Living wall installed at The Zone @ Rosebank

At 90m², the wall is the largest installation of its kind in Africa. The key architectural piece completes the concept of a seamless flow from indoors to outdoors within the ‘high street shopping’ ambience for which The Zone @ Rosebank is synonymous.

With space at a premium in our urban landscapes and open public gardens a luxury, creating a living wall is an excellent way to bring nature into the concrete jungle. “Living walls enable us to reclaim our natural surroundings and restore balance between humans and nature,” said Soné Verster, landscape architect of Organic Space, creator of the living wall.

“Not all plants thrive in a wall environment and we had to consider this when designing the feature,” said Verster. Over 30 plant species were used, including indigenous varieties such as the spider plant, Chlorophytum comosum. A felt pocket system was created to accommodate the soil, allowing for root growth and providing the required nutrients to the plants.

Water feature

The cleverly integrated water feature forms part of the circulation system that irrigates the plants. “The water feature lends sound, texture and movement, and we’ve even seen the arrival of birds to the living wall,” said Wesley Scott, marketing manager of The Zone @ Rosebank. “It also adds greatly to the ambience of the space where customers will be enjoying the outdoor seating in front of some of their favourite restaurants.”

While the living wall has abundant aesthetic features, it’s also of practical use. The plants filter the air and help get rid of the emissions from passing cars. “We wanted to help neutralise some of the harmful effects of the city life,” said Anton Bieber, portfolio manager for The Rosebank Node of Old Mutual Property. “And by introducing the living wall we were able to just that”. The living wall also creates a perfect backdrop to the bustling atmosphere and has integrated The Zone Boulevard and The Zone @ Rosebank with this beautiful living installation, further complimenting all aspects that The Zone@ Rosebank is renowned for.