Bogota’s Edificio Santalaia Among World’s Largest Vertical Gardens

Bogota’s Edificio Santalaia Among World’s Largest Vertical Gardens If you’re a fan of vertical gardens, you’ll love Edificio Santalaia, an upmarket residential building in the densely populated Colombian capital, Bogotá. Situated alongside embassies in the heart of the Rosales neighbourhood, affording it stunning views of the hills to the east, Santalaia’s facade hosts 85,000 plants, making it one of the world’s largest vertical gardens. Kurt from WebUrbanist wrote that the “extensive living facade system” represented “growth in the right direction, away from unrealistic tree-covered skyscrapers toward more sustainable and useful vertical greenery.” The verdant living system, which was developed by Ignacio Solano of Paisajismo Urbano and installed by Groncol, covers 33 square metres of the 11 storey building and is able to supply the annual oxygen needs of 3,000 people while filtering out heavy metals and other toxins. Oddity Central writes that the “stunning vertical garden was completed in December 2015, after eight months of planning, and another eight months of hard work. Today, it is often referred to as “the green heart of Bogota”, and acts both as an icon of sustainability, as well as a reminder of the important role that plants play in our daily lives.” It certainly looks cool, but vertical gardens are complex and require careful planning and execution in order to be effective. Drawing a distinction between “intensive” and “extensive” greenery, WebUrbanist suggests that Edificio Santalaia’s design may serve its residents well. “The recent trend of putting trees onto tall towers is problematic from engineering and ecological standpoints,” says the website. “‘Intensive'” greenery requires thicker layers of soil and more complex systems for watering, maintenance and structural support. ‘Extensive’ greenery, by contrast, provides many of the same benefits with lower cost and less wasted energy.”