A Pattern. A Structure. A living system?

For this assignment I wanted to make a pattern and a structure that could be applied to common landscape features. The concept was to make a pattern that could be used as a green retaining wall and a structure that could be used as a permeable paver. Here are my concept sketches:

The retaining wall design was simple, a concrete wall with a screen embedded in it near the "surface" to act as a barrier to keep the soil contained. Were the original soil meets the screen a window for plants to emerge is born. Here are photos showing the pattern, then the pattern in application.

The honeycomb paver was a simple diamond shape overlayed with wire mesh, inspired by the grated floating deck on the ASLA green roof. The concept is that the oversized pavers would contain a growing medium and plants and the grated surface would allow it to be walked on, with the pressure of body weight on the tips of the plants keeping them trimmed at the grate. Here are photos showing the structure and then the structure in application.

 

When this pattern and this structure are combined in the landscape they become a living system.