Green façade, Putney

- Green façade
- Living wall
Climbers trained to a bespoke stainless-steel bar-and-wire-rope trellis to cover a 400m2 wall on luxury residence in Putney, West London. We revisit to admire the…
Green facades or climber wall is traditional way to turn a wall into a living wall, by growing vigorous climbers, trained trees and shrubs up a trellis. This tried-and-tested method has been in use all over the world for centuries – if not millennia.
The major innovation is the use of stainless-steel bar-and-wire-rope system rather than the wooden trellis used by our forebears, this enables us to cover vast and unsightly façades with climbers, benefiting both the building and the environment.
The hanging wall or hanging garden also has an ancient pedigree. This method takes a top-down approach to living walls by allowing plants to cascade down a wall from planters at the top.
Stainless-steel bar-and-wire-rope systems enable us to quickly turn an austere edifice into an aesthetically pleasing and environmentally friendly living wall of climbers, shrubs or trained trees.
This isn’t just about looks: green façades can help reduce buildings heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer, saving on energy costs; and protect the wall from extreme weather and ultraviolet light.
See: the Living wall FAQ for more benefits of green façades. Read a case study.
It is a fact of life that office blocks, shopping centres, distribution centres and car parks have to be built.
Living walls mitigate the visual and environmental impact of commercial developments. They mask eyesores, while helping to reduce noise, water and air pollution and reducing the Urban Heat Island Effect.
Pritchard & Pritchard is the UK’s leading installer of Jakob stainless-steel bar-and-wire-rope trellis and stainless-steel fencing systems, supplied through our partners MMA Architectural Systems.
See: the Living wall FAQ for more benefits of green façades.
The hanging wall takes a top down approach to living walls.
Trailing plants (including climbers such as ivy, Trachelospermum, Virginia creeper) are planted in planters at the top of a wall or affixed to a wall (e.g. window box or balcony), and allowed to dangle down the wall.
As with any planters, hanging walls require an irrigation system and a maintenance program.
See the case study.
Both local authorities – including the Mayor of London – encourage developers to include living walls (green facades) for the positive environmental impact on:
Using native plants helps earn BREEAM credits and living walls can be included in the ‘Enhancing site ecology’ assessment where there is a maintenance contract. Now also featured in Biodiversity Net Gain guidance living walls can play a valuable role in replacing biodiversity lost during development and construction.
See: The Living wall FAQ for more benefits of green façades.
Green facades and hanging walls require considerably less maintenance than modular green walls, but a maintenance package is recommended.
Maintenance requirements include: irrigation; fertilizing; weeding; pruning; replacement planting or seeding; checking irrigation and drainage systems and pest control.
See: Green wall maintenance for more information.
All your green facades questions answered by the living wall gurus:
Consult our essential FAQ.
Climbers trained to a bespoke stainless-steel bar-and-wire-rope trellis to cover a 400m2 wall on luxury residence in Putney, West London. We revisit to admire the…
The UK’s largest designer outlet, receives a green makeover with a 400m2 living wall, fed by a 650-litre irrigation system. Full construction, install, planting and…
The hanging wall allows climbers in planters to cascade down a 25m high façade on a new commercial development in Brighton.