Photo courtesy Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (www.greenroofs.org ) and Sharp & Diamond Landscape Architecture.

The green wall design at Vancouver Aquarium is based on native cliff ecology.

Last month, Vancouver Aquarium was recognized for green wall design at the Green Roofs for Healthy Cities (GRHC) annual Awards of Excellence. Sharp & Diamond Landscape Architecture won the award for their work on the aquarium's living wall built to replicate native cliff ecology. The overall project combined indigenous plantings, stormwater management strategies, green roofs, and a living wall. The green wall was designed to align with client interests, create an enjoyable space, and offset issues of surrounding noise and parking.

Due to design constraints, the 46-m² (500-sf) wall employed 305 x 305-mm (12 x 12-in.) modular panels supported by a galvanized steel frame. The frame was secured to the high-density concrete wall, creating a 25.4-mm (1-in.) air space behind the panels. Used for the first time in North America, this technology made installation easier and more economical.