Interior vertical gardens, or “living green walls,” are trending today as never before, sprouting up in residential developments across the globe. In a sweeping architectural movement, concrete-and-steel environments are turning green, integrating large-scale gardens on interior walls or exterior façades to connect city dwellers to nature.
Beyond mere decoration, plants freshen the air and absorb noise, fostering a sense of tranquility and well-being for a more holistic urban experience. The following luxury properties feature unique living green walls that, like the trend itself, will flourish and evolve over time.
Honolulu: Anaha at Ward Village
Living Green Wall at Anaha at Ward Village Photo Credit: Courtesy
Opened in October, Honolulu’s Anaha at Ward Village residences are defined by their relationship to the sea, sky, and mountains, while the tower’s exterior landscaping spills into the lobby for a dramatic arrival experience for residents and guests. Eight thousand bromeliads, Laua’e ferns, and syngonium spread by 1st Look Exteriors continue past the plate-glass windows to an outdoor reflection pool.
The vertical garden sets organic overtones for Anaha’s 312 modern two- to four-bedroom homes and penthouses (from 1,275 to 3,565 square feet), of which 95 percent have already sold. Woods Bagot interiors boast plantation sliding doors and Miele kitchens facing Diamond Head. The building (targeting LEED certification) offers fitness, yoga, and spa amenities; guest suites; an ocean-side lap pool with cabanas; and on-site restaurants and shops. (Available starting at $3.4 million through Anaha at Ward Village)
Yorkville, Manhattan: Citizen360
Living Green Wall at Citizen360 Photo Credit: NYConstructionPhoto
The new Citizen360 residences surround you in light and tranquility for the ultimate respite on the Upper East Side. The spa-like natural elegance of Clodagh’s interiors begins in the lobby, where Town & Gardens’ leafy green wall hints at the serenity waiting inside the glass cantilevered tower.
Eighty-four sunlit one- to four-bedroom dwellings range from 1,400 to 2,860 square feet, awash in crisp whites and muted palettes for a calm that belies the bustling streets below. White oak flooring, limestone bathrooms, kitchens wrapped in smoked-walnut cabinets, and floor-to-ceiling windows with East River vistas create a resort ambience. The building offers automated parking, entertainment and children’s spaces, a majestic fireplace in the residents’ lounge, a wellness center, and a spa with relaxing fountains. (Available for around $2.22 million to $6.36 million through Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group)
Washington, D.C.: Westlight
Living Green Wall at Westlight Photo Credit: Courtesy
The grand lobby of Westlight’s luminous glass structure by Ten Arquitectos reveals a dramatic 50-foot living green wall, bringing residents closer to nature amid the ultramodern, urban environment. Greenery on the building’s cantilevers, covering the entire façade, adds an organic element outside the residents’ windows.
The rooftop sundeck near an 82-foot swimming pool offers green spaces, grilling stations, and umbrellaed seating for alfresco dining, while indoor amenities include 24-hour staffed services, fitness facilities, a clubhouse and catering kitchen, and a dog-washing station. The one- to three-bedroom, 600- to 3,050-square-foot residences (for sale prior to its late January 2018 completion) reflect a sleek minimalism with understated furnishings and kitchens with high-gloss white cabinetry and quartzite counters. Louvered window walls flood the homes with light and panoramas of D.C.’s historic monuments. (Available for $1.4 million to $4.5 million through EastBanc)
Midtown Manhattan: 252 East 57th Street
Living Green Wall at 252 East 57th Street Photo Credit: Mark Benjamin
A 65-story pillar of curved Italian glass, 252 East 57th Street adds a stunning new landmark to the Manhattan skyline. Cross a bridge over a mosaic reflection pool to the limestone lobby, which is flanked by a floor-to-ceiling living green wall, designed by Mathews Nielsen Landscape Architects, and a long brass table filled with foliage.
Two- to five-bedroom, 1,740- to 4,515-square-foot condominiums begin on the 36th floor, with available units including a six-bedroom, 8,140-square-foot penthouse. The expansive Daniel Romualdez interiors flow seamlessly with window walls, elevated ceilings, and corner living rooms for sweeping views of Central Park and the East River. A chef’s kitchen, a spacious dining area, the building’s 75-foot swimming pool, and the exclusive 34th Floor Club with a 70-foot terrace invite entertaining. Or, retreat privately to the white-marble master bathroom’s deep soaking tub that overlooks the sprawling cityscape. (Available for $3.95 million to $37.5 million through Stribling)
