Comments on: UNPACK A PARK: MOBILE GREEN SPACE http://inhabitat.com/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/ Green design & eco innovation for a better world Thu, 23 May 2013 14:55:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Kim Holleman http://inhabitat.com/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/comment-page-1/#comment-5926 Kim Holleman Tue, 05 Sep 2006 11:35:08 +0000 http://inhabitat.com/blog/2006/08/21/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/#comment-5926 I have just opened a project like this for The Storefront for Art and Architecture in lower Manhattan, NY as a work of public art, but it was much more extensive and built like a real park with living plants, a water fountain, and a drip irrigation system. KimHolleman.com I have just opened a project like this for The Storefront for Art and Architecture in lower Manhattan, NY as a work of public art, but it was much more extensive and built like a real park with living plants, a water fountain, and a drip irrigation system.

KimHolleman.com

]]> By: Laura http://inhabitat.com/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/comment-page-1/#comment-5898 Laura Mon, 04 Sep 2006 23:37:26 +0000 http://inhabitat.com/blog/2006/08/21/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/#comment-5898 If my babelfish Dutch serves me, it seems like the creator of this mobile park is thinking about shelter, both physical and mental. It seems like Mr. van Brack thinks religion has functioned as a kind of shelter, and is presenting an alternative kind of contemporary shelter - a public space. I'm not sure it's fair to judge him on how 'sustainable' his project is, or how much it is intergrated into natural processes, any more than you would judge a large public scultpture made of steel or glass on that criteria. It looks to me like the people in that trailer are having a good time. If my babelfish Dutch serves me, it seems like the creator of this mobile park is thinking about shelter, both physical and mental. It seems like Mr. van Brack thinks religion has functioned as a kind of shelter, and is presenting an alternative kind of contemporary shelter – a public space. I’m not sure it’s fair to judge him on how ‘sustainable’ his project is, or how much it is intergrated into natural processes, any more than you would judge a large public scultpture made of steel or glass on that criteria.

It looks to me like the people in that trailer are having a good time.

]]> By: JS http://inhabitat.com/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/comment-page-1/#comment-5406 JS Thu, 24 Aug 2006 22:22:16 +0000 http://inhabitat.com/blog/2006/08/21/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/#comment-5406 If it's political, it hurts the fight towards true sustainability and market/social transformation. Beyond being subject to justifiable criticisms about sustainability, it's arguably evocatively sleek images are completely hollow of any substance. It's the environmental version of Burger King...nature in a box, "have it your way." Consider the extra energy and materials to just create the box itself. Just plant some trees, create some organic urban gardens... Meaning, if you want more nature in urban areas, just remove a few pavers (in those pictures) and plant some indigenous vegetation. Sustainability is about integration with the natural environment, its processes and cycles...not rolling in a big box of grass/trees. If there's no honesty in the process, or essence in the statement...there's no integrity in the design. I won't ramble further ;) ...but its statement about wilderness is even worse... If it’s political, it hurts the fight towards true sustainability and market/social transformation. Beyond being subject to justifiable criticisms about sustainability, it’s arguably evocatively sleek images are completely hollow of any substance.

It’s the environmental version of Burger King…nature in a box, “have it your way.”

Consider the extra energy and materials to just create the box itself. Just plant some trees, create some organic urban gardens…

Meaning, if you want more nature in urban areas, just remove a few pavers (in those pictures) and plant some indigenous vegetation. Sustainability is about integration with the natural environment, its processes and cycles…not rolling in a big box of grass/trees. If there’s no honesty in the process, or essence in the statement…there’s no integrity in the design.

