Habitat_Horticulture_Booklet

We are driven by the belief that plant life is integral to our well-being, especially in urban settings. Our name comes from our commitment to habitat creation, not just for people to enjoy, but for the diverse flora and fauna of our overarching ecosystem to flourish. We strive for a world of mutually beneficial relationships, where architecture and nature come together as one.

OUR SPECIALTY IS THE VERTICAL PLANE

From high-rise exteriors to expansive lobby spaces, we have experience integrating greenery into some of the largest and most complex architectural projects across North America. We provide turnkey living wall design, build, and maintenance, as well as design-assist, construction documentation, or other à la carte services. Our extended portfolio includes interior/ exterior landscape design, green roofs, moss walls, vine trellis systems, and biophilic design.

AT OUR ROOTS, WE ARE HORTICULTURISTS, SO WE BEGIN EACH PROJECT FROM A PLANT’S PERSPECTIVE

By considering their complex biological processes first, we create environments where plants can thrive. With knowledge that comes from years of experience, we work fluidly with architects, engineers, and construction teams to find the best solutions for each project. Our seasoned ability to think “outside the planter” equips us to handle specific architectural requests.

WE STRIVE TO CREATE MORE THAN JUST A GREEN WALL

Living, breathing vertical gardens are more than just décor. Our vibrant plant tapestries highlight the unique qualities of each species, bringing architecture and nature together to energize the space.

our mission is to cultivate awe-inspiring, plant-centric spaces that deepen our connection with nature.

Our Founder & Principal

Working at the intersection of architecture, botany, and urbanism, David applies his passion to innovative human-centric spaces with abundant plant life at their heart.

David is a pioneer in the field of vertical gardens. He holds a degree in Environmental Horticulture Sciences and Psychology from California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo. He credits his time spent apprenticing at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, London—where he came to appreciate the wonder of epiphytic plants growing vertically on trees—with setting him on the path to living wall design.

David sees his work as an integral part of a public shift in consciousness and a renewed desire for closeness with nature, especially in urban environments. For David, designing living walls is not just a way to directly improve quality of life, but to highlight the beauty and diversity found within the plant kingdom, and the importance of protecting it.

As a dedicated collaborator on residential, commercial, and public spaces of any size, David brings deep expertise and artistic intent to enhance the sensory and environmental impact of each project. David speaks on the benefit of living walls in urban architecture, and his work has been featured in Fast Company, Wired, The Wall Street Journal, Architectural Digest, CBS, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, and Dwell. He was honored to be recognized in the 2019 class of “Top 40 Under 40” by The San Francisco Business Times.

WE’VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH SOME WORLD-CLASS CLIENTS AND COLLABORATORS

LIVING WALL BENEFITS

SOFTEN YOUR SOUND WAVES

Living walls provide acoustic dampening and sound attenuation by absorbing and refracting sound waves. This reduces distracting echoes in large rooms and dampens vexing street noise in urban areas.

FIGHT CLIMATE CHANGE

Living walls can reduce our energy demand. Through a combination of shading, evapotranspiration, and surface reflectivity, exterior living walls insulate the interior, helping to reduce both the cost and carbon emissions from heating and cooling.

CALM OUR BUSY BRAINS

Our physical and mental wellbeing depends on the presence of plant life. Studies have shown that when plants are added to a workspace, we become more focused, productive, and creative. Other benefits include enhanced self-esteem, reduced stress levels, and feeling revitalized.

MAXIMIZE OUR GREEN SPACES

Space in our cities is becoming increasingly scarce. Every square inch is utilized for functionality, yet the walls are often left bare. Living walls offer a way to bring life into the heart of our cities without compromising costly floor space. By embracing vertical surfaces, we can take advantage of every square foot to create life-sustaining habitats.

BOOST BIODIVERSITY

Living walls serve as stepping stones between nature reserves and city parks, becoming biodiverse havens for wildlife in a rapidly changing world. We see each installation as an opportunity to incorporate native plants, in turn creating habitats for native butterfly, bird, and bee populations. Whenever possible, we focus on “keystone” species, which help to sustain the health and resilience of 90% of our ecosystems.

CLEAN YOUR AIR

Adding a living wall to an interior space reduces levels of many common harmful VOCs such as benzene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide. Living wall plants not only release oxygen, they also trap particulate matter and CO2. By increasing humidity, living walls also greatly reduce the negative effects of aridity such as dry eyes, difficulty concentrating, and fatigue.

