Living Wall with Integrated Light

A Living Wall used in a Dinning area on top of a roof in Manhattan.

Here a light is running through the Living Wall adding another dimension to the Wall in the evening hours. Once again, a small outdoor space uses its wall for the greenery allowing for the whole space to be used for entertaining without sacrificing planting within the tight space.

Living Wall on Upper West Side

A backyard of a brownstone is a perfect place to add a Living Wall. Greenery can be added to the space so that less area for entertaining is taken up with plantings. A recirculating fountain and a contemporary arch out of an Eco-resin are added continuing the classical clean lines of the design.

Green Roof On the East Side-Instant Green

This is what the Green Roof looked like hours after it was installed using GLT pre-grown vegetated mats. Another Mingo makeover completed.

Mingo Design, LLC was hired to turn this small roof top area of a brownstone in to a Green Roof oasis. This is what the space looked like before the transformation.

Mingo Design LLC Gets in Dwell Again

The Zizmore West Side garden gets in Dwell again..............

PNC Living Wall in Pittsburg

Have you ever wondered how the soil doesn't come out of the holes on the Living Wall and fall all over the place?

It is because the plants are grown horizontally for a few months to allow for the roots to migrate and thus hold the soil in place when they go extremely vertical.



The latest Living Wall designed by Kari Elwell Katzander.
" PNC really allowed me be very creative with the design of this wall. Inspirations from Verner Panton,Joan Miro and Alexander Calder were taken and used through my design process. Painting with living plants is a challenge met with great respect for the plant material used to grow vertically." The Living Wall system used in this design is made by Green Living Technologies. It was installed by GLT and Philly Green Wall and Roof. The plants were planted and grown by Plant Connection. It is currently one of the largest soil based Living Walls in North America.

A Green Roof and Green Wall Together

A perfect combination for a city landscape where small spaces are the norm.

Living Wall in Tribecca Up

Looking good in Tribecca!

Living Wall in Tribecca Going Up

Getting ready to deliver the panels and hang them on the wall!

Philadelphia Go Green Expo is Here!

Go Green Expo
PA Convention Center
March 13th - 15th, 2009

Kari, a designer and consultant for Green Living Technologies has designed a show booth exhibiting how creative works of art can be couple with the more "traditional" living wall. Here, a 3-Form (eco resin, -a co-polyester recycled content product) and Ipe (a Brazilian hard wood also called Iron Wood) inset has been added to a wall of assorted perenials. The design has the 3-Form lit from above and below turning the wall into a nighttime, glowing work of art.

See Kari's Living Wall design for GLT on MSNBC




If you missed the Go Green Expo in LA and PA Stay tuned...

The Go Green Expo, the nation's premiere eco-friendly trade show is coming to New York City at the Hilton on April 17th - 19th, 2009.

Please come and visit the Green Living Technology booth and see more innovative Living Walls designed by Kari. See you there!

Go Green Expo, Jan 23rd-25th 2009

Mingo Design's Kari Elwell Katzander speaks about advantages of Living Walls at the Los Angeles Go Green Expo. The depicted wall is self contained and has an integrated watering system. A small living wall system such as this is a great solution for small gardening spaces. For those of you who want to grow your vegetables vertically, look out...this is a perfect solution!

The Living Wall is in place, more updates to come on the finished project...

Planting a Wall

Mingo Grows Vertical

Mingo Design is in the process of transforming another Harlem backyard into a usable outdoor room. It has incorporated growing vertically through the use of Green Living Technologies living wall system. This project is currently under way, please check back with our blog for an update of the finished project.

Before

Under Construction

Mingo Design, LLC, a female owned and operated company, continues to spread the knowledge of Green Roof technology in Manhattan. Kari Elwell Katzander, owner and principle designer, was brought in as a consultant on an existing designed residential Green Roof project to review and collaborate on it prior to its installation. Careful attention was paid to thinking about long term maintenance issues well after the "fun" part of planting. Details, such as the height and gauge of the edging, the right plant for the right space, as well as bringing in the Green Roof system from Green Living Technologies were reviewed. Stay tuned for more information on this project and to see a fabulous after-shot of a Green Roof as this is going in before the snow flies.....now!

Here is a Before pic




Also another note from Kari...

I think of Manhattan rooftops as underdeveloped real-estate. Building owners need not look any further for purchasing more space, but rather to reinvent the outdoor space that they already own. This space could be created for the people of the building to enjoy, thus increasing the resale value and assisting in overall cooling and heating costs, all the while helping the environment....who would have thought all of these ugly rooftops would be , in the end, the possible solution to the Manhattan's environmental issues.....reducing energy consumption and storm water run off to name a few key issues. Helping the environment will only go so far with most discerning of New Yorkers. If the space does not look great of have the amenities that they want, it will not fly. I try to bring these new methods of landscaping to an urban jungle and create a coexistence between traditional rooftop/terrace gardening and the cutting edge Green Roof and Living Walls that are being written about. There is ample rooftop space for a dining area, and outdoor kitchen, a play area for children, as well as a Green Roof.

Mingo Design in dwell Magazine March 2008

Check out the original article Pretty Super at Dwell.com

"new outdoor space transformed"
-Michael Canell


"Working with Kari Elwell Katzander of Mingo Design, a landscape designer specializing in pocket-sized city gardens, the Zizmors built a perforated green wall with English ivy the climbs wire mesh and hanging boxes sprouting with herbs and spider plants."

- Michael Canell

Mingo Design in Dwell Magazine
September 2007

Green Roofs Offer More Than Color for the Skyline - NYTimes.com

Green Roofs Offer More Than Color for the Skyline - NYTimes.com

I was quoted in this recent NY Times article. I am very excited about my discussion with Ken Belson, writer for the New York Times in regards to the recent Greening of Manhattan. Green roofs are now more in the media and political spotlight based on the recent passage of Local Law 5 of 2008 and the green roof tax abatement. Local Law 5 requires the City to adopt a stormwater management plan by the end of the calendar year. The green roof tax abatement, also known as SO7553, passed the State Assembly and Senate in June 2008. This may not sound very exciting, but the bottom line of giving $4.50 per square foot if 50% of your rooftop is covered by a Green Roof is a major step forward for NYC, bringing us in line with such cities as Chicago.

Kari Katzander

Dwell Magazine- September Issue

Mingo Design can now proudly say..

"You can see us in Dwell Magazine."

The Gamble House one of Mingo Designs Harlem gems is featured in the architecture section in the September Issue of Dwell Magazine. Telling the tale of how we transformed what essentially was a dumping ground of rubble and broken glass into an Oasis on 136th Street.

"Landscape Architects imagine exterior spaces that talk to, describe, and compliment what they surround."

"A serpentine path of stones edged with cedar stakes creates the illusion of depth in a constricted Manhattan backyard. The narrow space now has theaters of activity to help the residents forget the city"

-Michael Cannell (the writer of the article)