01/30/2021
Sometimes when I bring up living walls or vertical gardening, people will react by saying- "Yes, I saw one once on the internet or -on a home and garden show." They will ask - are they new? The answer is kind of yes and no. The concept of the vertical garden evolved along with advancements in building methods, use of materials, and arts and culture. The first vertical garden system was patented in 1938 by Stanley Hart White of the University of Illinois. However, while you will find living walls in abundance in places like Singapore , France, and other areas of the world, they are just now getting a foothold here in the United States. There are many advantages to vertical gardening when used as a landscape feature or for urban farming over traditional methods.
Geographies of Innovation reveals a history of design innovation at the intersection of landscape, technology, infrastructure, and ecology as represented by patents granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office from the late 19th through the mid 20thcentury. The exhibition presents new pe...
