Saturday, December 10, 2011

Le Mur Vegetal


The Musée du Quai Branly is an impressive museum in its own right,  but Patrick Blanc's vertical garden on the exterior is not to be missed. Measuring 200m wide and 12m tall, even in with icicles in January it was alive and well.  Click the link here to see more photographs that were obviously taken in warmer months.



Now fast forward to the latest news that the French company Ginger is proposing to cover la Tour Eiffel with bags of dirt and zillions of live plants and turn the whole thing into what is being dubbed as "
"The Green Giant".  Read more here about this harebrained idea!

15 comments:

martinealison said...

Je trouve l'idée et le concept merveilleux sur les murs du musée du Quai Branly, cependant je n'approuve pas l'idée pour la Tour Eiffel. Elle doit demeurer notre Dame de Fer, c'est ce qui fait son charme...
Je suis peut-être une peu traditionnelle dans l'âme!...
Merci pour les très jolies photos. Gros bisous

French Girl in Seattle said...

D'accord avec toi, MartineAlison. La Dame de Fer est déjà bien belle, décorée de ses lumières scintillantes! Virginia, I was fascinated by the musée Branly façade the first time I saw it. Have you ever had lunch or dinner at the excellent restaurant "Les Ombres" located inside? Amazing food, and the windows overlook la Seine and la Tour. You would love it! Reservations are a must! Veronique (French Girl in Seattle)

Karena said...

So interesting Virginia!! You capture marvelous images!!

The 12 Days of Holiday Giveaways!! The French Basketeer has a special offering right now and there are more gifts open to enter!

xoxo
Karena

Art by Karena

Malyss said...

I hope they will leave the Eiffel tower alone, she's pretty enough like this!
Meanwhile, I've heard that an artist (Christo)wants to wrap all the Colorado canyon with a big cover!!

PerthDailyPhoto said...

I really like the idea of the green wall like here on the Musee, but never on la Tour Eiffel. Removing carbon dioxide good..spending 97 million to do it , not so good! Surely it will never happen Virginia.

Starman said...

I wasn't crazy about the lighting in the Branley.

Elizabeth at Eiffel Tells said...

I stood in awe when I first saw this wall. It was the beginning of summer so the vegetation was a lush combination of green hues.
Thanks for taking me back there. Warm regards.

Virginia said...

Starman,
I agree it is dimly lit but I think it adds to the drama of the collections. I wasn't at the top of my game that day. My back was acting up and I probably didn't give it the time I needed to as I had to stop and take a break. I do like the way it's laid out. I was amazed at the families that were lined up outside waiting with small children in the misty cold that day to see a special exhibit. French parents expose their children to art at an early age. I love that.
V

Sheila said...

They can't add all the weight to the tower that all this soil and plant matter would add. In the
1980's tons of unecessary metal was removed from the Tour to relieve stress on the remaining parts. To add tons of weight back in would be ludicrous and this is either a joke or some nutty pipedream. (And I think I know what kind of pipe.)

Virginia said...

Sheila, Thank you for leaving a coment. I'm still laughing!
V

M said...

This is lovely and so very different. I imagine this is what they want to do to the Eiffel Tower ... I like it here but I'm not too crazy about the other. Very interesting photos. Bon weekend!

Jack said...

Last year I remember the Sydney bloggers showing an installation like this down near Circular Quay.

If the French have their wits about them, they won't do this to the Eiffel Tower. Aesthetics aside, I imagine the tower could not bear the additional weight.

Cezar and Léia said...

Il semble très écolo! :)
God bless you!
Cezar

Carla said...

I adore these living walls... imagine the Eiffel transformed into a huge living creature!!
Carla x

Jilly said...

love these vertical gardens. There are a couple in Monaco but nothing as impressive as in Paris.