G-O2® Living Wall Revealed at WTC Liberty Park
Plant Connection, Inc. is extremely proud to announce that their patented G-O2® Living Wall System was revealed at the opening of the World Trade Center’s Liberty Park on June 29, 2016.
Credit: Santiago Calatrava
This notable accomplishment comes after 3 years of intensive planning, designing, engineering, and coordinating with a multidisciplinary team of architects, landscape architects, designers, horticulturists, engineers, and contractors. Collectively, they have transformed the site that was once the Deutsche Bank building into a meaningful and memorable space where life and greenery symbolize the rebirth of Lower Manhattan – while always remembering the past.
Credit: Port Authority of NY & NJ and Tribeca Trib
The World Trade Center’s Liberty Park is an elevated, one-acre linear park (inspired by the nearby iconic High Line), built on top of a vehicular security-screening center, and overlooks the original footprints of the World Trade Center, now the National September 11th Memorial. Designed for the Port Authority by landscape architect, Joseph E. Brown, the park features many trees, shrubs, perennials and unique seating that provides a place for visitors to reflect, relax, and recharge amidst the bustling city.
Credit: Port Authority of NY & NJ
Credit: Port Authority of NY & NJ
One of the park’s most striking features is the multihued 25 feet high and 336 feet long G-O2® Living Wall by Plant Connection that transforms the prosaic walls and garage entrances leading to the network of underground roadways and loading docks. The living wall plantings were designed in a staggered, horizontal grid to complement the 9/11 Memorial. The broad bands of color also help soften the scale and façade of the building along Liberty Street.
Credit: Plant Connection, Inc.
The living wall is home to over 20,000 evergreen groundcovers and flowering perennials (Baltic Ivy, Common Periwinkle, Coral Bells, Japanese Spurge, and Wintercreeper) that provide year-round visual interest of color and texture, while thriving vertically in the partially shaded environment. The plants are housed in 845 stainless steel patented G-O2® Living Wall panels. An extensive 18-zone drip irrigation provides water for the living wall, while a built-in monitoring system ensures the living wall’s health. Custom stainless steel catch basins hang under the living wall panels to capture any residual water.
Credit: Plant Connection, Inc.
The Liberty Park G-O2® Living Wall, like all of Plant Connection’s G-O2® Living Walls, was pre-grown before it was installed, ensuring that the roots anchored into the panels and media before hanging vertically. Beginning in 2015, the planted panels were grown at Plant Connection’s nursery in Riverhead, NY, where they were monitored and maintained by horticulturists in an optimum greenhouse growing environment.
Credit: Plant Connection, Inc.
Plant Connection has designed, manufactured, and grown over 21,000 square feet of G-O2® Living Walls in North America, ranging from public parks, corporate offices, schools, restaurants, hospitals, and even treehouses! Throughout all of these different projects, Plant Connection has observed how green walls continuously make people feel better when they are in the presence of such forms of “living architecture.”
Credit: Plant Connection, Inc.
There is something about being around plants that makes people automatically feel better. It is a concept called Biophilia – humans are naturally drawn to parks and greenery. Plants are an important part of our life here on Earth and innately help reduce stress, improve health, and purify the air. When you can incorporate plants in a place where you wouldn’t expect them, people are always fascinated, happy, and uplifted.
Credit: Plant Connection, Inc.
As one retired 9/11 NYPD officer expressed after seeing the living wall coverage:
“Thank you, Melissa, for your hard work, on behalf of our fallen brothers and sisters. It is nice to see that people haven't forgotten. I would love to see this before I pass. Unfortunately, the pain is still too great to go there. You are bringing such beauty to this solemn place. Again, thank you. Your work is very much appreciated.”
Credit: Plant Connection, Inc.
Liberty’s Park G-O2® Living Wall offers a touch of Earth amid a concrete jungle – and what better place to provide a piece of serenity and enhance the environment. The G-O2® Living Wall at Liberty Park pushes aside boundaries and invites people to come together from all walks of life to simply breathe fresh air and enjoy the newfound beauty. A living green wall grows in Lower Manhattan and the resiliency of New Yorkers continues…
Credit: Santiago Calatrava
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