Tri-Health Offices - Baldwin Tower
Background
In the spring of 2016, Urban Blooms delivered an in-office presentation to GBBN Architects in downtown Cincinnati. This was one of our first presentations to a major architecture firm, and since then, we’ve presented to over 30 firms across the Midwest. GBBN has remained a valued partner, collaborating with us on multiple projects that bring the beauty of nature into working environments. Our first joint project was the 7-story TriHealth office complex in Cincinnati’s Baldwin Tower; an opportunity to brighten the days of hundreds of dedicated healthcare workers.
Challenges
This project features five living walls, each measuring 10 by 8 feet, located on the 7th, 9th, and 11th floors of the building, spanning over 70 feet in elevation between the highest and lowest gardens. Set back six inches into the walls, these gardens receive very limited natural light. The main challenge was to deliver consistent irrigation across the significant elevation difference and provide optimal artificial lighting to ensure healthy plants and visually stunning walls on every floor.
Outcome
This project transformed TriHealth’s new offices into a model of biophilic design, establishing one of the most extensive living wall installations in the country. Featuring over 1,000 vibrant tropical plants across 20 species, the greenery spans five living walls spread over three floors. Urban Blooms engineered a centralized irrigation system that delivers pressure-regulated water and nutrients directly to each wall. Combined with full-spectrum LED lighting, this system ensures the plants thrive in optimal growing conditions year-round.