Affordable Ethical Makeovers

Rosenbaum, a design company out of Brasil has been developing creative landscape solutions for low income homes.  Here's a quick before and after.  Check out there website too.

Enclosed Fire Pit

I'm really inspired by this fireplace design by Haugen & Zohar Architecture.  The purpose is to create an enclosed space for storytelling and fire.  The fire pit is in the centre and the inside perimeter is a benched area for seating.  It creates a beautiful light show in the evening outside of it as well.  Tiny gaps of space exist between the block wood building material, creating a scene like stars in the sky.  Big yard or small yard, I think this piece has a place.  Imagine sitting in this structure in the evening with friends enjoying dinner around a fire?  

MFO Park

This is the most unusual urban park.  Generally a park designer will install trees in circles of soil lined by areas of lawn. A non offensive use of space.  However, reaching beyond may reward you with some brilliant results.  The MFO Park was built in 2002 in Zurich, Switzerland and it has created its own interpretation of a park. Designed by Burckhardt + Partner AG and Raderchall Landschaftsarchitekten AG .  Think vertically when looking for their inspiration for this one.  It feels like you're entering a building.  What looks like scaffolding and guy wires creates the structure for this park. Climbing vines are grown up the wires creating walls and columns of green, replicating stands of trees.  Staircases are built into the design to create different vantage points and areas of contemplation.   Benches are placed throughout. I especially like that different vines were used to create different colours of bloom and foliage throughout the space, like virginia creeper and wisteria.

Charlotte Garden

Okay, I love this garden.  It was designed by the architecture firm of SLA.  Charlotte Garden is located in Copenhagen and was built in 2004. It was designed as an inspiration to an agricultural landscape. The curving lines and contours give the space an organic structure.    Outdoor rooms are created through soft walls of grasses and mass plantings.  Round wooden picnic tables make the area inclusive to visitors (who are primarily locals). Throughout the year Charlotte Garden plays to the senses. The grasses take on different colours throughout the year and create movement.  Even in the Snow covered landscapes of this Scandinavian region, this garden showcases something different, small retaining walls preserve the snow in it's beautiful agricultural shapes.  The grasses house the crystals of snow and the lighting creates a magical evening stroll.

spring

winter

community focussed garden

rooms created through mass of grasses

wooden round tables all season

Vancouver Public Library Rooftop Garden

Glass Bubble

This surreal glass dome resides in Malmö, Sweden overlooking the exposed harbour.  It was designed by Monika Gora and installed in 2006. The term given to this unique shape is 'soft spherical' and the location and space available determined the size and shape of this structure. 

'The only thing that seperates the inside from the outside is a partition wall made of thin glass.  The function of the glass is like a membrane.  The inside becomes a bubble filled with warmth and life.  Full of light and space, protected and quiet.' claims Gora.  The structure lets in the maximum amount of light because it is made of flat crystal clear low-iron glass.

The inside of the conservatory has a climate similar to the Mediterranean and the structure houses tree ferns, camellias, citrus and magnolia trees.  The floor consists of Norwegian slate (Otta Högseter) which alters from different shades of rust orange to green black due to iron content.  The same pavers spill out onto the courtyard outside the glass bubble.  The buildings on either side of this glass bubble are very angular residential properties which creates a very striking contrast for this unique shape.  

Mur Végétal

Vertical walls were introduced by Patrick Blanc, a French botanist, about 30 years ago. It's a living wall containing a cold frame, waterproof panels, an automatic irrigation system, lights, plants and other special materials.

A local Vancouver company is building and installing these systems. greenovergrey.com

They describe the system briefly :

" The frame is built in front of a non existing wall and attached at various points; there is no damage done to the building. Waterproof panels are mounted to the frame; these are rigid and provide structural support. There is a layer of air between the building and the panels which allows the building to 'breath'. This adds beneficial insulating properties and acts like rain screening to protect the building envelope. "

These walls have built in irrigation systems and are grown in a soil less medium. There is also material that is used to distribute water and food to the plants and air purification device. I would love to know what these mysterious materials are. The companies that provide this service keep the materials on the low down. It's definitely a whimsical and artistic use of plants.

Flora and Fauna is working on a few prototypes.  Stay posted to see what we have in store!