plantcape
Basic information
Project Title
plantcape
Category
Reconnecting with nature
Project Description
The plantcapes can turn every street, public space or indoor room into a walkable herb bed and bee paradise. They can be hung in every environment, adapted to special needs.
Lets use the vertical space to make our cities a greener space.
Lets use the vertical space to make our cities a greener space.
Geographical Scope
Regional
Project Region
Halle, Sachsen-Anhalt, Uckermark, Germany
Urban or rural issues
Mainly urban
Physical or other transformations
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
EU Programme or fund
No
Description of the project
Summary
Plantcape introduces an innovative approach to vertical greening, combining the use of woven textiles and seeds for a sustainable and aesthetically pleasing urban solution. The concept, originating from a semester project, evolved into a vision that integrates manmade and natural elements. The weaving of textiles aligns with a biological cycle, storing CO2 in the ground and minimizing the need for energy-intensive recycling.
This adaptable system offers a cost-effective and lightweight alternative to traditional vertical greening methods, with possible utilizing of existing structures for installation. Notably, the incorporation of seeds not only reduces costs but also fosters a deeper connection between citizens and the growing plants.
The implications of Plantcape extend beyond environmental benefits. It addresses climate change by cooling cities and reducing pollution. The focus on biodiversity involves planting endangered plants and providing food for insects, contributing to rewilding efforts and restoring natural environments.
Plantcape also promotes reconnection with nature by increasing the presence of plants, providing better spaces for social interaction, learning, and relaxation. The textiles become hubs where people can engage in activities, fostering a sense of community.
In response to a potential food crisis, Plantcape offers freshly grown edible plants, providing free access to healthy food and contributing positively to the broader food-related challenges.
The implementation strategy involves building a network with architects, city planners, and local governments. Collaboration with the city of Halle's "Green Health" program provides an opportunity to initiate the greening of urban spaces. Prototypes can be set up in public spaces, partnering with festivals, cafes, and beer gardens.
This adaptable system offers a cost-effective and lightweight alternative to traditional vertical greening methods, with possible utilizing of existing structures for installation. Notably, the incorporation of seeds not only reduces costs but also fosters a deeper connection between citizens and the growing plants.
The implications of Plantcape extend beyond environmental benefits. It addresses climate change by cooling cities and reducing pollution. The focus on biodiversity involves planting endangered plants and providing food for insects, contributing to rewilding efforts and restoring natural environments.
Plantcape also promotes reconnection with nature by increasing the presence of plants, providing better spaces for social interaction, learning, and relaxation. The textiles become hubs where people can engage in activities, fostering a sense of community.
In response to a potential food crisis, Plantcape offers freshly grown edible plants, providing free access to healthy food and contributing positively to the broader food-related challenges.
The implementation strategy involves building a network with architects, city planners, and local governments. Collaboration with the city of Halle's "Green Health" program provides an opportunity to initiate the greening of urban spaces. Prototypes can be set up in public spaces, partnering with festivals, cafes, and beer gardens.
Key objectives for sustainability
Bringing Plants into the City:
The increased presence of plants in urban areas has a significant impact on air quality and temperature, capable of reducing temperatures by approximately 10 degrees by covering built environment surfaces.
Low resource requirement:
In comparison to other vertical greening methods, using textiles for greening requires less material. Simply using the textile, as opposed to complex structures made of various components, is sufficient.
Biodiversity:
Planting a diverse array of local plants can support local ecosystems. Insects discover new food sources, integrating into the food chain, benefiting birds. The flexibility of textiles allows for deployment in various locations, contributing to the preservation of highly specialized species and helping secure endangered ones (e.g., insects requiring a specific combination of plants and the north side of the sun).
Sponge City:
By connecting textiles to water-collection modules, water can be collected and used during dry periods. Planting species that require minimal water prevents overuse of the local water system.
Circularity:
The use of natural fibers makes the textiles completely degradable. During the vertical growth period, they are not in contact with soil, making them durable. Once in contact with soil, they start to compost, contributing to improved soil quality. Grown textiles can also be used to quickly regenerate fallow land or suppress invasive species.
