How green walls are creating an inner-city urban jungle

Concrete is being taken over by greenery in apartment developments all across Brisbane, as Queensland’s top developers focus on integrating green walls into the design of inner-city apartments. While green walls have been a welcome feature for boutique buildings on the coast for years, this design is becoming far more prominent on apartments in Brisbane’s inner-ring.

Vertical gardens are generally robust, and each species chosen is hyper-functional — it relies on others to spread the load, creates micro-climates as well as interacting and supporting others on the green wall. Green walls also function as a resting space, a food source, a habitat and nesting space for birds and insects, improving the biodiversity of our cities.

Ivy & Eve Green wall
Green wall at Ivy&Eve, South Brisbane

Developments such as the landmark Ivy and Eve twin towers in South Brisbane have reshaped the streetscape with the living waterfall of greenery that flows off the building. The lush green exterior of the 476-apartment complex on Merivale Street has blossomed in the 12 months since the buildings were completed, adding an impressive new feature to the local area. A 124 square metre external green wall forms the centrepiece of the development’s facade together with additional green touches on many other levels.

Abacus Property Group Development Manager, Bryant Greenberg, said the Ivy and Eve greenery had flourished over the past year to make Ivy and Eve one of the most attractive new developments in inner Brisbane.

“We are delighted with just how much the project’s innovative vertical greenery has grown in such a short period of time,” Mr Greenberg said.

“Our residents absolutely love the appearance of Ivy and Eve, and also enjoy significant other benefits from this cascading greenery.”

Variable plant species in the green wall at Ivy&Eve
Variable plant species in the green wall at Ivy&Eve

The Ivy and Eve green wall was designed and installed by Fytogreen. It features more than 80 species of plants, including local, indigenous, native and exotic as well as species that are comfortable at high altitude, so they are equipped to deal with cold and wind as well as the vagaries of Queensland weather.

Other apartments with enviable vertical foliage flows include 443 Queen Street, which will take shape over the next few years in the heart of the CBD. With a green-plot ratio of 197%, this building will have a visibly green vibe, evoking the feeling of traditional ‘backyard’ landscaping within a major apartment building. The Standard apartments, also in South Brisbane and Mali in Mermaid Beach are a few others which will feature an enviably green facade upon completion.

443 Queen Street street view
443 Queen Street street view. Image by developers.
Mali Residences external facade
Mali Residences external facade
The Standard apartments facade (Image by ARIA Property Group)
The Standard apartments facade (Image by ARIA Property Group)
443 Queen Street street view
Mali Residences external facade
The Standard apartments facade (Image by ARIA Property Group)

Written: 14 March 2019, Updated: 22 January 2020

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