Greenroofs.com Project of the Week: 8/22/16

The B.O.B. Sky Patio
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
608 sf. Greenwall

Project of the Week Description & Details

Located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, the Sky Patio at The B.O.B. – an acronym for Big Old Building – is a landmark destination for dining and entertainment and a prime location in western Michigan to get outside and enjoy the outdoors. The 70,000-square-foot, four-story, red brick building was constructed in 1903 as Judson’s Grocery warehouse and stood vacant for decades before The Gilmore Collection saved it from demolition and began its multi-venue transformation which opened in 1997. Accessed through Bobarino’s, the second floor restaurant, The B.O.B. Sky Patio features a double-sided green wall that surrounds guests with greenery and provides fresh produce for the kitchen.

Installed in August 2015 using the LiveWall system, the double-sided green wall totals 608 square feet. The three exterior sections are attached to the outside of the fencing that surrounds the patio. Facing out to the street, these sections frame the Sky Patio on three sides with annuals and perennials including coleus, impatiens, bigroot geranium, and vinca vine. There are five interior sections: three on the inside of the perimeter fence, and two on the back wall of the building. In addition to flowers, the interior sections include vegetables and herbs used in all of their everyday dishes such as parsley, chives, and varieties of kale, Swiss chard, and rainbow carrots. The B.O.B.’s mixology team also incorporates fresh basil, mint, lemongrass, and thyme into special summer cocktails. In addition, the green walls provide opportunities to work with outreach organizations, local schools, food co-ops, and neighborhood associations. Contributing to the beautification of downtown plus dampening traffic sounds, the living walls green up the exterior and interior of The B.O.B. Sky Patio, making it more inviting from the street below and enhancing the dining experience of the guests.

Year: 2015
Owner: Gilmore Collection Restaurants
Location: Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Building Type: Commercial
Type: Living Wall
System: Single Source Provider
Size: 608 sq.ft.
Slope: 100%
Access: Accessible, Open to Public

Designers/Manufacturers of Record:

Director of Sustainability: Alice Jasper, The Gilmore Collection
Greenwall System: LiveWall®
Gardener: Barbie Smith, The Gilmore Collection
Greenwall Maintenance: The Gilmore Collection
Bobarino’s Chef: Mick Rickerd

View the PROJECT PROFILE to see ALL of the Photos and Additional Information about this particular project in The International Greenroof & Greenwall Projects Database.

Project of the Week Video Feature

Watch The B.O.B. Sky Patio Project of the Week Video below or see it on our GreenroofsTV channel on YouTube:

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