Urban Greenery

Plants play an essential role in human life from creating a breathable atmosphere to providing therapeutic environments to live and work in.  With the ever increasing awareness of climate change and the impact human life is having on the Earth it is clear that plants are an invaluable tool in reducing our impact on the Earth’s climate.

For those that live and/or work in a city they will know of the towering structures that make up the city and the atmosphere that comes with building after building after building.  Not only does it make the architecture of the buildings more important but it means that any greenery within the mass of buildings is very much appreciated.  This is even more so for people living within cities.


A Sensory Experience

From working in Manchester in a typical office block with no windows the outside world becomes ever more desired.  Luckily being suited near Piccadilly Gardens is a life line in the form of greenery and a sensory experience for all five senses:

• Sight – the open space when compared to its surroundings seems to attract light making an airy space and a must-be space for those making the most of the weekday sunshine
• Smell – the traffic fumes of the city are overpowered by the humidity from the water feature and fragrance of flowers
• Sound – the sound of traffic is replaced by that of water with background noise being somewhat dimmed by the absorbing soft landscaping
• Taste – the water features infuse the dense dry air with moisture which can be noticed straightway
• Touch – the soft subtle tones of the soft landscaping provides a welcoming alternative seat to the commercial benches. 


The developers’ dilemma

Walking through cities like Manchester you notice that there is a lack of green spaces and you soon come to forget what they look like after the expansive mass of buildings.  It is here that the buildings need to express themselves as individuals and ‘off the shelf’ commercial architecture becomes lost.  What will also make or break a building/development in my opinion is its connection with nature which is very rarely addressed within cities.  It is sad to say but with private ownership of cities it is up to the individual developers to create green spaces within their land.  Obviously this is at a cost to developer with very little return on the green space created; however, the developer must see past this and look at what that they will create.  A developed area infused with flora and fauna is worth more per metre squared and is more desired that places which neglect flora.

A new small scale office development in the city centre had taken the gamble of integrating a courtyard into the middle of the development.  This courtyard complimented the style of the development in every way whilst increasing the marketability of the development.  The courtyard is more than just an outside space as it extends the useable office space to outside providing space for promotional events, enjoying the sunshine or even just a beautiful sight for the eye when working away inside.  Amazingly it does even more: it builds a community between the offices in the development. This development sets a pinnacle of city centre design providing a contemporary practical solution.   One question, does it work?  Three weeks after completion eighty percent of the offices have been filled.

Greenery in the work place

There is a lot of stress created within any working environment and it is being more appreciated that the space in which people work greatly affects their productivity and their desire and devotion to work.  Such a simple commodity as windows in offices increases productivity, partly this is due to the composition of daylight, but also due to the connection that it creates with nature and the outdoors.  The use of indoor plants has been proven to improve psychological attitudes at work and this is obvious by the use of plastic plants; however, I believe this atmosphere cannot be fully fabricated fake with plastic plants.   Plants also have the power of turning a dull workspace into one of interest with their every changing form and connection to the outdoors.


Living with urban greenery

Typical accommodation for city centres is the economical high-rise development which knowingly negates the outdoor space for a garden.  However all is not lost, those who have balconies need to maximise their potential – this doesn’t mean filling every inch with plant pots- rather making the most of the space to suit the individual.  This can be something as simple as a hanging basket with a fresh supply of seasonal salad or a seasonal planter to bring some colour to the drab city landscape.

Outside is not the only place to create your own paradise of flora, inside works just as well whether it is a potted plant on the coffee table or a window sill of tomato plants – all that is needed is a bit of inspirations and of course the regular watering session.  Window sill herbs are an ideal choice for those that enjoy cooking not only saving on food miles but also on the shopping bill.

The advantages of street greenery

An area within cities which vastly benefits from urban greenery is roads and streets.  They work for both residential and commercial roads/streets and it has been proven to add numerous advantages which include:

• A connection with nature aiding to turn the concrete jungles into something more natural and peaceful improving the health and well being of local people
• Trees and greenery separate the road from the pavements and buildings on the road, not only is this safer but it also increases the value of the houses due to the aesthetical advantages as well as the audio ones.
• Greenery reduces rainwater runoff decreasing the high demand placed on drainage within urban areas as well as helping the environment
• Trees provide improved air quality as they can absorb and filter harmful gases at their source creating a more pleasant and natural atmosphere
• Localised weather conditions are vastly improved providing the much needed shelter from the elements for pedestrians keeping you dry from the rain, and on the chance of a sunny day, cool.  Not only do trees providing cooling for pedestrians but also for the dwelling within the vicinity.

The use of trees and greenery within urban areas needs to be well planned as we all know of the typical problems with ill-considered tree planted pavements.  A well designed pavement can allow for the growth of a tree and movement of roots can adapt rather than cracking, becoming unsightly and unsafe.  Retrofitting greenery into urban spaces is not an easy task, although very beneficial, therefore greenery should be introduced early on in the design process of any urban area and not added in as an afterthought or a requirement of planning.

The experience of greenery within urban landscapes is one that is sadly a rarity within many large cities however incorporating greenery into cities creates a haven for work and life.

 Lewis Williams (June 2010)