Via Verde Rooftop Planters

[Marc Garon-Nielsen]

Working on a project where raised community garden plots (about 4’ x 10’, varying heights) make up a large component of the outdoor amenity spaces at an apartment complex.  The raised beds cannot be constructed of wood (client request) or concrete (concerns from reviewing agency that will be a heat sink and dry out soils).

The ideal material is recycled plastic timbers. To give some presence to the beds (and to provide a seating surface) we are looking for 6”x6” or even 8”x8” timbers that cut cleanly. The materials used for the Via Verde project in the South Bronx look like what we are looking for (if they are in fact recycled plastic timbers) . Anyone know what product was used?

[Mitch Howard]

Hello Marc –

Jessica Terdeman wrote the Architecture for Humanity article for this project. She is on LinkedIn as… Jessica Terdeman Designer / Project Manager. She may be able to help you with questions.

http://architectureforhumanity.org/updates/2014-01-27-learning-from-via-verde-ny-team-takes-a-trip

[Goustan BODIN]

Sorry, can’t help for material, but curious to know about decision to have wide timber for seating : isn’t it bothering for gardening ? Could you please be kind to share how decision was made (client/users decision…) ?

[Marc Garon-Nielsen]

Thank you for the lead Mitch

[Marc Garon-Nielsen]

Hi Goustan,

The original post may be a little misleading. The 6”x6” or 8”x8” timbers aren’t intended to be a full seated bench, but rather a temporary perch while working in the garden plot (there are legitimate benches throughout the space for those looking for a place to rest). The wider edge also allows for placing hand tools (anything narrower and it becomes a balancing act).

The programming direction from the client was to provide resident garden space (nothing beyond that) and the ultimate users do not know that the apartments (or the community gardens) will exist.  There are several existing community gardens in vacant lots near this development, with waiting lists for plots, which means demand is already there without the addition of this apartment complex. Hope this provides some context and some rationale for the decisions made to date.

[Goustan BODIN]

Thanks for the time taken to bring up some details, sounds just exactly like the type of project I’d love to work on ! We had created community gardens in my faculty, and all loved it. Have fun !

[Ray Dunetz]

We have designed some garden planters using material from this company http://www.aztecplasticlumber.com/.

Its a good quality, but a bit on the pricey side.

Good luck.

[Goustan BODIN]

does this type of product which we usually call here “artificial wood” fall under the “plastic timber” category ?

http://www.artowood.com/gallery-en.php

Sorry, just improving my vocabulary 

[Alan Ray, RLA]

is plastic  like treated wood  toxic?

don’t want to grow my food in any kind of artificial container….

client should be told that there are wood materials that are natural and non-toxic.

[Author]

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