OUR PROCESS

DESIGN

We consider every detail down to the stem.

CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTATION

Our multidisciplinary design team of horticulturists, landscape architects, engineers, and builders collaborates with the project’s consultants to work through site-specific challenges. We prepare a detailed set of drawings, integrating our living wall system into the site’s architectural plans, specifying points of connection and stating MEP requirements. We also make sure to explicitly coordinate the scope of any work being carried out by Habitat Horticulture and any other subcontractors required to support the living wall system.

PLANT PALETTE

The most celebrated feature of any living wall is the plants. Our approach to plant selection thoroughly examines the micro-climates, potential growth rates, and lighting conditions to ensure the right species is specified for the right spot on the wall. Foliage color, leaf texture, flowering times, and seasonal interest are all taken into consideration to create living compositions that highlight the unique qualities of each species while forming a visually impressive whole. To better acquaint the client with each species, we provide images, physical samples, and a plant palette page with a description of each plant.

PLANT COMPOSITION

Each and every living wall is thoughtfully designed to provide a unique multisensory experience and a sense of place that harmonizes with the architectural and natural surroundings. Habitat Horticulture’s design team works closely with our clients to create a composition that captures the inspiration of their initial vision. Once realized, various concepts and artistic renderings are presented to the client for review. From there, a planting elevation and plant schedule are submitted for approval and plant procurement begins.

BUILD

We plant the seeds for success—from waterproofing to irrigation.

LIVING WALL SYSTEM

Habitat Horticulture is a one-stop living wall shop. Our team performs all work aside from plumbing and electrical—we waterproof the existing wall, build the framework, install the living wall system, set up the irrigation/recirculation systems, and of course, place the plants.

PLANTING

How, where, and when the plants are installed in a living wall will notably affect the health, long-term success, and integrity of design. Our installation crew has extensive training and experience carefully handling plants to minimize transplant shock and maximize acclimation. Depending on the installation, we will either pre-grow panels off-site or plant onsite.

COMMISSIONING & TRAINING

The final step in any installation is commissioning and training. Since every site and living wall is different, fine-tuning the control of irrigation, fertigation, and lighting is critical in ensuring each plant is getting the optimal amount of water, nutrients, and light. During this process we also train key personnel and building management in ongoing maintenance and operations.

MAINTAIN

Every garden needs a gardener.

MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

A living wall is a constantly evolving installation that needs ongoing care. This includes tending to the plants, but also the irrigation and drainage systems they rely on. Careful selection of the plant palette, composition, and irrigation system design will play a major role in determining a project’s ongoing maintenance needs. Each of our systems is equipped with multiple fail-safe sensors and remote monitoring capabilities, which help keep the plants happy, irrigated, and leak-free.

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES

Our horticultural knowledge and vertical gardening expertise enable us to promote ideal growing conditions using organic, non-toxic materials that are safe for you and the environment. One of our most important objectives in every project is minimizing future problems and client hassle, and that goes hand in hand with our commitment to sustainable practices. Strategies include using an Integrated Pest Management program (IPM) to mitigate pests and eliminate the use of toxic pesticides. Our in-house IPM manager helps maintain a healthy balanced ecosystem across all our installations.

ACCESS

It’s important to remember that in constructing a living wall we’re jumpstarting an ecosystem. We make sure the living wall is accessible to maintenance technicians so that the plants will never be neglected and the integrity of the built environment is also protected. We work out the answers to important questions early on—for example, will the wall be accessed by ladder, scissor lift, ropes, or swing stage, and how will each of those components get to and from the wall? Answering these questions early in the design process means your living wall will look good on day one and thrive for years to come.

OUR SYSTEMS

BOTANICALLY DIVERSE

• Can support thousands of different species that don’t just survive…but thrive

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS

• 1 SF of living wall is 8.6 plastic water bottles not floating in our oceans

QUICK TURNAROUND TIME

• No pre-growing period required

• Can be planted onsite

GOOD NOISE REDUCTION COEFFICIENT

• NRC 0.7

EVEN & CLEAN IRRIGATION

• GrowTex® wicking layer evenly distributes water to plant roots without dripping off the wall

GOOD THERMAL INSULATIVE FACTOR

• R value 2.67

HIGH FIRE RESISTANCE

LIGHT AND THIN

• 8 lbs/SF

• Only 3″ off the wall

Passes ASTM E84 with DESIGN VERSATILITY

Conforms to curves, arches, columns, and virtually any

Accommodates different depth and dimension

MADE IN THE U.S.

