Inleaf Installs Manchester University’s First Living Wall

• The living wall has been installed on Manchester University’s Schuster Building
• The vertical garden features a variety of plants including Heucheras and Bergenias
• Part of the Brunswick Park development, the largest green space on campus
• Boasts an automatic irrigation system to feed and waters the plants

We’re proud to announce our recent installation of Manchester University’s first living wall, a large external vertical garden on the outside of the campus’ Rutherford lecture theatre, Schuster Building.

Manchester Living Wall

The 50m² green wall forms part of the university’s Brunswick Park development which will be the largest green space on the campus when completed.

The Manchester living wall stands at just over seven metres tall with swathes of colours provided by approximately 2,500 plants including Bergenias, Heucheras and Geraniums.

Biodiversity

As well as creating an impressive visual effect, the living wall serves to increase biodiversity in the area by attracting bees and other insects which help pollinate the plants and provide food for birds and other wildlife.

Research has shown that living walls also provide natural heat and sound insulation and can reduce the Urban Heat Island Effect. They can also help manage rainwater run-off.

Living wall system & irrigation

Inleaf designed, supplied and installed the Manchester living wall using the LivePanel system. Manufactured by Mobilane this commercial green wall system has previously been used to create Europe’s largest living wall at Nike’s Belgium headquarters.

The Manchester University installation includes an automatic irrigation unit to water and feed the plants. A computerised controller responds to sensors in the wall to provide water only when it’s required to keep the plants healthy whilst avoiding water being wasted.

Living wall maintenance

Inleaf Landscape Architect and Creative Director Charlotte Atherton commented “This was a great installation to work on and we’re delighted with the finished living wall.

“We’re now looking forward to maintaining the wall as it becomes more established and the Manchester University Brunswick park project takes shape.”

Inleaf specialise in the design, installation and maintenance of internal and external living walls throughout the UK.