I won’t ramble further ;) …but its statement about wilderness is even worse…

]]> By: Juli http://inhabitat.com/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/comment-page-1/#comment-5404 Juli Thu, 24 Aug 2006 21:11:20 +0000 http://inhabitat.com/blog/2006/08/21/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/#comment-5404 Riva, I'm of the same opinion. It's a lark. Okay, maybe I'm in too philisophical of a mood today and you should tell me to take a leap...but what exactly is the definition of "natural"? Don't you think it's ironic that what we think of as "natural"...our parks, yards, and other public landscaping are all heavily manufactured in some way by humans? Design, topsoil, concrete hardscape, irrigation, plant arrangement, fertilizers, etc. Even many of the plants we buy have been hybridized to bring out the characteristics we love best, like big showy flowers or ?? I'm not judging either way, I just think our ideas about what it means to be "natural" and the value we place (or don't place) on being natural or artificial are really intriquing. When does something stop being considered natural and start being artificial? And why is artificial often considered bad and natural good? Riva, I’m of the same opinion. It’s a lark.

Okay, maybe I’m in too philisophical of a mood today and you should tell me to take a leap…but what exactly is the definition of “natural”?

Don’t you think it’s ironic that what we think of as “natural”…our parks, yards, and other public landscaping are all heavily manufactured in some way by humans? Design, topsoil, concrete hardscape, irrigation, plant arrangement, fertilizers, etc. Even many of the plants we buy have been hybridized to bring out the characteristics we love best, like big showy flowers or ??

I’m not judging either way, I just think our ideas about what it means to be “natural” and the value we place (or don’t place) on being natural or artificial are really intriquing. When does something stop being considered natural and start being artificial? And why is artificial often considered bad and natural good?

]]> By: Riva http://inhabitat.com/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/comment-page-1/#comment-5334 Riva Tue, 22 Aug 2006 22:40:32 +0000 http://inhabitat.com/blog/2006/08/21/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/#comment-5334 To the above comments: I saw it and thought of it less as a practical/sustainable object than as a political statement, a visible and tongue-in-cheek protest against the lack of more green space in our cities. To the above comments: I saw it and thought of it less as a practical/sustainable object than as a political statement, a visible and tongue-in-cheek protest against the lack of more green space in our cities.

]]> By: Peter http://inhabitat.com/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/comment-page-1/#comment-5333 Peter Tue, 22 Aug 2006 21:42:41 +0000 http://inhabitat.com/blog/2006/08/21/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/#comment-5333 Rektide...check out Cultivating Life on PBS.com. They made a green roof without extremely costly materials, of course it depends on how big your roof is and how much of it you want to green. Rektide…check out Cultivating Life on PBS.com. They made a green roof without extremely costly materials, of course it depends on how big your roof is and how much of it you want to green.

]]> By: silvee shah http://inhabitat.com/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/comment-page-1/#comment-5322 silvee shah Tue, 22 Aug 2006 14:51:25 +0000 http://inhabitat.com/blog/2006/08/21/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/#comment-5322 well, if its real vegetation thn - nothing like this...........its an amazing concept, cos todays lifetsyle which strongly demands fast moving, and hardworking life , hardly gives us any scope to sit n relax.....forget about meeting friends and relatives, we hardly even get time for ourselves....i think such concepts are now or may be in future will be in demand, as it offers a scope to meet people through it....this can be a medium were i , when returning from job in a tired condition would love to b a part of it n relax while on the way...rather thn going specially to a park.....it works, it rocks,,,,,gud idea....just concerned if its real vegetation.... well, if its real vegetation thn – nothing like this………..its an amazing concept, cos todays lifetsyle which strongly demands fast moving, and hardworking life , hardly gives us any scope to sit n relax…..forget about meeting friends and relatives, we hardly even get time for ourselves….i think such concepts are now or may be in future will be in demand, as it offers a scope to meet people through it….this can be a medium were i , when returning from job in a tired condition would love to b a part of it n relax while on the way…rather thn going specially to a park…..it works, it rocks,,,,,gud idea….just concerned if its real vegetation….

]]> By: JS http://inhabitat.com/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/comment-page-1/#comment-5320 JS Tue, 22 Aug 2006 14:22:39 +0000 http://inhabitat.com/blog/2006/08/21/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/#comment-5320 and motherplants is fantastic. both the owners, genuinely great and dedicated people! and motherplants is fantastic. both the owners, genuinely great and dedicated people!