Local Food Production:
On the textiles, leaf lettuces, herbs, healing plants, and edible wild plants can be cultivated. This promotes local food production, reducing reliance on countryside areas and minimizing the need for long-distance transportation. Testing the growth of grains, beans and small fruit plants like strawberries will be interesting.
Soft Impact:
Bringing more plants into the city fosters a stronger connection between citizens and nature and encourages environmental respect.
The increased presence of plants in urban areas has a significant impact on air quality and temperature, capable of reducing temperatures by approximately 10 degrees by covering built environment surfaces.
Low resource requirement:
In comparison to other vertical greening methods, using textiles for greening requires less material. Simply using the textile, as opposed to complex structures made of various components, is sufficient.
Biodiversity:
Planting a diverse array of local plants can support local ecosystems. Insects discover new food sources, integrating into the food chain, benefiting birds. The flexibility of textiles allows for deployment in various locations, contributing to the preservation of highly specialized species and helping secure endangered ones (e.g., insects requiring a specific combination of plants and the north side of the sun).
Sponge City:
By connecting textiles to water-collection modules, water can be collected and used during dry periods. Planting species that require minimal water prevents overuse of the local water system.
Circularity:
The use of natural fibers makes the textiles completely degradable. During the vertical growth period, they are not in contact with soil, making them durable. Once in contact with soil, they start to compost, contributing to improved soil quality. Grown textiles can also be used to quickly regenerate fallow land or suppress invasive species.
Local Food Production:
On the textiles, leaf lettuces, herbs, healing plants, and edible wild plants can be cultivated. This promotes local food production, reducing reliance on countryside areas and minimizing the need for long-distance transportation. Testing the growth of grains, beans and small fruit plants like strawberries will be interesting.
Soft Impact:
Bringing more plants into the city fosters a stronger connection between citizens and nature and encourages environmental respect.
Key objectives for aesthetics and quality
Plants:
Streets adorned with growing plants create a much more friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Careful planning and a diverse array of flowers contribute to beautiful aesthetics. Walking these streets becomes a more enriching experience, breathing better air quality and enjoying the sight of plants. Being surrounded by nature reduces stress, alleviates headaches, aids in healing processes, and has proven positive effects, as supported by studies.
Local Art:
Textiles play a unique role in aesthetics. Woven (colorful) textiles, made from natural materials, exhibit a soft and beautiful appearance from the outset. Collaboration with local artists and students allows for the creation of artworks on these textiles, achieved through weaving structures or plant-based printing.
Streets adorned with growing plants create a much more friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Careful planning and a diverse array of flowers contribute to beautiful aesthetics. Walking these streets becomes a more enriching experience, breathing better air quality and enjoying the sight of plants. Being surrounded by nature reduces stress, alleviates headaches, aids in healing processes, and has proven positive effects, as supported by studies.
Local Art:
Textiles play a unique role in aesthetics. Woven (colorful) textiles, made from natural materials, exhibit a soft and beautiful appearance from the outset. Collaboration with local artists and students allows for the creation of artworks on these textiles, achieved through weaving structures or plant-based printing.
Key objectives for inclusion
Affordability:
Due to the simple production process and minimal material usage, this vertical greening method is comparatively inexpensive. Existing structures can be utilized to hang the textile. Additionally, the plants grow from seeds on the textile, eliminating the need for cultivation in greenhouses. This has the added advantage that the plants are acclimated to their location and don't experience shock when transferred from greenhouses.
Accessibility:
Installed in streets or public buildings, greening is accessible to everyone (dependent on street accessibility).
Inclusiveness:
Through weaving, it will be possible to write on the textile (just by the bindings). This way, information about the plants, their edibility, and other details can be communicated without requiring specialized plant knowledge. This promotes education about the variety of edible plants.
Social Housing Blocks:
Enhancing social inclusiveness can be achieved by connecting different districts with green textiles. Implementing textiles in social housing districts could have a more significant social impact, especially since poorer communities are disproportionately affected by climate change. Providing healthy and free food access can make a substantial difference in these areas, likely in conjunction with an educational program. Partnering with schools and kindergartens can also create a relevant social impact by greening schoolyards while educating children about plants and environmental responsibility.
