I came back the 10th of April and am working like crazy--and just now getting around to reflecting on the trip.

I have to skip IRA, SCBWI, PLA and all or most of BEA this year. Wah! But I gotta work!! Several big things, not all of them for kids, are in process.

I *loved* your status update on Facebook--that you were "deciding who to neglect." Too, too, TOO true.

As for the plantwall, yes, Candy,exactly. Mud.

Ok, Angela, I love you for asking even if it was sarcasm:

Plain soil would be too heavy, too difficult to keep in place and would certainly "erode" out of the surface, sliding down into sidewalk mudpuddles when it rains. It has to be something lighter, humus-y or vermiculite (exploded mica) and, somehow, whatever the root medium is, it has to be contained. There has to be an underlying grid installed.Then there is the question of irrigation in dry months. Probably some kind of misting system, or drip irrigation, so that the weight of the water is very controllable, with timed irrigation sets lessening with every foot downward.

Or the whole thing could be modular and containerized and watered within the containers somehow.
It's fascinating (to me).

Maddy said...

I love it when temporary become permanently, if not contemporary!
Cheers