2020-03-01 Reader\'s Digest AUNZ

wall,soakingthecapillarymatting.
Excessliquidwasthencollectedina
gutteratthebottomofthewalland
recycledthroughthesystem.
Blanc’sextensiveexperimentsand
encyclopaedicknowledgeofplants
andecosystemsenabled himto
selectplantsthatwouldthriveinthis
habitatandateachdifferentpointon
thewall.
EachofBlanc’splansisdrawnup
onpaper– a wavydesign,usuallyfrom
toprighttobottomleft,thatreflects
theformationshehasseenonprec-
ipicesandscreesinthewild,where
plantsoftenspreadoutinsmoothdi-
agonalsalongwaterchannels.
Asheexplains,“Myscientificap-
proachisessential for designing the

wholesystemandforselectingthe

plantspeciesforeachpeculiarloca-

tion.”Therainforestbearssimilar-

itiestoanurbanenvironment,and

theheightofcitybuildingsref lects

theecologicalnichesina rainforest.

GLOBALSUCCESS

Blanc’sworkhastakenhimbeyond

France– hisverticalgardenscannow

beseeninSpain,theUS,India,Japan,

Malaysia,Poland,Germany,Hong

KongandAustralia,gracingembas-

sies,shoppingmallsandhotels,and

hisportfoliocontinuestogrow.

HisinstallationattheMuséedu

quaiBranlyinParis,createdin2005,

includes15,000plantsfrom 150 spe-

cies growing on the outer walls, along

Blanc’s vertical gardeninstallationattheMuséeduquaiBranly in Paris includes

15,000 plants from over 150 species

PHOTO: GET T Y IMAGES

32 March 2020