Due to the simple production process and minimal material usage, this vertical greening method is comparatively inexpensive. Existing structures can be utilized to hang the textile. Additionally, the plants grow from seeds on the textile, eliminating the need for cultivation in greenhouses. This has the added advantage that the plants are acclimated to their location and don't experience shock when transferred from greenhouses.
Accessibility:
Installed in streets or public buildings, greening is accessible to everyone (dependent on street accessibility).
Inclusiveness:
Through weaving, it will be possible to write on the textile (just by the bindings). This way, information about the plants, their edibility, and other details can be communicated without requiring specialized plant knowledge. This promotes education about the variety of edible plants.
Social Housing Blocks:
Enhancing social inclusiveness can be achieved by connecting different districts with green textiles. Implementing textiles in social housing districts could have a more significant social impact, especially since poorer communities are disproportionately affected by climate change. Providing healthy and free food access can make a substantial difference in these areas, likely in conjunction with an educational program. Partnering with schools and kindergartens can also create a relevant social impact by greening schoolyards while educating children about plants and environmental responsibility.
How Citizens benefit
Since I have been focusing on the technical development of the textile, I haven't engaged much with citizens directly. However, I have discussed the project extensively with people in my vicinity.
Citizens could play a crucial role in caring for the plants. Adding a manual pump to the water system allows citizens to actively contribute by pumping water for the plants, complemented by an automatic pump for backup.
Moreover, citizens should be involved in the planning process. It's logical to include residents in the decision-making, determining the areas where greening makes the most sense. Citizens could also have a say in choosing the types of plants to be cultivated.
During a festival exhibition, three teenage boys approached me, tried some plants, and expressed excitement. They suggested it would be great to have these plants hanging in the streets, allowing them to bring their bread and pick plants to add.
Citizens could play a crucial role in caring for the plants. Adding a manual pump to the water system allows citizens to actively contribute by pumping water for the plants, complemented by an automatic pump for backup.
Moreover, citizens should be involved in the planning process. It's logical to include residents in the decision-making, determining the areas where greening makes the most sense. Citizens could also have a say in choosing the types of plants to be cultivated.
During a festival exhibition, three teenage boys approached me, tried some plants, and expressed excitement. They suggested it would be great to have these plants hanging in the streets, allowing them to bring their bread and pick plants to add.
Physical or other transformations
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
Innovative character
Plantcape introduces a novel form of vertical greening. Traditional systems typically combine plastics with stone wool or repurposed textiles. Recycling plastic in these systems is challenging due to the need to entirely remove organic materials.
In contrast, Plantcape employs woven textiles, a pioneering approach. These textiles integrate into the biological cycle, sequestering CO2 in the soil rather than requiring energy-intensive recycling processes. The weaving process ensures a short and highly adaptable production cycle, easily modified using computer technology.
Additionally, textiles are remarkably thin and lightweight, minimizing material usage compared to alternative systems. Construction represents the main material demand, but even existing materials, such as construction fences, could be repurposed.
A distinctive feature of the project is the utilization of seeds. This approach significantly reduces costs and carbon intensity. Moreover, citizens witness the entire plant growth process, fostering a stronger connection to the plants.
In contrast, Plantcape employs woven textiles, a pioneering approach. These textiles integrate into the biological cycle, sequestering CO2 in the soil rather than requiring energy-intensive recycling processes. The weaving process ensures a short and highly adaptable production cycle, easily modified using computer technology.
Additionally, textiles are remarkably thin and lightweight, minimizing material usage compared to alternative systems. Construction represents the main material demand, but even existing materials, such as construction fences, could be repurposed.
A distinctive feature of the project is the utilization of seeds. This approach significantly reduces costs and carbon intensity. Moreover, citizens witness the entire plant growth process, fostering a stronger connection to the plants.
Disciplines/knowledge reflected
During the design process, the watering system played a particularly crucial role, and I collaborated with a student from environmental engineering. The textile development commenced with a group from textile engineering, and we partnered with a local weaving factory. In collaboration with the weaving factory, I also experimented with using hemp. Consequently, I could leverage resources from the Fraunhofer Institut to test various qualities of the material and observe how its properties changed when processed differently.
Now that the watering system is functional, it becomes imperative to collaborate with architects and city planners to implement the concept in urban areas. Although it hasn't played a significant role thus far, the flexibility of the textile production process allows for easy adaptation to the specific environmental needs.
