Britomart East Complex Green Walls

Name of case study

Britomart East Complex Green Walls

Location

Takutai, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand

Year

 2011

Scale

 Building/single site scale

Area / size

120 M²

NbS employed

Green / living walls (hydroponic)

Type of NbS

Hybrid living/engineered interventions; Created or constructed living ecosystem

Initiator

Cooper & Company

Funder

Unknown

Budget

Unknown

Design group

Natural Habitats.

Briromart Green wall. Copyright owner: Natural Habitats Landscapes
Climate change benefits
  • Increased temperatures
  • Reduced air quality
Societal / socio-cultural benefits
  • Energy security 
  • Human physical health and wellbeing 
  • Pressures of urbanisation
Ecological benefits
  • Climate regulation 
  • Habitat Provision

Summary of case study

Aotearoa New Zealand were introduced to enhance air quality, acoustics, and thermal performance. They utilise hydroponically fed plantings, using harvested rainwater, and are designed for low light and to make maintenance easier. 

These vertical gardens feature a mix of native and exotic plants, including epiphytes, ferns, climbers, groundcovers, and flowering plants carefully selected to avoid staining surfaces.

The composition is influenced by Māori carving patterns, providing a sense of connection to nature and the occupants (Green Roofs, 2024). Their shallow depth of 120 m deep and lightweight construction allowed for easy installation and maintenance, with installed sensors ensuring optimal light conditions (Natural Habitats Landscape, 2024). Overall, these green walls have become an important architectural feature of the space, offering a moment of respite in the commercial setting and contributing to the Britomart complex’s unique interior aesthetic. They were awarded Silver in Garden Management at the Landscapes of Distinction Awards in 2020.

Read More
Briromart Green wall panels. Copyright owner: Natural Habitats Landscapes
References

Further resources:

Britomart East Complex Green Walls – Greenroofs.com
“Britomart is a vibrant shopping, entertainment and business precinct in the heart of downtown Auckland. Surrounded by beautiful heritage buildings, it’s a neighbourhood of buzzing restaurants and bars, world-class fashion boutiques and interesting art spaces. It’s also home to the HQs of some of New Zealand’s leading creative and corporate organisations. Eighteen historic buildings are being restored here and seven state-of-the-art new buildings developed. It’s all part of a long-term project that’s transforming Britomart into one of the most exciting places in New Zealand: a 24/7 community where people live, work, shop and play,” (Britomart.org). Located on Takutai in the city’s Central Business District, stunning living walls are situated in the atrium of the Britomart East complex. New Zealand’s largest to date, they were an ideal lightweight solution to the question of how to differentiate the complex’s interior aesthetic. The atrium forms part of the Te Ara Tahuhu walking street, which provides access to Britomart’s underground train platform. According to locals, the two three-story high green walls at the Atrium on Takutai are among the most admired and photographed sights in the Britomart precinct. The 120 m2 of living walls line the east and west end walls and integrate seamlessly into the building fabric. The building has a New Zealand Green Building Council five-star rating. Natural Habitats, the designer and system manufacturer, was just honored with a Silver Award at the prestigious New Zealand Landscapes of Distinction Awards on the 5th of July, 2014, for the Care/Management of the Britomart East Green Walls. When asked for feedback regarding the four-year old green walls in June, Matthew Cockram, CEO of Cooper and Company and Britomart property owner said, “The investment made in these Green Walls have paid off with increased building value, high tenant retention and an improved green star rating.”
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