OutsideIn
Quick Facts
Location: Home, Christchurch NZ
Total Plants: 72
Timeline:
- Date of consultation: February 2024
- Start date of installation: 3 April 2024
- Completion date of installation: 5 April 2024
Design
Home NZ is a full-service construction and development company specialising in community and affordable housing. For its new head office in Christchurch, in the South Island of New Zealand, this client had a vision of weaving nature into the space. They were impressed by our previous work and knew we would collaborate with them to develop an inspiring plantscape.
Working closely with the client, we took this broad brief and developed a design response that complemented the building’s form, injected points of interest into the interior through statement greenery and achieved a highly memorable aesthetic inspired by Home’s construction background.
We created bespoke greenery features that also reference the building’s materials of steel and timber. The first custom element is a moss feature wall. Three types of preserved moss (reindeer, flat and pole) are layered around timber battens. This textured work of art creates a key focal point in the workplace.
The second sees Home’s logo – a simple house shape – crafted entirely of reindeer moss to bring character to the stairwell. Visible inside the building through a central window, it provides an eye-catching green artwork.
In the boardroom, we produced a third bespoke work – a custom suspended moss panel fabricated from black powder-coated aluminium. Inset with recessed LED lighting, it responded to the client’s need to add functional lighting above the boardroom table. Spanning approximately 4.5 metres long, the panel incorporates the three types of moss.
Alongside the moss feature wall, two rows of suspended planters make use of the lofty ceiling height and bring warmth to the timber ceiling panels. We are training the plants to grow across the space as a living green canopy.
Throughout the two-storey building, free-standing planters add points of interest that complement the interior décor. A planted trough on the upper level adds privacy to define a collaboration area.
Installation
Home NZ is a full-service construction and development company specialising in community and affordable housing. For its new head office in Christchurch, in the South Island of New Zealand, this client had a vision of weaving nature into the space. They were impressed by our previous work and knew we would collaborate with them to develop an inspiring plantscape.
Working closely with the client, we took this broad brief and developed a design response that complemented the building’s form, injected points of interest into the interior through statement greenery and achieved a highly memorable aesthetic inspired by Home’s construction background.
We created bespoke greenery features that also reference the building’s materials of steel and timber. The first custom element is a moss feature wall. Three types of preserved moss (reindeer, flat and pole) are layered around timber battens. This textured work of art creates a key focal point in the workplace.
The second sees Home’s logo – a simple house shape – crafted entirely of reindeer moss to bring character to the stairwell. Visible inside the building through a central window, it provides an eye-catching green artwork.
In the boardroom, we produced a third bespoke work – a custom suspended moss panel fabricated from black powder-coated aluminium. Inset with recessed LED lighting, it responded to the client’s need to add functional lighting above the boardroom table. Spanning approximately 4.5 metres long, the panel incorporates the three types of moss.
Alongside the moss feature wall, two rows of suspended planters make use of the lofty ceiling height and bring warmth to the timber ceiling panels. We are training the plants to grow across the space as a living green canopy.
Throughout the two-storey building, free-standing planters add points of interest that complement the interior décor. A planted trough on the upper level adds privacy to define a collaboration area.
Innovation
Our material selection references the client’s construction background. Design elements also highlight their team’s construction craftmanship.
Bringing the moss wall to life required a close collaboration with the client and saw their team cut the timber battens to our prescribed shape. The moss was applied by hand by our moss artisan. The wall was crafted in several sections to allow for easy install.
We applied the final moss detailing in-situ to ensure a seamless appearance. The sculptural sweeping form in the moss offers a subtle abstract reference to the part of the South Island where Christchurch is located.
The moss logo’s placement in the stairwell echoes the shape of the building’s arched ceiling, which is reflected in the logo-adorned window. This creates a sense of harmony and proportion.
The suspended moss panel in the boardroom was fabricated in two pieces, with imperceptible joins. We inserted the preserved ferns by hand. Along with adding extra texture and interest, these reference the client’s New Zealand origins – where the silver fern is a national symbol.
Our materials are in keeping with the industrial-inspired interior which features brick accents, along with black steel beams and detailing. Our custom elements were constructed from black powder-coated aluminium, while planters are made from glass reinforced concrete.
Feature planters in the painted Corten finish deliver the desired look, while avoiding the risk of rust and staining, which comes from an authentic steel option.
The plantscaping imbues this space with character, creating an inviting ‘home’ for those who work for Home.
Maintenance
A comprehensive maintenance programme, and meticulous quality standards, ensures that our plants thrive. Our interior horticultural technicians are specially trained to maintain plant health – developing individual watering plans and pruning for each specimen. This commitment to care naturally minimises the need for pest control and plant replacements.
The plants are all potted into individual pots – ensuring healthy growth at least 10 years. Each plant is first soil tested and then hand-watered during our visits. We choose to double pot our plants. This allows water to escape the grow pot, while preventing any overflow of water onto floors. We also use our own propriety planting mix that supports long-term plant health and easy watering care. The plants are typically watered on a two-weekly cycle.
The specimens chosen by our plant designers are eye-catching, durable and long-lasting. Each plant is carefully positioned for the available natural light. This attention to detail ensures consistent and long-term plant health throughout the office. The plants were also supplied from our own in-house nursery, guaranteeing the quality of the greenery used.
INDUSTRY NEWS
POSTED 11/2024
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