Tim Beatley also has a closely related chapter in the book Biophilic Design, as does our own Nikos. That book has sections from Wilson, Kellert, Ulrich and many other legends of this burgeoning field. (By coincidence I am writing a review of that book just now.)
If I were to critique Timothy's work - and I do regard him as an ally, I should make clear - I would say he doesn't go deeply enough into the biological forms of the buildings themselves, but still sees greenery as mostly a kind of applied building decor. (Reminding me of the Frank Lloyd wisecrack to a doctor at a party, "you're lucky you can bury your mistakes - we architects have to plant vines...")
The worst form of this superficial treatment, for my money, is the kind of "Chia building" syndrome, the giant green walls (for those of you who know those little "chia pet" clay figurines that, when watered, sprout a fuzzy green covering). They have questionable durability, maintenance cost, and just plain design rationale, as I see it. Again, I always think, too bad we can't just bury our mistakes!
Cheers, m
--
Michael Mehaffy
Visiting Faculty, ASU
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