does this happen often?

[DrewB]

Well its nearly finished and today i went back to do some adjustements. You can see in the pics that the underside of the over hang has a watering and sunlight sytem to mimic the daily conditions-systems are on sensors so when it rains the mists turn on and sunny days see the lights activated so the tree will stay healthy in the shade of the alcove of the building. Had to go and adjust the water sprays today-proper nightmare, the building overhangs by 12ft and no bolting points on building so having to anchor into TIPs about the size of 2 fingers. This is gunna grow so quick its going to be pruned very very very often. The designer thought we could prune the tree in the future by going into the apartments, removing the windows and using pole clips-im sure the residents would be stoked with that.

[Giles Hill]

I appreciate the tying back of branches while machinerry is moved about, but installing artifical sunlight and rain seems to have overstepped the thin line between good practice and completely bonkers!

 

The tree is now located next to a building rather than thin air, so it seems odd to put in a system that will artifically encourage growth toward the building - particularly given that you will then have to remove all the growth. What's the point of that?

[DrewB]

i think it was a statement to the developers to show that the trees will not automatically be placed 2nd behind the building of a new apartment block. but i agree thats its abit silly in practice........

[Giles Hill]

Thanks Drew, to be fair you have to be impressed that the work is being carried out to such a high standard and in strict accordance with what has been agreed.

 

Over here, a lot of agreements seem to be forgotten once planning permission has been granted.

[Mark T]

This all sounds ok if you are talking about a temporary building which is to be used as a 'showpiece - how it could be done' type of deal but is it really sustainable? I don't think so. What was the underground protection like? Was as much thought put into that as above ground?

 

That said, I would liked to have seen it... I wonder will be going on there in 5 years!

[Billy]

This all sounds ok if you are talking about a temporary building which is to be used as a 'showpiece - how it could be done' type of deal but is it really sustainable? I don't think so. What was the underground protection like? Was as much thought put into that as above ground?

 

That said, I would liked to have seen it... I wonder will be going on there in 5 years!

the building is being built on piles so there not alot of deep compaction going on for big strip foundations and all the tanking and drainage to go with them so its not bad all round.

[coolie]

does this happen often?

 

Modern Arboriculture by Shigo,on page 2, there is a pic of a concave shaped Office Block in NZ, that was shaped to allow an existing Pohutakawa tree to grow.Its more common with footpaths and low volume roads.

In my own experience,I have found it to be most common to transplant or fell trees from a new development.Then to start again from scratch with new plantings with maybe some of the existing trees retained.

You get some good jobs eh Drew.

[DrewB]

it keeps things interesting bro! ive gotta abseil down the building tomoz to change one of the sprinkler heads, the only tie in point is off the 15th floor.

[ging]

sounds like a fun job to be on, but where do they stand when people on the lower floors complain that the trees are blocking sun-light to the windows and that its affecting thier health etc... or are the apartments all on the upper floors?

[Mark Cattell]

How big were the rigs? I'd more concered about soil compaction and root damage and than the canopy issues.... also water/dariage issues having a multi stry build so close nto the trees.