]]> By: JS http://inhabitat.com/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/comment-page-1/#comment-5319 JS Tue, 22 Aug 2006 14:21:42 +0000 http://inhabitat.com/blog/2006/08/21/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/#comment-5319 rektide...try www.agreenroof.com too. they make a very non-intrusive, relatively light (8 to 15 pounds per square foot if i remember right) green roof. and laura, i'm with you. i think as cool as these designs are, they say something genuinely sad about how we perceive nature, and how we interact with it. beyond the fact that you're probably exactly right that the trees aren't real, stuff like this, i'd argue, really reveals our disconnect with nature and between design, planning and the natural world. there should be no need to create a box to import nature into a city...it should already be there! and nevermind whether you can call nature in a box with fake trees actually sustainable or not... rektide…try http://www.agreenroof.com too. they make a very non-intrusive, relatively light (8 to 15 pounds per square foot if i remember right) green roof.

and laura, i’m with you. i think as cool as these designs are, they say something genuinely sad about how we perceive nature, and how we interact with it. beyond the fact that you’re probably exactly right that the trees aren’t real, stuff like this, i’d argue, really reveals our disconnect with nature and between design, planning and the natural world. there should be no need to create a box to import nature into a city…it should already be there! and nevermind whether you can call nature in a box with fake trees actually sustainable or not…

]]> By: Laura Aquino http://inhabitat.com/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/comment-page-1/#comment-5316 Laura Aquino Tue, 22 Aug 2006 12:55:06 +0000 http://inhabitat.com/blog/2006/08/21/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/#comment-5316 Are those trees real? I think they would need some depth for their roots, more than what I can see from the picture. The grass and flowers could be (real). I hope they're all natural vegetation. Otherwise, what's the point if it's not real green? ...Or maybe I'm just too much of a purist. Are those trees real? I think they would need some depth for their roots, more than what I can see from the picture. The grass and flowers could be (real). I hope they’re all natural vegetation. Otherwise, what’s the point if it’s not real green? …Or maybe I’m just too much of a purist.

]]> By: Amy K http://inhabitat.com/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/comment-page-1/#comment-5296 Amy K Tue, 22 Aug 2006 02:00:39 +0000 http://inhabitat.com/blog/2006/08/21/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/#comment-5296 Here's Treehugger's primer on green roofs: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/09/green_roofs_a_p.php entitled "Green Roofs: A Primer". It mentions http://www.greenroofs.net/ has courses on how to install a green roof. You can find plants specifically for green roofs at http://www.motherplants.net/ - good luck! Here’s Treehugger’s primer on green roofs: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/09/green_roofs_a_p.php entitled “Green Roofs: A Primer”. It mentions http://www.greenroofs.net/ has courses on how to install a green roof. You can find plants specifically for green roofs at http://www.motherplants.net/ – good luck!

]]> By: rektide http://inhabitat.com/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/comment-page-1/#comment-5284 rektide Mon, 21 Aug 2006 19:03:01 +0000 http://inhabitat.com/blog/2006/08/21/unpack-a-park-mobile-green-space/#comment-5284 What kind of medium would be good for a project like this? Last night sleeping on the roof I realized I should probably put down vegatation, make a green roof, and all day I've been trying to think of how to cheaply make a good medium for the roof. I havent found any particularly compelling vegetation blankets or tiling solutions that would work, but I'm sure there's something that would help, just look at the walls of this park. It feels like serendipity, seeing this article, but I still am no closer to having any idea what to put down. Any references, help, pointers, anything... please? What kind of medium would be good for a project like this?

Last night sleeping on the roof I realized I should probably put down vegatation, make a green roof, and all day I’ve been trying to think of how to cheaply make a good medium for the roof. I havent found any particularly compelling vegetation blankets or tiling solutions that would work, but I’m sure there’s something that would help, just look at the walls of this park. It feels like serendipity, seeing this article, but I still am no closer to having any idea what to put down.

Any references, help, pointers, anything… please?

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