New Zealand’s first six-star green rated building, the Geyser building takes its inspiration from the country’s thermally active geography and is built on sustainable design principles with a very original blend of horticultural innovation and aesthetics. Designed for Samson Corporation in Auckland’s Parnell, this multi- tenanted, mixed use development is the latest in a series of landmark urban courtyard developments designed by Patterson Associates. Each of the sub-buildings is wrapped in a dynamic, semi-reflective white twin walled facade, which opens and closes in order to moderate the tenants’ thermal environment.
Designed by Natural Habitats and Mark Paul of The Greenwall Company, the two-storied exterior hydroponic green wall is a prominent courtyard feature. Planted with 20 NZ native species including several that are rare and endemic, light loving plants were positioned at the top and cool shade species at the bottom. In total there were 2,086 plants used, many which are not typically used in landscaping, including the rare Jovellana sinclairii. Geyer’s Green Wall has an automated system where irrigation from harvested rain water was built into the modular panels, which have a 25 year structural lifespan. Important factors of the building for Natural Habitats were intelligent design, tenant desirability, quality of construction and minimized maintenance programs. Among others, the Geyser Green Wall recently received the Premier Award for ‘Best Commercial Project’ and ‘Best Special Feature’ at the 2014 NZ Landscapes of Distinction Awards.
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Video Rating: / 5
Wouldn't it be nice if Samson Corporation cared about the aesthetics of the public domain in which their beautiful building is set? Check out the street view and you will see that the chic and expensive stone paving ends abruptly at the property line, only to meet brand new black asphalt -creating a seam that runs through the sidewalk like an ugly zipper. Maybe the City of Auckland demands no more than asphalt, but a corporation like that surely knows that the streetscape at their project is the face they present to their city, and a declaration of their disdainful attitude to citizens of Auckland.
Video for the Project of the Week: Geyser Green Wall by Natural Habitats, The Greenwall Company & Patterson Architects | http://youtu.be/J0fuHEfNVCc