An Important Step For Greening Acopian

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As the first week of Phase 3 comes to an end, it has become clear that the Greening Acopian project is starting to progress at a faster pace. Until recently, the majority of the team’s efforts have been dedicated to determining the general design for the designated space on the northeast side of Acopian. While this allowed the project to develop, attempts to determine specific details were hindered by the ongoing debate relating to the living wall’s support structure. As a result, essential tasks such as selecting plant types, developing a cost breakdown, and computing structural calculations, could not be finalized until this crucial aspect was determined. Fortunately, immediately following the March 11 Midterm Update presentation, the entire team came together to consider the merits of the two available options and decide between the planter-based design of LiveWall and the trellis alternative supplied by Tournesol. The discussion lasted an hour, but by the end it was determined that LiveWall, though the more expensive and complex option, would be best suited for the image Greening Acopian is aiming to create.

So, what does this mean for the project moving forward?

After the unexpected shift to virtual learning resulting from the rapid spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), the team has had to adjust to working remotely while also trying to collaborate on the project’s final design and report.  Yet, even with the development of this new obstacle, the project is still progressing at a strong pace now that all efforts can be focused on the LiveWall alternative. This has made way for an updated cost estimate (as of March 25) that ranges between $137,000 and $230,000 for the wall, as well as an updated list of plants (as of March 25) that could be implemented into the design given the choice to use standard-sized planters. Calculations for the structure are in progress, based off of a document from the company itself that talks in detail about performing such forms of analyses. If, however, the team is able to work closer with LiveWall in the coming weeks, this step has the potential to be simplified.

With one design roadblock cleared, the team will be focusing its efforts on finalizing the concrete triangle area, as well as determining the border along the edge. This border might consist of spires or lamp posts lining the perimeter, or perhaps a hedge that could help with sound mitigation. Lastly, as the team looks into developing its report, there is hope to develop a virtual representation of the project area using software such as SketchUp or Revit. With half of a semester left and two phases down, the Greening Acopian team is well on its way to creating its final product.