ABSTRACT
Chapter 28 explores innovative approaches to integrate vegetative growth into architecture as a response to the urgent climate crisis and the need to enhance the environmental quality of cities. Challenging the notion that buildings should always look new, it examines the aesthetic impact of self-regulated biological growth on aging walls, specifically focusing on the use of poikilohydric species such as algae, mosses, and lichens. These organisms can switch their photosynthetic activity on and off without requiring irrigation or maintenance. The research presented in the chapter spans seven years and adopts an interdisciplinary methodology that bridges design and science. It is divided into three phases, each involving different design approaches, materials, and applications. Through long-term observational studies of bioreceptive cementitious materials and the development of growth-promoting morphologies and substrates, both qualitative and quantitative results are achieved.
The chapter advocates for a symbiotic relationship between architecture and nature, showcasing the potential of self-regulated biological growth to contribute to the ecological and aesthetic qualities of built environments.
