MOBILE Green Walls Offer Flexibility And Health Benefits In The Workplace

GSky’s MOBILE Versa Wall® units bring living nature into the workplace while also facilitating flexible space planning.

GSky’s mission statement is clear. Their goal is to bring “living green spaces to everyday places where people live, work and play.” As designers are increasingly bringing natural elements into the workplace, GSky’s team creates solutions that are affordable, adaptable, and maintainable around the world. With over 15 years of expertise and knowledge, they have developed a proven process that guarantees a healthy and successful green wall.

WDM recently chatted with GSky Chairman and CEO, Hal Thorne to find out more about the MOBILE Versa Wall® unit and their overall product offerings.

WDM: How will the addition of MOBILE Versa Wall® units impact workplace design?

GSky: The MOBILE Versa Wall® unit is ideal for flexible space planning. In the employee focused office, it improves productivity, fosters collaboration, provides privacy and sound absorption, and aids in air purification and optimal humidity. It provides the benefits of live plants and biophilic design, while also enhancing overall health and well-being.

Does the MOBILE Versa Wall® support agile and activity-based workplaces?

MOBILE Versa Wall® units can be used as stand-alone dividers, groupings of multiple units to partition larger spaces, a privacy screen to separate work areas, or to create warm and inviting coworking areas.

Can you tell a story of how this product will help our readers design and implement great workplace solutions?

One of the challenges that our large corporate financial client encountered in their workspace was the sterile look and feel of the areas and the juxtaposition of workspaces and common areas. This created several challenges of which privacy and noise reduction were top of mind. Flexibility in design was also needed as configurations would likely change over time.

Their design team had considered the standard fixes and while commonly used office acoustical panels can address this, they provide more of the same uninspired, repetitive, cold spaces employees dislike. They wanted something more for their employees, so they reached out to us.

After a site assessment and based on their space configuration, we knew our MOBILE Versa Wall® was the perfect solution for what the design team wanted to accomplish. We were selected to outfit a trial area with 5 units to assess compatibility with the desired design intent and gauge acceptance.

Our MOBILE Versa Walls® resolved all the aesthetic concerns while enhancing the productivity and health and well-being of employees. The result is a vibrant, versatile work area that was very well received. As a result of the trial success, the client ordered an additional 13 units to be used in similar areas on different floors of their corporate office.

We continue to work with the design team on future projects and anticipate incorporating more MOBILE Versa Walls® into their space.

What was the inspiration for the design of the MOBILE Versa Wall®?

With our knowledge of plants on walls and the rise in open office concepts and floor plans, we saw a need for a product that was key in flexible space planning while providing a positive impact for employees that was conducive to a health-conscious environment. And our patented tray system offered a perfect solution since the trays are already built into furniture and offer easy plant care.

What innovations in use of materials or fabrication are utilized in the manufacture of this product?

The product is a fully self-contained (water and light), made in the USA unit. We use a proprietary tray system that allows each plant its own water, and each tray holds 8 plants. It uses 4” industry standard grow pots whereby plants remain in the pot. It needs more water only every 8-10 days and it is easy to install, maintain and replace plants.

Where do you think the installation of this product will be most effective?

Corporate offices and campuses, healthcare facilities, collaborative areas – anywhere in the built environment where flexible space planning is desired.

A year from now, what would be the most exciting thing for the MOBILE Versa Wall®?

We would love for the mobile unit and green walls to become standard in office design and planning.

What is your general lead time for projects?

Depending on complexity, we try to work within an 8–12-week lead time.

What do you think our readers will love about the product?

Readers will love the ability to have a major impact on space with plants rather than the token practice of plants spread around in pots. They will also love the ability to really integrate plants into the work environment for the health and productivity benefits they bring. And of course the plants themselves. There are 200 in each unit to create an impressive natural display.

Are there any other unique features of the MOBILE Versa Wall® that would interest our readers?

The MOBILE Versa Wall® is a durable, sustainable, completely self-contained unit with automated irrigation and lighting. It features heavy duty locking swivel casters with height adjustment capability for sloped surfaces. It comes with plants on both sides or plants on one side with a dry erase board on the other. This product is built to last. See more key features and product specs here.

How can our readers connect with you to find out more about your company and offerings?

GSky® Plant Systens, Inc. is a leading provider of vertical Living Green Walls in North America, Europe, Australia, and the Middle East. We offer a suite of products with our unique, patented, and proprietary tray technology that uses potted plants places in individual niches: the Versa Wall®; the Versa Wall® SNAP; and the MOBILE Versa Wall® for Interior Use and the Versa Wall® XT for Exterior Applications. In addition, we offer other exterior systems: the Pro Wall® system for more design and the Basic Wall® system for higher heights and simple screening applications.

Please visit our website here or contact us here. We welcome inquiries!

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