GrowTex® Modular

All the benefits of our original GrowTex® system but in a pre-grown panel (patent pending)

INSTANT COVERAGE

• Pre-vegetated panels provide full coverage on Day 1

EXTREME HEAT AND COLD TOLERANCE

• Optional rockwool layer for added buffer and increased water holding capacity

LESS ONSITE LABOR

• Bolted connection makes installation a breeze

Growpro™

Designed for high-rise facade applications

The GrowPro™ system was born out of the need to meet national fire safety codes and provide a system that can handle the extreme wind and temperature conditions at 300+ feet high. Aside from the irrigation tubing and the plants themselves, the GrowPro™ system is made of a non-combustible assembly, giving it the highest possible fire resistance.

SUPREME WATER EFFICIENCY AND MOISTURE RETENTION

• Capillary breaks within our rockwool maximize water holding capacity with less than 5% runoff

HIGHEST POSSIBLE FIRE RESISTANCE

• Non-combustible assembly using non-combustible GrowTex®, rockwool, and 304 stainless steel

LESS ONSITE LABOR

• Easy clip and set screw attachment makes installation quick and easy

ROOT PROTECTION

• Withstands high heat and extreme winter conditions

INSTANT COVERAGE

• Pre-grown modules provide an instant flush of greenery

HIGHEST THERMAL INSULATION FACTOR

• R Value 12

INSPECTION READY

• Can easily remove individual panels to comply with local routine inspection codes

HIGHEST NOISE REDUCTION COEFFICIENT

• 0.8

PROJECTS

24 SALESFORCE TOWER

26 NVIDIA

2 8 SFMOMA

30 CLIMATE PLEDGE ARENA

32 FOUNDRY SQUARE III

34 2177 3RD STREET

36 URBAN ECOTONES

salesforce tower

At 1,070 feet, Salesforce Tower is the tallest building in San Francisco and home to the Ohana Floor, a pinnacle manifestation of Salesforce’s new biophilic workplace design standard. To bring the Ohana Floor to life, Habitat Horticulture transformed the circular floor’s 24 steel, structural columns into a colorful and vivid plantscape. 128 plant species of varying colors and textures were thoughtfully selected to create a dynamic viewing experience as you walk around each of the columns. No two columns are alike. With varying sun exposure, visitors experience changeable hues from different vantage points. The end result is a tranquil and verdant naturescape set against a sweeping city backdrop.

Client Salesforce

Design

David Brenner

Installation

Habitat Horticulture

Architect

Mark Cavagnero Associates

Completion

September 2018

Location

San Francisco, CA

Dimensions

24 living columns, approximately 3,500 SF and 800 SF of built in planters

Photography Garry Belinsky & Todd Johnson/San Francisco

Business Times

System Implemented GrowTex ®

The Living Wall at SFMOMA is a multi-sensory experience that envelops the viewer. The wall is vast, unable to be seen in its entirety from any single vantage point. Birds, bees, butterflies, and other insects are drawn to inhabit and pollinate the evolving ecosystem. As the wind passes through the leaves of multiple fern varieties, there is a perception of movement and softness. This dynamism is a feature of the site’s biophilic design, aimed at awakening and reinforcing the human urge to reconnect with nature, creating an experiential bond between the viewer and their environment.

Client

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Design

David Brenner

Installation

Habitat Horticulture

Architect Snøhetta

Associate Architect

EHDD

General Contractor Webcor Builders

Dimensions

150′ wide x 29′ 4″ high

Completion

March 2016

Location

San Francisco, CA

Photography

Garry Belinsky

System Implemented

GrowTex ®

Irrigation Design

Hyphae Design Lab

Irrigation System

Irrigated mostly by stormwater and condensate water (excess water from the building’s HVAC system). Runoff water is captured and recirculated back into the system. Engineered by Hyphae Design Lab.

