I think you are asking about health impact on the occupants who are living in high rise buildings. I this this aspect is rarely covered in the study and very few you will find. Research studies on aspects like impact of indoor air, indoor thermal environment and noise level on occupant are available. But what is the impact of high rise living on occupants are difficult to find (Shift in comfort criteria because of change in elevation, Physiological, psychological change and change in occupants behaviour). I believe that it will very interesting if someone take this aspect.

The choice of the plant variety is very crucial in vertical landscaping.creepers with prop- roots are dangerous as they would affect the construction.Another issue is the influence of landscape on insects.Excessive attraction of unwanted insects towards the plants would be a night mare for the occupants and issues of maintenance as well.Another important thing is the emission of CO2 during nights due to respiration would challenge the indoor air quality in terms of oxygen levels.

Thanks for the response Anuradha. I agree with you  about its impacts  to the construction. I believe it requires vast more budget throughout design processes, construction phases and even it costs more during building life cycles/increase maintenance fees. However vertical landscape seems to develop regardless to its numerous disadvantages, what are the reasons?

Hi Loan,

Hope you can find some points in attached file

Thanks for the interesting, informative file Tan Dinh. Really appreciate your participation.

I think you are asking about health impact on the occupants who are living in high rise buildings. I this this aspect is rarely covered in the study and very few you will find. Research studies on aspects like impact of indoor air, indoor thermal environment and noise level on occupant are available. But what is the impact of high rise living on occupants are difficult to find (Shift in comfort criteria because of change in elevation, Physiological, psychological change and change in occupants behaviour). I believe that it will very interesting if someone take this aspect.

First of all, to answer your question on advantages of vertical landscapes, it is a contemporary and innovative component of urban green infrastructure and thus contributes to reduction of the heat island effect, noise, dust, temperature; it improves the micro-climate and hosts urban biodiversity.

Regarding the disadvantages, as you also mentioned, these constructions are financially and technologically quite demanding, as horizontal green spaces are much cheaper to establish and manage, while being also more environmentally beneficial (e.g. you can plant trees, which provide much more ecosystem services, doing it also more intensively). However, when considering contemporary and future urban growth and development, the space available for horizontal ground-level green space development will significantly decrease, therefore vertical landscaping will become more and more relevant and needed.

Concerning healthcare and human wellbeing, vertical landscapes surely contribute to these issues, as connection to nature and landscape, even though just visual, is crucial for mental health of people - we just need to stay in touch with nature and landscape.

I found an article, which might be interesting for you: Promoting ecosystem and human health in urban areas using Green Infrastructure: A literature review - Available under: http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0169204607000503/1-s2.0-S0169204607000503-main.pdf?_tid=3d835456-97e9-11e4-b4b6-00000aacb361&acdnat=1420799054_f2429188b57195e5db306dd010e16aa3

You should check out Esther Sternberg's book

Healing Spaces: the science of place and wellbeing

I believe we ARE nature, and therefore we desperately need to relate with it. Architecture must address this concept in the first place. We must design places for well being and human comfort beginning from the early sketches of a project. 

We must be able to feel our relation with the cosmic cycles that rule the climate and life on earth: the circadian cycle of 24h light/dark, the season changes, the weather conditions, etc. Our body feels comfortable with variation, because it is natural: we like to see the movement of the waves in the sea the movement of the leaves on a tree, the way the sun gets in though a window and suddenly modifies the perception of a space...

Green establish this relation with us, modifying its appearance during the year and even during the day. But it has to be through a frame of reality, not promoting a false feeling. Some of this vertical gardens, or vertical green, are very false in terms of "naturality"and therefore they would not relate well with us. I believe more in small plantations with flowers or shrubs, scattered through the building in some strategic places concerning people movement and staying, and promoting direct contact and care with them. This direct contact, touching, cleaning leaves, watering, is also very important for us. And nature will like.

Landscape directly affect human feelings as it gives sense of relief and comfort. In addition it helps in filtering air  and adjusting air humidity. ِAlso it forms a good view if this is not existing in  the building site.  

This is an interesting question within the context of promoting physical activity with design, too. Whereas we know a lot on how use mix, transport and urban design influences walking patterns (see for example Ewing et al 2011), we know little so far on how to promote daily activity within buidlings. The Active Design Guidelines (2010) present some best practices of "active" buidlings in learning and office context. I recently heard a lecture by Dutch Architects from MVTDV, who tried to promote activity in a bank Building in Norway. It will be interesting to do more studies on effect, and possibly how landscape / green elements may contribute..

Ewing, Reid; Greenwald, Michael; Zhang, Ming; Walters, Jerry; Feldman, Mark; Cervero, Robert; Frank, Lawrence; Thomas, John, »Traffic Generated by Mixed-Use Developments - Six-Region Study Using consistent Environmental Measures«, Journal of urban Planning and Development, Bd. 137, Nr. 3, September, S. 248-261, 2011

http://centerforactivedesign.org/dl/guidelines.pdf

I entered conference about vertical green, it has advantages to the indoor environment

researches proved  that it minimize the indoor temperature to -4 C to -6 C

but; on the other hand it had bad effect to the construction system, many steps should be taken in drainage system, and should be about 15 cm away from the wall,

more information is available on this web site for Patric Blance the one who invent the vertical green.

http://www.verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com/al green.

Dear Lona

The vertical dimensions would be interesting in my opinion for complex landscapes. I explain to a landscape that includes 03 successive planes: foreground - Intermediate level - background. In this context the vertical dimensions will constitute the lines of force. Regarding vertical structures built more particularly hospitals this factor appears degrading the fact that the vertical structure built me becomes aggressive and imposing relative to human dimension therefore perception is devalued. The only advantage the sole responsibility of the space is gained in a verticle dimension of a constructed element.

Best regards

Yesterday I told you about the vericales dimensions of hospital buildings and its psychological effects on patients. Aujourdh'ui I will bring my answer on the role of outdoor areas in a landscape context that includes green spaces, trails and furniture gardens. The outdoor areas are the responsibility of the architects of parks and gardens in their choice of plants, through the choice of landscape masonry, for route selection pathways within the green space gives it atmosphere and food security, relaxation and recreation for the sick. These outdoor areas are part of a therapy patient. Why. The smart choice and complementary colors of flowers and flower beds of foliage of trees and shrubs, leaf texture and so on. It is now recognized that the parks have different roles:

- Hygienic and recreational Role: Some tree species, such as softwood issue in the ambient air of essential oils, such as terpenes and balsams. These species have stimilante action on the nerve centers and routes respiratoires.La contemplation of vegetation inside the walker returns:

            - By a harmonious and balanced show, a return calm by the harmonious combination of shapes, volumes, silhouettes of plants, tactile and sensory role of leaves; flowers or fruit.

           - Through the projection of fixed or changing colors, sad (purple), relaxing (green) or tonic (red).

Yes the green spaces are an integral part of the therapy in hospitals is for this reason that we must build hospitals to the human dimension surrounded by a large area of green space. All this together should be in a landscape context.

Best regards

FADEL