Living canopy system
Vermilion Sands is a living ceiling composed of foliated geotextile modules. The system consists of a steel pipe structure and a grid of aircraft cables from which the modules are suspended. Each pyramid-shaped module is fabricated in a four-step process: First, light-gauge wire is bent to frame the desired shape. Second, geotextile fabric is sewn onto the frames. Third, a slurry mixture is sprayed onto the fabric in a hydroseeding process (a planting method with mulch and a seed slurry). Fourth, the hydroseeded module is grown in a nursery for one month before installation.
An array of misting nozzles is integrated into the canopy surface, which is designed for an outdoor public installation, to provide irrigation for the plants and reduce the ambient air temperature in hot climates. The resulting effect is that of an inverted landscape that combines abstract geometrical forms with a living garden.
Contact: Matthew Soules Architecture, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
For more information, see Transmaterial Next: A Catalog of Materials that Redefine Our Future
