1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Montpellier
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
Immeuble qui pousse (Chateau-le-Lez)
Short description of the intervention
The Sprouting Building is an apartment complex which was built in 2000 in such a way as to have seeds grow from the exterior walls of the building. "There are "balcony-gardens" to dine in with many friends, "balcony-cabins" perched among the trees for more intimate encounters, "balcony-lookouts" to curiously explore the foliage of the treetops, and "balcony-terraces" for reflection and contemplation. The project could have been called “the balcony in all its forms" but instead it was named "the building that grows." The building "grows" thanks to plants on the building's walls. Its skin has become a kind of mini-ecosystem" (Ref. 1).
Address

93 Allée de Corfou
34000 Montpellier
France

Location
Point location, which indicates where the NBS takes place
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Building
Unknown
Website of the intervention
http://www.edouardfrancois.com/en/projects/housing/details/article/58/limmeuble…
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
1998
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
unknown
End date of the intervention
2000
Present stage of the intervention
Completed
Goals of the intervention
-Incorporate nature in a housing building
"Each balcony has a planter, from which escape climbing, flowering and aromatic plants" (Ref. 2)
"One morning, when handling rocks, chicken wire , and concrete, we invented a living skin. It had to grow; to sprout. We put bags of potting soil and plants behind the stones. We watered it with organic fertilizer. It was seeded by mountain climbers. Then we installed an automatic irrigation system on the façade." (Ref. 1)
-"blending nature in design, exterior rock walls covered in plants growing from a seeded steel mesh layer, cantilevered rustic timber balconies that look like tree houses" (Ref. 3)
The architect Edouard François said: "I belong mainly to a generation of architects who want to reconcile the city and nature" (Ref. 4)
Quantitative targets
2 million seeds had been slipped into the walls of the building in order to have a vegetation facade within 3 years (Ref. 4).
"The building's vegetation cover (only 30%) is expected in three years" (Ref. 4).
64 apartments (Ref. 4).
Monitoring indicators defined
Number of seeds planted within 3 years (Ref 4)
Per cent coverage of building with vegetation in three years (Ref 4)
Number of apartments (Ref 4)
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Regulation of built environment
Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
Real estate development
Climate change mitigation: What were the goals of the NBS?
Reduce energy demand, with the use of renewables or energy efficiency improvements
Implementation activities
- Vegetation facade with automatic irrigation :"This was made possible thanks to a system that traps stones in a fine wiring, allowing to slip 2 million seeds into the interstices of sand. These seeds will grow and become all kinds of plants - succulents, in particular, varieties of greasy plants with non-aggressive roots resistant to drought." (Ref. 4) Then we installed an automatic irrigation system on the façade." (Ref. 1)
-Green balconies and terraces
-Herbs that grow on the walls in that tenants can pick them up for their own use.
-The vegetal walls of the building and the rocks used allow to avoid air conditioning during hot days. (Ref. 1 and 2)
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Nature on buildings (external)
Green walls or facades
Balcony greens
Type of Green Wall
Substrate / soil-based living wall
Vegetation Type
Trees
Other
Please specify how many trees were planted
Unknown
Please specify other amenities offered by the NBS
64 apartments (Ref. 4).
Amenities offered by the NBS
Other
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Provisioning services
Food for human consumption (crops, vegetables)
Regulating services
Local climate regulation (temperature reduction)
Mediation of smell / noise / visual impacts
Other
Habitat and supporting services
Habitats for species
Cultural services
Aesthetic appreciation
Inspiration for culture, art and design
Recreation
Physical and experiential interactions with plants and animals
Please specify "other regulating service"
Cool air in summer "no need climatisation" (Ref. 2)
Scale
Spatial scale
Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
National-level government
Private sector/Corporate/Company
Citizens or community groups
Governance
Governance arrangements
Led by non-government actors
Non-government actors
Private sector/Corporate/Business
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
Pragma (Real Estate Agency in Montpellier) is the client (Ref. 1).
However, it is mentioned on the architect's website that:"This project was used in a campaign for architectural quality by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication" (Ref. 1), therefore the Ministry of Culture and Communication can be a beneficiary but not part of the power distribution of this initiative.
It is mentioned on the architect's website that:"This project was used in a campaign for architectural quality by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication" (Ref. 1).
The local government has development regulations in place which the project was required to folow: "The joint development zone where this building is located is called "Z.A.C des Berges du Lez" in which there is a specific requirements for future building to be constructed to follow" (Ref. 5).
Key actors - initiating organization
Private sector/corporate actor/company
Land owners
Real estate developer
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Local government/municipality
Private sector/corporate actor/company
