Flower Tower: wrapped in an outer layer of bamboo, this housing block is a vertical urban garden.Four years after completing his remarkable 'Sprouting Building' in Montpellier (AR May 2000), Paris-based architect Edouard Francois' appetite for offbeat off·beat n. Music An unaccented beat in a measure. adj. Slang Not conforming to an ordinary type or pattern; unconventional: offbeat humor. solutions to standard briefs remains undiminished. His latest housing block in the 17th arrondissment of Paris is a variation on the Montpellier project, replacing the gabion ga·bi·on n. 1. A cylindrical wicker basket filled with earth and stones, formerly used in building fortifications. 2. A hollow metal cylinder used especially in constructing dams and foundations. cages in which planting gradually takes root with an instant diaphanous screen of vegetation that seductively sheathes a low-rise residential tower in a lush green external skin. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Francois' starting point was the observation that Parisians make enthusiastic use of balconies for planting; even the most cramped and theoretically inaccessible spaces usually boast a tub or two of foliage, giving a rich and surprising dimension to city life. Francois incorporates, amplifies and rationalises these informal impulses in his scheme for an apartment block on a site in the north-west district of Paris, near the Porte d'Asnieres and the busy orbital ring road of the Peripherique. The development forms part of a wider Zone d'Amenagement Concerte (ZAC ZAC Zacatecas (Estado de México) ZAC Zone d'Aménagement Concerté ZAC Zero Administration Client (Network Associates) ZAC Zacapa (Guatemala, territorial division) )--special mixed urban development zones that usually involve various architects working together within a strong overall framework. Francois' building joins a series of new residential blocks by other designers arranged around a central landscaped square. The new 10-storey block is known as the Flower Tower, for reasons that are immediately obvious. Ranged along each perimeter balcony are tubs of luxuriant luxuriant /lux·u·ri·ant/ (lug-zhoor´e-ant) growing freely or excessively. bamboo, forming a shaggy green corona around the building, like some unruly organic coiffure coiffure: see hairdressing. . The white precast concrete containers housing the bamboo resemble oversized o·ver·size n. 1. A size that is larger than usual. 2. An oversize article or object. adj. o·ver·size also o·ver·sized Larger in size than usual or necessary. comic flower pots, each firmly embedded in the narrow cantilevered balconies to prevent being dislodged by high winds or human hands--a vital precaution as the pots adorn the full height of the tower. To keep the 380 pots in optimum condition, each is watered and fertilized fer·til·ize v. fer·til·ized, fer·til·iz·ing, fer·til·iz·es v.tr. 1. To cause the fertilization of (an ovum, for example). 2. automatically through a system of tubes incorporated into the metal balustrade. The bamboo garden therefore runs and grows itself, but the facades more exposed to the sun will obviously flourish more intensely. You imagine that the planting will also be periodically trimmed by some kind of maintenance agency, though there is always the prospect of residents resorting to tactical pruning if the foliage grows too abundant (or if they aren't en rapport with bamboo in the first place). [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Apart from making an eye-catching statement, the greenery functions as a heat and light diffusing screen; it also acts as a counterpoint to the angular contours and hard surfaces of the building behind. Though the pots are precast pre·cast adj. Relating to or being a structural member, especially of concrete, that has been cast into form before being transported to its site of installation. , walls and floors are made of in-situ concrete, using black and white aggregates at random (as supplies turned up on site), to achieve a curiously blotchy blotch n. 1. A spot or blot; a splotch. 2. A discoloration on the skin; a blemish. 3. Any of several plant diseases caused by fungi and resulting in brown or black dead areas on leaves or fruit. tr. marled effect, that might on initial viewing be mistaken for slightly slipshod slip·shod adj. 1. Marked by carelessness; sloppy or slovenly. See Synonyms at sloppy. 2. Slovenly in appearance; shabby or seedy. slip workmanship. Not so. Planning is simple and logical, with decently sized family flats (up to four bedrooms) compactly slotted in around a narrow central core of circulation and services. Within each flat, bathrooms and lavatories are usually internal, with living spaces, kitchens and bedrooms located on the perimeter to take advantages of views, light and the evolving profusion of greenery. Three subterranean floors of parking keep residents' cars off the streets. Flashes of colour, apart from the green foliage, are provided by a kaleidoscopic grid of mail boxes next to the entrance. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] It will be interesting to see how such a singular scheme develops over time; much will depend on how the bamboo is maintained, and the residents' reaction to their verdant ver·dant adj. 1. Green with vegetation; covered with green growth. 2. Green. 3. Lacking experience or sophistication; naive. veil. However, since Parisians tend to be well versed both in the nuances of apartment living and the foibles of architects, the omens for the Flower Tower's future must be hopeful. C.S. 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