buildingstudio: botanical garden pavilion

botanical garden pavilion by buildingstudio
all images courtesy buildingstudio


five years after hurricane katrina new orleanians are still rebuilding large parts of their community.
turning the tragedy into a positive situation american buildingstudio saw the city's potential of
'greening' itself. prospects for gray water reuse, rainwater harvesting and solar power are
particularly viable in the subtropical climate here. with that in mind, the city of new orleans
botanical garden commissioned a small demonstration pavilion to show firsthand how these
technologies might work for the average homeowner. graphic information is displayed inside
the pavilion describing how residents can reduce their carbon footprint while making a more
pleasant living environment.



the pavilion and vertical garden wall


the project consists of a 12-ft. cube sheathed in aluminum screens (high-content, post-consumer)
on three sides. the interior walls, floor and ceiling are clad in reclaimed lumber from homes
demolished by the storm. the structure is framed in eco-friendly treated lumber with the west
wall screen made of bamboo grown on site at the botanical garden.





water is harvested from the pavilion roof, channeled through the structure's interior via
an open downspout that spills onto a catch basin in the floor. from there, the water cleansing
demonstration relies on native water plants in a sandy-medium trough. cleansed water is
collected in the wetlands demonstration area which is a holding pool for a vertical garden wall.





this living wall, with plants native to the region, extends out from the pavilion's interior.
the vegetation grows in horizontal planting trays which were once conduit chases for off-shore
oil rigs from the region. (in typical home use the living wall could easily become a vertical
vegetable garden that relied on gray water). 

a photovoltaic array to harness the sun's energy operates the pavilion's electrical components.



water harvested from the roof



detail



the aluminium screen



horizontal planting trays



construction process



construction process


the project was generated through tulane university school of architecture city center.
it has been built by architecture graduates and buildingstudio.