The City of Fremantle has launched a new initiative to increase environmental sustainability in the port city; encouraging residents and businesses to construct vertical and rooftop gardens.
The project, known as Fremantle Green Skins, is a collaboration between the city, Curtin University’s Sustainability Policy Institute (CUSP) and the University of Western Australia’s faculty of architecture, landscape and visual arts.
It will begin with a workshop held at CUSP in Fremantle on April 3, where experts and local practitioners will share knowledge and techniques.
Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt said the greening of cities and buildings was becoming an urgent topic for those interested in sustainability.
“Living walls and rooftop gardens can be designed as public artworks in their own right and provide beautiful additions to any urban environment,” Dr Pettitt said.
“They also help control the temperature of buildings to maximise cooling and energy saving benefits, while providing for possible food production and increased bio-diversity.”
Dr Pettitt said a number of walls in Fremantle had been selected as prototypes, with design plans to be prepared by UWA landscape architecture students.
“We plan to display these plans in the City of Fremantle’s Town Hall reception area in early May,” he said.
“Hopefully these designs can inspire opportunities for design improvement and the construction of what could eventually become highly functional and iconic living artworks.”
