Creative maintenance of a 33 metre high green wall adorning a Sydney apartment building has won Phillip Johnson Landscapes the highest award for commercial landscaping.
The Victorian based company collaborated with French botanist Patrick Blanc on the design and plant selection for the expansive wall on the Fraser Property Group’s TRIO building in Camperdown – creating maintenance systems which set new global benchmarks in the field.
Organised by national body, Landscaping Australia Inc, the Commercial Project Maintenance Award ($250,000+ category) was presented to the company at the award ceremony in Parramatta, NSW on 13 May.
At 33 metres high and five metres wide (across 12 storeys), the green wall comprises 4, 528 native Australian plants from 71 different species, all planted from 50 millimetre tubes which have grown to over 305 times their initial size.
A dedicated 36,000 litre tank collects storm water on site which feeds the bespoke dripper-irrigation system.
As vertical gardens have been criticised for high water, energy and chemical use in the past, Phillip Johnson created systems with vast improvements in these areas, a statement said.
The tank allows the re-use of water and fertilizer. Automatic fertiliser testing and dosing systems have been constructed as well as remote access for the irrigation system.
The company’s maintenance on the TRIO project has involved constant innovation and improvement to ensure maximum efficiencies in water usage, chemicals and energy requirements – creating a new benchmark in the design and maintenance of green walls.
Creative director, Phillip Johnson said: “For me, this is the best award available in our country. It is testament to our constant innovation, on a grand scale, aimed at greening our cities to address climate change. TRIO was our most challenging project to date and we are thrilled to be recognised as leading the way in developing systems that increase the sustainability of green walls.”