foundry square iii

Located on the southern end of San Francisco’s Financial the Foundry Square III lobby is open to the public, encouraging a moment of respite from the hustle and bustle of downtown. The lobby features two adjoining living walls and two floor-to-ceiling glass walls, allowing passersby to gaze through to the 12,500 plants inhabiting the space. One wall is 1,426 square feet of monochromatic greenery generously planted with Philodendron cordatum, Geranium cantabrigiense ‘biokovo’ and Asplenium bulbiferum. This panoramic expanse of greenery dappled with the delicate lighter green ferns provides a lush backdrop for the white bronze statues in the foreground. The wall behind the lobby desk, at 1,027 square feet, is home to 23 plant species flowing in vibrant, painterly swathes. Foliage of violet-red, silver, and a range of greens are arrayed in an abstract tableau which employs not only color but rhythm, volume, and texture. Habitat Horticulture worked closely with the design team to provide a living wall that was not only visually impressive, but equally sustainable to reflect the building’s LEED Gold status. Moisture sensors throughout the wall help conserve water by only irrigating when necessary. Additionally, any run off from the wall is collected and re-calibrated to the appropriate pH and nutrient levels to be recirculated back to the plants during the next irrigation cycle.

Client

Tishman Speyer

Design David Brenner

Installation

Habitat Horticulture

Architect

STUDIOS Architects

Landscape Architect SWA

General Contractor

Webcor Builders

Dimensions

2,452 SF

Completion

September 2013

Location

San Francisco, CA

System Implemented

GrowTex ®

2177 3rd street

25′ 1.5″ wide x 48′ 1″ high

System Implemented

urban ecotones

inspiration from Oakland’s diverse cultures. Rather than a defined and static planting area, swathes are intertwined, weaving in and out to make up the living fabric that will continue to evolve and coexist in harmony. The artwork’s scale and medium encourages a sensory experience from different distances: from afar it blurs together as one abstract formation; up close the colors and plant species are juxtaposed and the fragrance, shadows, and texture become a part of the work.

Artwork commissioned in accordance with Oakland Municipal Code 15.78: Public Art for Private Development

David Brenner

Habitat Horticulture

KSH Architects

General Contractor Hathaway Dinwiddie

Construction

Dimensions

33′ 4.25″ wide x 19′ high

Completion

June 2019

Location

Oakland, CA

Photographer Garry Belinsky

System Implemented GrowTex ®

SUSTAINABILITY & the ENVIRONMENT

Living in a climate-changing world

The greater ecosystems we rely on are in jeopardy. Although living walls are inherently green and have numerous benefits to our environment, we recognize that our systems, designs, processes, and habits must also be sustainable for us to have a real positive impact. Below are some ways we are helping to protect our planet and preserve our most precious resources.

NATIVE PLANTS

• We strive to incorporate native plants into each composition whenever possible to support a diverse and resilient ecosystem

• A few native species in particular referred to as “keystone” plants support 90% of native bees and caterpillars enabling terrestrial birds to reproduce

Cultivating community

Community is integral to healthy ecosystems and making positive change starts here. Habitat Horticulture regularly supports the larger community, and we are committed to donating 2% of our profits to causes and charities that focus on homelessness, mental illness, food banks, and greening our communities.

We are incredibly honored by the ability to create and sustain projects in a field we love, and to give back to environments in need. Each year we support the following non-profits:

WATER EFFICIENCY

• Water is our most precious resource—we design our systems to maximize each drop of water and use drought tolerant species whenever possible

MAINTENANCE PRACTICES

• We work with our suppliers to return and reuse boxes and nursery pots

• Our integrated pest management programs

ECO-FRIENDLY MATERIALS

• We select recyclable and recycled materials as well as biodegradable whenever possible

• Source and grow the majority of our plants within 100-mile radius of the jobsite

• Recirculate and reuse water when the project allows

• We can also use reclaimed greywater and black water

use OMRI organic and safe insecticides and release natural enemies to provide a balanced and thriving ecosystem

• Our GrowTex® system is made from post-consumer recycled water bottles (1SF of living wall is 8.6 plastic water bottles not floating in our oceans)

• Made in the U.S.

Provides meals to homeless and people in need throughout the U.S. We helped provide over 100,000 meals.

We help plant over 10,000 trees a year where the world needs them most.

Protects forests, improves the livelihoods of farmers and forest communities, promotes their human rights, and helps them mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis.

Bay Area non-profit with a mission to end homelessness by assisting low-income, unhoused people—including those with special needs—to secure stable, supportive housing and to be advocates for the removal of the causes of homelessness.