Grass as a Material? Green Design Takes to the Streets
There is a lot of discussion these days about green design and new ways to go green, be sustainable and so forth. One of the growing areas of interest is in the literal green of living walls and roofs populated by real, growing plants. But do we have to draw the line there (no image-referencing pun intended) or is there even more we can do with natural materials we have readily at hand?
While the environmental benefits of this particular application are tenuous it certainly has an aesthetic impact – a little added greenery to a parking lot, often the least green of all public spaces. However, this is just one application – an example showing the initial potential of something with great possibilities.
Of greater interest is the simple technology behind it – the roll-out material basis for the design strategy. This kind of technique could be used to great small strips of green in all kinds of places not suited to larger spans of planting or particularly heavy plants. This idea is about thinking big through thinking small – and reenvisioning ordinary greenery as a potential new material in on our green design palettes.