Furthermore, working collaboratively with local biologists will play a major role in rebuilding local habitats.
Now that the watering system is functional, it becomes imperative to collaborate with architects and city planners to implement the concept in urban areas. Although it hasn't played a significant role thus far, the flexibility of the textile production process allows for easy adaptation to the specific environmental needs.
Furthermore, working collaboratively with local biologists will play a major role in rebuilding local habitats.
Methodology used
It began with a semester project focused on the color silvergreen, representing the fusion of manmade (silver) and nature (green). My thoughts turned to viscose, a highly debated fiber made from wood through sophisticated processes.
Contemplating its origin as a plant, I envisioned it returning to its botanical form. The concept of creating a silver green color effect by hanging green textile patches against a concrete wall intrigued me, leading to experimentation. In the following semester, I collaborated with a group of textile engineering students. We considered weaving as the optimal method to develop a vertical greening module, initially exploring complex multi-layer weavings. More recently, I returned to slightly simpler weaving structures.
Contemplating its origin as a plant, I envisioned it returning to its botanical form. The concept of creating a silver green color effect by hanging green textile patches against a concrete wall intrigued me, leading to experimentation. In the following semester, I collaborated with a group of textile engineering students. We considered weaving as the optimal method to develop a vertical greening module, initially exploring complex multi-layer weavings. More recently, I returned to slightly simpler weaving structures.
How stakeholders are engaged
Since I have been focusing on the technical development of the textile, I have not yet engaged with stakeholders. This step is beginning now. While I have spoken with some stakeholders to understand their needs, my primary focus has been on making the system itself work. It is incredible to see the abundance of creative implementation ideas that people have.
Global challenges
Climate Change:
Adapting to climate change is imperative. Plantcapes offer a solution by growing a green cover on buildings, cooling cities on a large scale, reducing pollution, and mitigating heat.
Loss of Biodiversity:
Plantcapes can address the loss of biodiversity by planting endangered plants and creating habitats for insects and birds. Implemented on a large scale, they can contribute to rewilding agricultural land and restoring natural habitats for wildlife.
Reconnection:
Plantcapes play a role in bringing people closer to nature by increasing the presence of plants. The textiles serve as spaces for people to meet, learn, eat, stay, and relax. They become hubs for social interaction, fostering conversations and shared plant care.
Food Crisis:
Providing freshly grown edible plants through Plantcapes offers people free access to healthy food. While not a comprehensive solution, it contributes to a positive change in addressing food crises.
Adapting to climate change is imperative. Plantcapes offer a solution by growing a green cover on buildings, cooling cities on a large scale, reducing pollution, and mitigating heat.
Loss of Biodiversity:
Plantcapes can address the loss of biodiversity by planting endangered plants and creating habitats for insects and birds. Implemented on a large scale, they can contribute to rewilding agricultural land and restoring natural habitats for wildlife.
Reconnection:
Plantcapes play a role in bringing people closer to nature by increasing the presence of plants. The textiles serve as spaces for people to meet, learn, eat, stay, and relax. They become hubs for social interaction, fostering conversations and shared plant care.
Food Crisis:
Providing freshly grown edible plants through Plantcapes offers people free access to healthy food. While not a comprehensive solution, it contributes to a positive change in addressing food crises.
Learning transferred to other parties
The concept is highly transferable and straightforward. Due to the textile's flexible production, adaptation for various locations is easily achievable while preserving the core idea. The technology involved is universally accessible, relying on a simple pump system with pumps and water hoses. In subsequent phases, a modular system could be devised, producible in diverse workshops.
Additionally, numerous participatory concepts could be developed, replicable wherever the textile grows. For instance, a dinner party where greens are harvested, with some individuals cleaning dishes afterward and others spreading new seeds on the textile after the meal.
Additionally, numerous participatory concepts could be developed, replicable wherever the textile grows. For instance, a dinner party where greens are harvested, with some individuals cleaning dishes afterward and others spreading new seeds on the textile after the meal.
Keywords
greening the cities
reconnecting people to nature
increase of biodiversity
decrease of extreme heat and concept of sponge city
local food production
