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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
The Living Wall is in place, more updates to come on the finished project...
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
Friday, October 24, 2008
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.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
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."
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.