Please specify other participatory methods
It is mentioned on the architect's website that:"This project was used in a campaign for architectural quality by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication" (Ref. 1)
Land owners
Real estate developer
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Other
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
Yes
Please specify the "local regulation/strategy/plan"
The joint development zone where this building is located is called "Z.A.C des Berges du Lez" in which there is a specific requirements for future building to be constructed to follow: "Château Le Lez (other name for the Sprouting Building) is located in the town center, in the Z.A.C. of the Berges du Lez, on the edge of "Antigone" and directly in front of the vast natural wooded areas where the river called "Lez" flows. The specifications of the Z.A.C. insists on the pivotal role of this future sector caught between density and nature. Future buildings will, by their architecture, ensure this transition harmoniously by insisting on their own landscape treatment" (Ref. 5).
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Mandatory (based on policy)
Intervention is mandatory
Spatial planning guidance
Building regulation
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
"In 2011, the City adopted a sustainable urban development framework, coordinated with all municipal services and urban planning practitioners in Montpellier, known as AURA"(Ref. 6)
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify the general plan with GI/NBS section
It is not specifically for this intervention but in general for the urbanism: "In 2011, the City adopted a sustainable urban development framework, coordinated with all municipal services and urban planning practitioners in Montpellier, known as AURA" (Ref. 6)
If there is a relevant strategy or plan, please specify the theme / type of the plan.
Urban redevelopment plan
Please specify other vegetation type
Succulents, mosses, herbs (Ref. 1). "Succulents, in particular, varieties of succulents with non-aggressive roots that are resistant to drought. But that's not all. Some balconies (16 square meters), designed in the form of cabins and connected to the living room by walkways, seem to be suspended in the branches of trees planted on purpose at the foot of the building" (Ref. 4).
seeds, "balcony-gardens" ,"balcony-cabins", "balcony-lookouts", foliage of the treetops, and "balcony-terraces" (Ref 1)
flowering and aromatic plants" (Ref. 2)
mountain climbers. (Ref. 1)
exterior rock walls covered in plants growing from a seeded steel mesh layer, cantilevered rustic timber balconies that look like tree houses" (Ref. 3)
"nature" ; vegetation(Ref. 4)
vegetal walls (Ref 1, 2)
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Yes
Please specify
"In 2011, the City adopted a sustainable urban development framework, coordinated with all municipal services and urban planning practitioners in Montpellier, known as AURA"(Ref. 6)
Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Co-finance for NBS
Unknown
Co-financing governance arrangements
Unknown
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
Unknown
Financing
Total cost
More than €4,000,000
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
4800000 (Ref 1)
What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?
Unknown
What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?
Unknown
Please specify cost savings
Unknown
Please specify total cost (EUR)
"Budget of 4,8 M €" (Ref. 1)
Source(s) of funding
Corporate investment
Type of fund(s) used
Unknown
Non-financial contribution
No
Business models
Green densification model
Please specify other environmental impact
improved water management/efficiency: -We watered it with organic fertilizer. It was seeded by mountain climbers. Then we installed an automatic irrigation system on the façade." (Ref. 1)
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Private for-profit actor (e.g. firm, insurer)
Type of innovation
Technological
Product innovation
Infrastructural innovation
Social
Governance innovation
Cultural innovation
Please specify technological innovation
Irrigation system in the garden wall and the infrastructure design (Ref. 1).
Please specify social innovation
Tenants of the apartments are part of this new way of living with nature surrounding them.
Possibly a governance innovation as it says on the architect's website: "This project was used in a campaign for architectural quality by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication" (Ref. 1)
Novelty level of the innovation
The innovation is completely new without connections to previous initiative(s)
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
"The new urban planning experience currently being carried out in downtown Montpellier" (Ref. 5).
Replicability/Transferability
The innovation is not referred to as being transferred to new initiative(s)
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
There are no replicability terms mentioned in the data.
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Climate change
Lowered local temperature
Reduced emissions
Green space and habitat
Promotion of naturalistic styles of landscape design for urban development
Increased green space area
Increased number of species present
Other
Please specify other economic impact
Generation of affordable properties (Ref. 4)
Description of environmental benefits
Climate change
-Lowered local temperature/reduced emissions: General description, "The vegetal walls of the building and the rocks used, allow to avoid air conditioning during hot days" (Ref. 1 and 2). "Behind these thick walls, the apartments stay cool in summer. Air conditioning is not required. All the facades are colonized by plants that inhabit the interstices of the rocks" (attachment, "building project description").

