Architects today are embracing biophilic design as a way to bring natural elements into built environments, enhancing wellness, productivity, and aesthetic impact. Among the most striking methods are vertical gardens and greenery (or foliage) walls. While both transform walls into living or nature-inspired features, they differ in system design, materiality, and function.
Lily Pad, Vertical Gardens, Earth Collection, CSI Creative
What are vertical gardens?
A vertical garden is a system that allows greenery—living, preserved, or artificial—to grow or be arranged on a vertical surface. Traditionally associated with living wall systems, these gardens often use pods, hydroponics, or modular grids to sustain plants. But modern practice has expanded the definition to include preserved or artificial foliage integrated into structural systems, especially in commercial interiors.
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Living vertical gardens improve air quality, regulate temperature, and evolve over time.
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Preserved vertical gardens keep the lush, organic look without irrigation needs, making them suitable for controlled environments.
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Artificial vertical gardens offer the same impact but with minimal upkeep, allowing architects to specify greenery in spaces with limited light or maintenance staff.
This versatility makes vertical gardens a functional design system rather than just a decorative surface. They often appear in atriums, facades, wellness areas, and any space where architects want a living architectural feature.
Quiet Terrace, Vertical Gardens, Earth Collection, CSI Creative
What are greenery (or foliage) walls?
A greenery wall, sometimes called a foliage wall, focuses primarily on aesthetic surface coverage. Instead of pods or grids, these systems use foliage mats or panels designed to create a seamless leafy skin. The grid is concealed, so the installation looks like a continuous field of green.
Greenery walls are most often composed of artificial or preserved foliage, although live moss walls are also common. Their greatest strength is visual consistency—the wall looks the same on day one as it does years later, requiring little more than occasional cleaning.
Architects often specify greenery walls in hospitality venues, restaurants, retail, and corporate interiors where the goal is to provide a biophilic visual impact without horticultural complexity. They also work beautifully as feature walls in lobbies, where uninterrupted greenery enhances branding and wayfinding.
Verdant Slat, Greenery / Foliage Walls, Earth Collection, CSI Creative
How do they compare in performance and design?
| Feature | Vertical Gardens | Greenery/Foliage Walls |
|---|---|---|
| Plant Material | Living, preserved, or artificial | Mostly artificial or preserved |
| System Type | Structural (pods, grids, hydroponics) | Surface panels or mats |
| Maintenance | High (living), low (preserved/artificial) | Minimal (dusting, light upkeep) |
| Visual Aesthetic | Dynamic, can evolve over time if living | Seamless, static, consistent |
| Primary Strength | Function + biophilia (air, wellness, design) | Aesthetic impact + acoustic integration |
| Best Applications | Enclosed spaces, small spaces, interiors | Open plan spaces, high-ceiling spaces, exteriors |
Otate A, Greenery / Foliage Walls, Earth Collection, CSI Creative
What is the CSI Creative Offering in Biophilic Walls?
CSI Creative bridges both categories with Acoustic Greenery Systems, designed for vertical installations and foliage-based walls alike.
Our offering includes:
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Replica, preserved, and live greenery options to meet any design or performance goal.
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ThermaLeaf® fire-retardant foliage, compliant with strict codes for commercial interiors.
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Acoustically absorptive PET and wool felt backings, delivering high NRC ratings for better soundscapes.
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Over 81 configurations of acoustic greenery systems, customizable in trimmed, lush, or mixed densities.
By combining biophilia with acoustics, our solutions serve architects who want both a design statement and a performance-driven wall system. Backed by WELL certification, Declare labels, HPDs, and recognition such as the Architizer A+Product Award (2024 & 2025), CSI Creative empowers architects to specify greenery walls with confidence, flexibility, and sustainability. Contact us today.
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