How to build a vertical garden in Poland.
“How to do it?” is a phrase increasingly heard by the Architect. In all possible situations and contexts. This phrasing is, however, far more positive in tone than “Why?”.
The first encounter I remember with that question took place during the realisation of the PGE headquarters in Bełchatów. For this facility, which had a heightened security standard, we decided, instead of a fence, to provide a body of water. It was to be a barrier, a decorative element, and to help create a recreational space for the building’s users. We were looking for a way for the water in the reservoir to be as free of chemical agents as possible. After long analyses, we found a technology enabling us to obtain parameters close to those of a natural lake. And it was precisely while discussing publication possibilities that an editor of one of the opinion-forming mass media in the field of “design” asked the question, “And what is this lake for?”. If we are thinking about crossing barriers or introducing new solutions, we must get used to the question “How to do it?”. And learn to grow fond of the question “why?”.
The question of how to realise a vertical garden in the conditions of Poland’s temperate climate appeared very early. Already after a lecture about our design for the FNP headquarters in Warsaw. That lecture took place in the proverbial “lion’s den”, that is, in the auditorium of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW). A university known for educating landscape architects and specialists in botany. Our talk preceded a presentation by one of the pioneers of vertical gardens, someone who creates such projects all over the world. It was precisely this kind of work abroad that was a direct inspiration for our competition project for the FNP headquarters in Warsaw. The first choice was to transfer the solutions used in those projects. Using them, as conversations with specialists made us realise, would lead to the necessity of replanting the vegetation for the entire facade every year. As an alternative, climbing plants were proposed to us. Towards the end of our visit to the SGGW, we met a Polish enthusiast of vertical gardens. And it was precisely after a conversation with him that, together, we set about creating a Polish vertical garden. After several months of work, we managed to solve most of the problems. In the end, however, using the Polish wall turned out to be impossible. One of the reasons was its weight, which ruled out the idea of fixing the garden directly to the building’s structure. Using an independent structure was impossible owing to the cost and to the restrictions on the building’s footprint, regulated by the planning conditions. Other procedural considerations also turned out to be significant, ruling out the possibility of using the Polish solution. When it already seemed that the building’s facades would have to be redesigned, we came across a functioning alternative system. Promising, particularly in the context of protecting plant roots from temperature changes, including frost. During the technical dialogue with the supplier, it turned out that he did not have systemic irrigation solutions for walls with openings. In the case of the FNP building this was a key issue. According to the design, the vertical garden covered walls with windows that brought daylight into the building’s interior. The specialist designers we asked for help refused to cooperate, claiming that the problem was difficult and burdened with great risk.
Having no one to turn to, we decided to design the irrigation and water-collection system ourselves. After many analyses, we prepared schemes and sets of details. Reckoning with the fact that the whole system, and thus the idea of the vertical garden, might be rejected at the final straight. We breathed a sigh of relief when it turned out that the system was directed to realisation and was interesting enough that a Dutch partner bought the complete set of details from us. Finally, it is worth adding that, owing to the experimental character of the solution, the agreement with the Investor obliged us to redesign the facade free of charge, in the event that the vertical garden did not meet expectations in aesthetic and operational terms.