Green space and habitat:
Increased green space area/naturalistic styles of design/increased species presence: "2 million seeds had been slipped into the walls" (Ref. 4). It is unclear what percentage of the wall has been covered by vegetation (as of August 3, 2020)
Economic impacts
Stimulate development in deprived areas
Other
Description of economic benefits
Generation of affordable properties: "Result: the 64 apartments - 13,000 francs per square meter - were almost all sold off plan in ten months: “This is not an elitist clientele, but regular employees and retirees looking for a quality of life ”, notes the promoter Michel Troncin" (Ref. 4).
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Improved access to urban green space
Increased access to healthy/affordable food
Health and wellbeing
Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Cultural heritage and sense of place
Improvement in people’s connection to nature
Increased appreciation for natural spaces
Please specify other environmental justice issue
nature and low income housing access increased together: "Result: the 64 apartments - 13,000 francs per square meter - were almost all sold off plan in ten months: “This is not an elitist clientele, but regular employees and retirees looking for a quality of life" (Ref. 4).
Description of social and cultural benefits
Social justice and cohesion
-Improved access to urban green space: "Result: the 64 apartments - 13,000 francs per square meter - were almost all sold off plan in ten months: “This is not an elitist clientele, but regular employees and retirees looking for a quality of life" (Ref. 4).

Cultural heritage and sense of place
-Improvement in people’s connection to nature/increased appreciation for natural spaces/increased recreation: "Some balconies (16 square meters), designed in the form of cabins and connected to the living room by walkways, seem to be suspended in the branches of trees planted on purpose at the foot of the building" (Ref. 4). "There are "balcony-gardens" to dine in with many friends, "balcony-cabins" perched among the trees for more intimate encounters, "balcony-lookouts" to curiously explore the foliage of the treetops, and "balcony-terraces" for reflection and contemplation" (Ref. 1).
increased access to healthy/affordable food: -Herbs that grow on the walls in that tenants can pick them up for their own use. (Ref. 1 and 2)
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
-2 million seeds had been slipped into the walls of the building in order to have a vegetation facade within 3 years (Ref. 4).
-We watered it with organic fertilizer. It was seeded by mountain climbers. Then we installed an automatic irrigation system on the façade." (Ref. 1)
-Green balconies and terraces (Ref. 1 and 2)
-Herbs that grow on the walls in that tenants can pick them up for their own use. (Ref. 1 and 2)
-The vegetal walls of the building and the rocks used, allow to avoid air conditioning during hot days. (Ref. 1 and 2)
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Water management (SDG 6)
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Environmental quality
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
No information available
Environmental justice: The implementation of the NBS project resulted in ...
Improved access to green and/or blue spaces
Other
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
No specific information available as of August 3, 2020.
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
No evidence in public records
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Unknown
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
Unknown.
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No evidence in public records
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
Ref. 1
Ref. 2
Ref. 3
Ref. 4
Ref. 5
Ref. 6
Documents relevant to the intervention
Attachment Size
Building project description (164.59 KB) 164.59 KB
List of references
1. Maison Edouard Francois (n.d). "Building that grows". Available at: http://www.edouardfrancois.com/en/projects/housing/details/article/58/limmeuble-qui-pousse/#.WUbikBN97X_ (Accessed: August 3, 2020).
2. Anon. (n.d). "Château Le Lez, l'Immeuble qui pousse". Available at: archicontemporaine.org. http://www.archicontemporaine.org/RMA/p-8-lg0-Chateau-Le-Lez-l-Immeuble-qui-pousse.htm?fiche_id=1366 (Accessed: August 3, 2020).
3. Wall, Kristin (2010). "The Sprouting Building – Montpellier, France". Available at: https://aedesign.wordpress.com/2010/01/26/the-sprouting-building-montpellier-france/ (Accessed: August 3, 2020).
4. Leloup, Michèle (2000). "L'immeuble qui pousse". Available at: lexpress.fr. http://www.lexpress.fr/culture/art/l-immeuble-qui-pousse_498563.html (Accessed: August 3, 2020).
5. Anon. (n.d). "Chateau LE LEZ dit l’immeuble qui pousse". Available at: Montpellier Histoire et Photos. http://montpellier-histoire.com/chateau-le-lez.html (Website not available in 2020).
6. Montpellier.fr (n.d) "Référentiel en urbanisme durable AURA". Available at: http://www.montpellier.fr/3533-referentiel-en-urbanisme-durable-aura-.htm (please download the guide Aura for more information about the programme) (Accessed: August 3, 2020).
Comments and notes
Comments
2020 comments:
The plants on the building vegetal walls took more time than expected to grow. (Ref. 5) In the picture on this page source in 2006, it is said that the plants are not yet covering the building.

The surface area in unclear. Ref. 2 refers to "Useful surface: 4,300 m²"
Public Images
A cubic architectural building with trees in front
https://www.edouardfrancois.com/projects/limmeuble-qui-pousse#.WUbikBN97X_
Vegetation growing out of stones on the wall of a building
https://www.edouardfrancois.com/projects/limmeuble-qui-pousse#.WUbikBN97X_