Original post „Bauwerksbegrünung in Graz“ by barb, May 9, 2023. Translated by Lisa Scheer in 2023/24.
Riding a bike around the plant façade climbers of the city
In Graz you can find more and more green on the façades and roofs of buildings. Ivy, wild vine, blue vine, clematis and many other plants climb the bare walls. During a bike tour throughout the city on April 27, 2023, organised by Bildungshaus Schloss Retzhof we went on a journey of discovery with DI Bernhard Voura, consultant for green buildings. Each green façade that we discovered on our tour felt like a small oasis. It also aids in spending shade and cooling, can counteract noise and dust and offers a higher quality of life for the inhabitants of the building and those surrounding it.
The beautiful part about façade greening? It changes during the different seasons. From bare branches in winter, ranging to freshly green leaves and blossoms in spring and summer, to colourful foliage in autumn – plants on a façade offer a beautiful view with positive effects on the environment and our mindset.
Building greening at Smart City
We started at the former Green Lab, where we got an overview over different kinds of greenery, such as wall-bound, trough-bound or ground-bound planting. The appropriate fixtures and plants depend on the orientation of a building and the financial resources available. Greening can also serve as a natural sunscreen for a building.
At Smart City, we can see how different property developers went about the shared decision to green the walls of the building complex. At one spot, a climbing scaffold helps plants to find a way up the smooth concrete walls. At a different spot, only wild wine can climb up the building in a crack due to no scaffolding. We will see, if and how the young plants will grow around the building.
Successful façade greening
Next, we had a look at a couple of successful attempts of green buildings. The magnificent façade of „Hotel Daniel„, offers a nesting spot for lots of birds in the thicket of the wild wine and ivy.
Halfway up Annenstraße, we looked at the Uniqua-Building which is equipped with troughs, a climbing scaffold and tree troughs. The green coat of the building already sticks out through the concrete walls at the beginning of spring. The big trees in the middle of the wall are particularly impressive. So that greening buildings works, technical details such as frost-save irrigation pipes, a control for timed irrigation and nutrient application and moisture sensors are important.
We continued to Nikolaiplatz, where modular greening panels with 1500 different herbs and plants adorn the entrances to the underground garages.
In Schießstattgasse we can see a beautiful example of successful building greening, which gives the building a unique character.
New projects for more greenery
Arriving next to Mur, we looked at the scaffolding frames along the bike trail. They are not particularly noticeable in the middle of the general green. This could be an incitive to look out for scaffolding frames along walls. Different plants have already started to create a natural mural on 900m2.
Opposite Stadthalle there are also efforts to have plants grow particularly high up on the insurance building. The scaffolding frame is ready for all plants that love climbing.
Interplay of architecture and nature
A particularly impressive example for green buildings was at the end of our tour. The building of TU Inffeldgasse 10 already had façade greening integrated when it was planned. The climbing plants are now an architectural masterpiece of nature themselves. Their rooting in the soil has already reached the circumference of a tree trunk.
At the end we could also see the building of the Grazer Landesberufsschule (vocational school of Graz). Modern architecture meets plants here as well.
Do you want your own green façade now?
- At the Competence Centre for Building Greening GRÜNSTATTGRAU there are appointments for initial consultations for existing buildings or new buildings, green roofs or façades.
- The environmental department also offers initial consultations for „green roofs and façades“. You can make an appointment at +43 316 872-4311.
- At the previous GreenLab and the current Stadtteilmanagement vor.Ort (on-site district management) you can get practical advice for green façades.
- There is also funding of the city of Graz
At the end our tour, we all wanted to walk through the city with open eyes when it comes to green façades. We also wish for more green on concrete walls and on roofs in all cities.
Which green façades and roofs have you already discovered in Graz or other areas?
Further posts:
- Von Stadtbäumen und Blühwiesen
- Förderungen einer urbanen Begrünung
- European Award for ecological Gardening
- Der Baumnavigator
- Petition – Rettet die Platanen in Graz vor der Uni
Fotos: ©b_hudin_nachhaltig_in_graz
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