For this remarkable award-winning hotel called The Beacon in Mongkok, a hyper-dense neighbourhood in downtown Hong Kong, China a stunning SemperGreenwall Outdoor was installed, inspired by home gardens which people create on their balconies, to offer more greenery at the pedestrian level. The green façade is a feast for the eye in the otherwise gray urban area.
Living wall offers a breath of fresh air in the polluted city
Air pollution in Hong Kong is considered a serious problem. For 30 percent of the year visibility is less than 8 kilometres. This also has serious health implications; air pollution can exacerbate asthma, impair lung function and raise the risk of cardio-respiratory death. By installing a living green wall in urban areas, a contribution is made to cleaner air. The plants in the green wall filter particulate matter from the air and convert CO2 in oxygen.
Green wall part of contemporary interpretation of traditional architecture
When designing The Beacon Hotel, architect Aedas drew inspirations from Hong Kong’s post-war structures, setting an excellent example of contemporary interpretation of traditional architecture. In the early post-war years, it was common to create illegal iron balconies for residential units in Mongkok to maximise view and area. The building reinterprets these structures in a modern way – the irregular protrusions create unobstructed views for each unit. The groundbreaking design has not gone unnoticed. The project and the architect have received no less than 17 design awards.
Picture courtesy of Aedas en Sempergreen.