Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Spring 2018 - 24

The 10-foot high green wall totals 4,740 square feet, and
is divided into three sections. The north section is 251 feet
long, the south section is 179 feet long, and the west section
is 44 feet in length. The LiveWall system's modular planters,
which are high-impact, UV-resistant, architectural quality
moldings, were manufactured in a custom brown color to
harmonize with the building's exterior. Based on an analysis of
the anticipated patterns of sun and shade on the different sides
of the building, a customized plant selection was developed
for each section from a palette of seven different perennials.
In total, the green wall contains more than 5,000 plants.
The City of Chicago traditionally has been skeptical about
outdoor green walls and reluctant to approve them. Many
green wall systems confine plants to small pockets or pouches
with limited amounts of growing medium. In Chicago's hot
summers, they dry out quickly, increasing the need for irrigation, which local city officials consider a waste of water.
In contrast, LiveWall grows and sustains plants in modular planter boxes engineered to provide significant growing
medium. With more growing medium, LiveWall retains
more water, reducing irrigation requirements.
LiveWall installations start with attaching its vertical furring tracks on the building wall. They provide a framework
for fastening the other components that form the system.
They also establish air space between the wall and the system
for ventilation. Horizontal aluminum rails, with conduits
that bring water to each planter box, are affixed to the tracks.
The molded modular planter boxes then slide into place
along a slot in the rails. Finally, separate liner inserts, reusable plant containers with growing medium and pre-grown
nursery plants, drop into the planter boxes. For outdoor
installations, the system uses precisely metered spray nozzles
for irrigation to water plants much like natural rain.
The Whole Foods green wall is combined with an underground system that captures and stores stormwater from the
rooftop. Water flows from the roof drains down into three
Vortex filters, and the clean water is then gravity fed into a
cistern and used to irrigate the green wall. This innovative
solution enabled the project to meet the city's stormwater
management requirements and add the green wall.
"The neighborhood got a beautiful vertical landscape," said
Michael Berkshire, green projects administrator for the City of
Chicago. "And it uses rainwater, not city water, for irrigation."
This green wall provides an exceptional amenity for the
building and the neighborhood while conserving potable
water. Facing three directions, it will yield valuable information about plant adaptability and survivability in the Chicago
climate for years to come.
Amber Ponce, GRP is on the editorial board of the Living Architecture Monitor and Business Development Manager for LiveRoof and
LiveWall. David Aquilina, Strategic Storyteller, is a communications
consultant and freelance writer.
For more information see the youtube video at: https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=8OfYrFxIuM&feature=youtu.be
LIVING ARCHITECTURE MONITOR / SPRING 2018 / 24

"THE NEIGHBORHOOD GOT
A BEAUTIFUL VERTICAL
LANDSCAPE, AND IT USES
RAINWATER, NOT CITY
WATER, FOR IRRIGATION."
- MICHAEL BERKSHIRE

PROJECT SUMMARY OUTLINE
NAME OF OWNER: Novak Construction Company
NAME OF PROJECT: Lakeview Whole Foods Market
INSTALLATION DATE: March 2017
NUMBER OF PLANT VARIETIES: 7
NUMBER OF PLANTS: 5,130
PLANT PALETTE: Perennials
SIZE IN SQ FT: 4,740
DIMENSIONS: Three sections North, South and West...

North: 251' x 10', South: 179' x 10', West: 44' x 10'
SLOPE IN DEGREES: Zero
WALL ORIENTATION: North, South, and West
LIGHTING: Outdoor Natural Light
PARTICIPANTS OF RECORD:

* OWNER, DEVELOPER, GENERAL CONTRACTOR:
Novak Construction Company
* TENNANT: Whole Foods Market
* ARCHITECT: Gensler
* GREEN WALL MANUFACTURER: LiveWall
* PLANT SUPPLIER: LiveWall
* INSTALLER: Classic Landscape, LTD
* MAINTENANCE: Intrinsic Landscaping

LIVINGARCHITECTUREMONITOR.COM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OfYrFxIuM&feature=youtu.be http://www.LIVINGARCHITECTUREMONITOR.COM

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Green Roofs - Living Architecture Monitor - Spring 2018