O’Mighty Green: A Satirical Commentary on Greenwashing in Architecture

The color <em>Green</em> has become the poster child for the sustainable movement and sometimes all it takes make something green is to paint green. As a commentary on <a href="http://inhabitat.com/category/greenwashing">greenwashing</a> and the philosophy of sustainism, Netherlands-based <a href="http://st-ar.nl/" target="_blank">STAR Strategies + Architecture</a> pokes fun of the green movement by photoshopping living walls over iconic buildings. <a href="http://st-ar.nl/o-mighty-green-summary/" target="_blank"><em>O' Mighty Green</em></a> is a satircal look into how society can make something sustainable just by slapping on the color green - a dangerous practice.

The amusing and even slightly shocking collection of green-washed images shows a number of iconic buildings and structures draped in living plants.

To see Aushwitz covered in ivy and even nuclear power plant cooling towers clad in a living wall certainly makes you stop and think.

Just because something is covered in green plants, can it be sustainable? The answer is of course not, as sustainability is so very much more than a superficial coating of green.

O' Mighty Green is a satirical take on sustainability and they introduce the <em>Green</em> as a philosophy, a religion, a stye, a form of architecture and a movement.

STAR even compares the <em>Green</em> to God saying they share a lot in comparison like "supreme concept, omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient; creator and judge, protector, and (…) saviour of the universe and the humanity."

<em>Green</em> has the power to change all, be all and save all and it also has the uncanny ability to "hide graceless designs" and more readily accept ugly buildings if they are green.

Wind turbines, which produce renewable energy, covered in green make them even greener.

A McMansion covered in green is suddenly not so horrendous.

New York City surrounded by a giant green arrow.

The Son of <em>Green</em> and Saint Green, Patron Saint of the Sustainable Architects.