The most prominent feature in the Wellness Center at the new Moma Tower are perhaps the twin vertical green walls framing the 65’ pool. Certainly the most vibrant- eaturing over 3,000 individual plants- these plant walls are a bold, lush work of living art that anchor the space visually and exude a calming and affirming energy.
53 West 53, also known as the MoMA Tower, is a new 82-story condominium tower in Midtown Manhattan with panoramic views. Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel, the building adds over 40,000 square feet of gallery space to MoMA on the lower levels and 145 condominium units rising above. The elegant, refined interior spaces are designed by noted French architect Thierry Despont. Complementing Jean Nouvel’s design, these homes offer a 21st century vision of the gracious urban living for which New York is celebrated.
Extensive in-house amenities include a double-height lounge & private dining room, providing unparalleled views of Central Park. The Wellness Center is a 17,000 square foot full-floor lifestyle facility, and features two large vertical gardens which frame a 65 foot lap pool.
Patrick Blanc is widely regarded as a great artist, designer and the inventor of the modern green wall. His name is commonly associated with the design of vertical gardens, also known as green walls or living walls. Blanc is both a pioneer and one of the most inventive professionals in this particular field of landscape design.
To support the twin 18’ x 31’ vertical gardens, Blondie’s Irrigation Department engineered a 12 zone irrigation system with built in fertigation, which is a fertilizer injector through the irrigation system. The wall employs Netafim components for lines, point source emitters, filters, valves, and a water meter to monitor water usage and flow along with a Tucor smart irrigation controller. The top rows have 2 gallon per hour emitters spaced every 6”. The bottom rows have 1 gallon per hour emitters spaces every 6” and are staggered from top rows.
From the earliest stages of planning, Blondie’s team of horticulturists worked with our specialty growers to cultivate the plants material and organized the shipment delivery in sync with the scheduled installation. Over 75 varieties of plants were specified with over 3,000 individual plants carefully installed.
In two phases, we build the frame and complex irrigation system, and planted approximately 1,300 sf of green walls. Word got out in the building about what we were doing, and other trades would come to visit the green walls to see the work and because the room smelled so good. The walls are maintained twice weekly to ensure they remain in their prime, soothing and calming residents and visitors for years to come.
