While biophilic design has long been a popular feature of sustainable, modern architecture, it has been something of a rarity indoors — until now. Thanks to some pioneering product development in the use of preserved plants, Garden on the Wall (GOTW) has transformed green walls from a high-maintenance luxury into an eminently viable option for a wide array of interior spaces.
The company’s turn-key, maintenance-free vertical gardens incorporate plant species that have been sustainably preserved at the peak of their freshness, and as such, require no water, misting or irrigation, nor even light or soil. Nevertheless, they retain a vibrant, luscious look and feel for 7-10 years across a range of interior environments.
These standout qualities earned GOTW multiple A+Awards in 2020, scooping both the Jury and Popular Choice Awards in the Finishes-Wall & Wall Coverings category, as well as a Special Mention in the Finishes-Acoustics category. “We feel honored to receive these awards, recognizing our hard work and creativity, along with our commitment to the biophilic movement,” said Miné Hisim, Founder and Managing Partner of Garden on the Wall. “Biophilia is often that magical, all-natural element that transforms an interior space into something different, unique, and memorable. We are proud to be acknowledged as a leader in this movement.”
As with any element of great architectural design, GOTW attributes much of its success to its collaborative process. The brand works with architects and designers from the outset of a project, ensuring the client’s needs are met with a product that is seamlessly integrated with adjacent materials. “Our team is involved in all steps of the design & build process, from renderings to fabrication to installation & touch-up,” explained Hisim, “all the while collaborating closely with architects, interior designers, and general contractors.”
Delta Dental Stair Wall: Forest, ferns and flower foliage species over a flat moss canvas
This hands-on approach means a high level of quality control is maintained through the process, and it shows. ”Our garden installations have the unmatched visual and longevity standards in the market,” said Hisim. Looking more closely at one of GOTW’s vertical gardens, it’s not hard to understand why — every component is carefully considered and each species individually curated to achieve a stunning finished wall. “Even with garden composition is created with more than 50 prefabricated panels, we ensure that no single line or seam is visible. Attention to detail to guarantee perfection is not a task we take lightly,” said Hisim.
This attention to detail results in a garden of great beauty, but the pros of GOTW extend far beyond aesthetic appeal. The product is an industry leader when it comes to sustainability, with a range of certifications to provide architects with the confidence to specify. “Garden on the Wall is a pioneer in being the only preserved garden supplier in the world that has the Health Product Declaration (version 2.1.1), thereby enabling contributions to LEED® v4.1, The WELL Building Standard™ and fitwel®,” explained Hisim.
Garden on the Wall features in this EVEN Hotels lobby
Successfully installing a vertical garden is something of an art form, and GOTW’s team is highly adept with its medium. “The final composition is much like the finishing touches a painter makes with his brush strokes,” described Hisim. “This occurs at the display spaces where our team tiles the garden panels into the allocated spaces and works on every seam and edge to ensure each panel blends in seamlessly with the next. Meanwhile, our team adds foliage and moss elements to complete the composition’s cohesion under the actual light conditions and viewing angles.”
The result is a rich, beautiful garden that enriches an environment visually, and provides continual health benefits to match. “Studies show that biophilic design has significant physiological effects on humans,” explained Hisim. “It stimulates cognitive function, lowers blood pressure, reduces stress levels, balances hormone levels and mood swings, and according to a recent Harvard study, may even make us live longer.”
Garden on the Wall in the United Health Group Lobby, Minnetonka, MN
These qualities will undoubtedly excite architects and clients alike, and given our increasingly urbanized world, it seems inevitable that we will see a proliferation of interior gardens moving forward. But what will the indoor green walls of the future look like? “We’ll see a broadening variety of preserved plant species, increasingly daring and dramatic executions, greater longevity, and more,” speculates Hisim. The future of green architecture sounds compelling — and Garden on the Wall looks set to lead us there.
To explore more projects featuring Garden on the Wall, click here.
All images courtesy Garden on the Wall