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FEATURE

The design style of Lexi’s uses plants in various forms. This wall contains 250 plants which create swathes of texture
that follow organic lines.

LEXI’S LIVING WALL

Lexi’s is a health/vegan eatery with several outlets in Gauteng. In each restaurant, their
design style uses plants in various forms, and these have also been a featured element of
their interior décor. Living walls are the dominant focal point.

ue to the fact that the design system. In most cases, a frame is needed and design with the client. The process
language includes plants and the with the MVG system as it adds a three- of designing a living wall includes
Dfact that floor space in restaurants dimensional look and makes for a understanding the site constraints, light
is always limited, a living wall with living professional installation. The MVG system levels and ambient air quality where air
plants is the ideal solution. At their flagship is manufactured from recycled plastic. conditioning units are placed in relation to
restaurant in Rosebank, Johannesburg, the the wall, amongst other factors. Although
catchphrase is ‘Eat More Plants’. O’Connor explains that his technical teams the product design by Vicinity is standard
follow construction, services and plant in nature, its versatility allows for creativity.
Vicinity’s modular vertical garden system drawings to install the MVG system and When a living wall is designed and
(MVG) was used at each of the restaurants modular tanks onto a backing structure. installed, it is customised according to the
because of the flexibility offered by this The pots are placed against a ‘splash’ size and shape of the space - this creates
living wall system. The installation of the plastic sheeting which is attached to the the best possible result and its unique
wall was made easy due to the fact that backing structure, as are aluminium rails. ‘wow’ factor. At Lexi’s in Rosebank, the
the plants could be spaced out across The reticulation system and pre-planted living wall is 3.6m long x 2.6m high, and
the distances provided. Sean O’ Connor, pots are installed by clipping the pots onto approximately 250 plants were used.
director of Living Green Walls, says they the railing. All fascias and trims specified
had to take into account the fact that in in the design are then fixed around the In many cases, living walls are not pre-
some cases, the walls were installed behind living wall system to finish off the feature built. Everything is custom-made on site
or above where diners would be sitting, and hide its inner workings. Depending and is either retro-fitted (into an existing
and the MVG system easily accommodates on where the wall is situated, lighting may building) or fitted during the construction
this. Individual MVG pots can easily be be installed where necessary to facilitate of a new building.
swopped out when necessary, in order to healthy plant growth, particularly in
create a plant design that is appropriate indoor environments. Each plant is pre-potted into a plant bag
for each space. which is neatly inserted into a hexagonal
Design process and planting pot prior to being brought to site. When
A powder-coated steel frame encloses these are mounted onto the aluminium
each living green wall, allowing all the As each living wall is unique to its specific rails, they create a space-saving, hive-like
working parts of the vertical garden to application, O’Connor and his team visit structure. The fact that walls are planted
be concealed. This includes the irrigation each site to discuss the required size individually enables custom-made designs

4 Landscape SA • Issue 95 2020