Give us Green - Bent Architecutre

Feature Article

Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Living in a highly constructed urban environment can leave little opportunity to embrace the natural world. Melbourne-based architectural firm, BENT Architecture, builds with the intention of bringing the two environments together to provide multifacetedly positive experiences to those to interact with these spaces.

Green spaces such as rooftops or vertical gardens integrated into a cityscape offer moments of calm that promote relaxation, socialising and physical activity. These benefits extend beyond the good of the individual, to the good of the community and to the overall environment; an outdoor retreat serves as so much more than a beautiful place for city-dwellers to enjoy their coffee.

Plants clean toxins from the air, enriching it with oxygen, and green spaces act as storm water runoff filtration systems that help to reduce the pollutants running into our waterways and provide homes for birds and insects that encourage bio-diversity and maintain local ecosystems.

BENT Architecture combine architecture with landscaping in a collaborative way that connects people with nature and the urban environment. Central transitional zones in a building are brought to life by a garden area that engages with its occupants. Working closely with a horticulturalist optimises the placement of plant species to ensure the success of the space.

Cities in Australia are growing at a rate faster than ever before and it is important to recognise the significance of incorporating green areas into our concrete jungles as we move into the future.

“Our ideal Melbourne would have green space (however large or small) incorporated within rooftops and facades wherever possible”, say BENT Architecture. “It would make for a more complex and rewarding urban experience and establish a network of green spaces that create a biodiversity benefiting the city at large.”