Mpls landscape architects Rosenlof/Lucas rock the flatlandscape in a fence devised of rocks and wire. This structural material found a new, powerful effect that's natural and urban at the same time.
Gabions are stone-filled wire baskets developed to stabilize soil and prevent erosion. Here, they are 4-inches thick and hand-filled with gneiss granite, though other native stones or references could be used. 
Grasses and flowers have softness and impact versus the texture of stone and wire
Herzog & de Meuron introduced the use of gabions architecturally, in the much acclaimed Dominus Winery. Since then, gabions have been used a few buildings worldwide.
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Comments (14)
Love this option to hide our ugly air conditioner. Any links to where I can find this in Chicago? Thanks
it seems like one of those things that looks amazing from a distance but kinda like a construction site up close...
I've seen a few of these walls around the southwest, and yes, they need to be done well to look good.
this type of wall is used in different parts of the world on the side of the roads, instead of a concrete wall. i think they look nicer
Just hope the wire doesn't corrode !
Do these sorts of walls make for easy critter hideouts?
There's a newish synagog located at 303 Dodge in Evanston that has a short wall/bench that uses this kind of construction. I've only passed by the building but it's very interesting is a LEED certified green building. Here's a rendering: http://shalomrav.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/mishkan-day-view.jpg and if the picture piques your interest they give docent led tours - to schedule call 847-328-7678.
Yes, anmar, they do. After the Herzog and de Meuron winery was built they found out the walls made a perfect for rattlesnake. I think they fixed that problem, but i'm not sure how.
innov8 - It is used for an interior wall at a popular boystown bar called Cocktail, located at Roscoe and Halsted. It's lit from behind and looks pretty sweet. But the real draw is the massive alabaster bar which is lit from within, totally worth checking out. (and it's a great place to grab a drink)
I love gabion walls & used them in a project this winter. The metal in the cages is used by the NYS highway department to retain walls in rock-slide areas upstate; I figured that if it's good enough for them it would be fine for a house in Southampton.
Check it out:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lukeferran/GabionWallsPeconicDesignGroup
Gabion walls were all the rage when I was getting my degree in Landscape Architecture in the late '90's, to the point of being kind of passe now. BEWARE: If this is the same winery, I believe it is one that one of my professors helped design, and she told us that snakes were hanging out in the walls, which freaked the hell out of me. No gabions for this snake-a-phobe!
It looks like a prison wall or something to me. I don't like it. Maybe it's the dark color of the stones, but it seems depressing.
Nope, I'm wrong, that's not the same winery she worked on. All I remember for sure was the part about snakes in the gabion walls, as I remember every snake I've ever encountered or heard about. I never trust the "fixed the problem" when it comes to rattlesnakes. EEK!
OH, as part of the trend, mini-gabions became cool was to show off materials in L.Arch exhibitions as well. It looked really cool at the time.
The fence is spectacular in real life. Every time you look at it it evolves as the light passing through it changes. Visually, it's really airy and gentle actually, not heavy. We, http://www.ro-lu.com, did this collaboratively with the firm hiveMODULAR for their first actual build a few years ago. There's a short video about it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2TWjrPhSU0
We were really happy with how it turned out.
cheers,
molu of rolu