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Exterior Living Wall

Côte Restaurant

2010    Birmingham, United Kingdom

Client Background

A living wall can create a relaxing retail environment and add a touch of eco-luxury to hotels, restaurants and other leisure venues. The 60m2 wall of multiple plant species was therefore a great way to complement high-end brands at the Mailbox. 

Associated Architects worked closely with the design team at Viritopia to specify the living wall for the Mailbox. The wall couples aesthetics with sustainable and environmental architecture.

Featured Solutions

  • Viritopia Living Wall System (Exterior)

Size:     25m² - 150m²

Project Drivers

Biodiversity

Biophilia

Social Impact

Aesthetics

plants and ferns in a living wall

Aesthetics and more...

Living walls can dramatically enhance their surroundings and, with design options being endless, each wall can be unique to its application. As long as there is wall space available, vertical gardens can be created pretty much anywhere. They also help to protect exterior walls from weather damage and corrosion, providing further longevity for the space and ultimately reducing life cycle costs for the building owners.

livign wall surrounding a restaurant outdoor eating area

Customer benefits

Furthermore, the benefits can be seen for the customers, too. Visitors to the Mailbox have been given the opportunity to take a break from retail therapy to engage in horticultural therapy; the living wall allows shoppers to get closer to nature within an urban environment.

Living walls in retail

Scott Anderson, Sales Director at Viritopia, commented on what projects like these have meant for living walls within the retail sector, saying, "Businesses are becoming increasingly assessed on their commitment to sustainability. Living walls reduce a building's overall carbon footprint and are a great visual demonstration of their positive contribution to the environment. For those located within an urban environment, such as the Mailbox, the pressure may be even higher due to pollution created by nearby airports or car combustion.

living wall at a restaurant eating area

The living wall surrounding Cote Brasserie's outdoor terrace is a fantastic addition to the Mailbox's bustling canalside area. The natural lush greenery perfectly complements the urban backdrop of the Mailbox and offers visitors an oasis of calm in a busy city centre. Viritopia was great to work with, the team understood our vision and requirements from the offset and met these with enthusiasm and top quality service.

David Pardoe

Head of marketing, retail and tenant engagement at the Mailbox

Giving back

Scott Anderson continues, "The living walls provide complex eco habitats that encourage biodiversity and provide a haven for many forms of wildlife.  A standard living wall comprises a carefully selected combination of plant species creating a sustainable environment for many creatures; and importantly, much needed extra habitat for urban wildlife. As such, the market has been growing, with more retail companies opting to give back to the environment in a similar way to the Mailbox."

cote brasserie sign in front of eating area and living green wall