The Rittenhouse » GSky Plant Systems Inc. -

OVERVIEW

The Rittenhouse Hotel is the most prestigious Philadelphia Pennsylvania hotel address. Consistently recognized not only as the premier choice of five-diamond Philadelphia luxury hotels, The Rittenhouse is also ranked among the world´s finest places to stay.

As a world-class five star hotel, The Rittenhouse wanted to improve it’s front entrance further as there was a bare concrete wall beside the front parking area. Working with Wells Appel Landscape Architects, GSky brought Ambius into the project to install and maintain the wall through their local Philadelphia office. The plant selection is a mix of native and naturalized species of plants and is laid out in a completely abstract pattern across the wall.

Location	210 West Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Client	The Rittenhouse
Architect / Interior Designer	None
Landscape Architect	Wells Appel
Green Wall Designer(s)	Anna Wik (of Wells Appel)
General Contractor	None
Green Wall Contractor	Ambius Inc.
Grower	Parker Group of Companies
Maintenance Contractor	Ambius Inc.
Date Installed	June 2010
Product Type	Pro Wall System
Total Size	406 Sq Ft
Climate	USDA Climate Zone 7a
Plants	Ajuga reptans Royalty Dryopteris marginalis Gaulteria procumbens Hedera helix Baltica Liriope muscari Big Blue Liriope muscari Variegata Euonymus japonicus Microphyllus Rubus calycinoides Polypodium virginianum Polystichum acrostichoides Viola labradorica

THE PROCESS The installation process took place over a full week (5 working days). The irrigation system was installed first and then the frames, panels and trim. As this was an existing building, the electrical and plumbing had to be roughed in before Ambius arrived on site to begin installation. The installation was performed using ladders.

MAINTENANCE Maintenance of the wall is performed using ladders. Because of the winter climate that Philadelphia experiences, there is an automated winterization system installed in the irrigation system where there are temperature sensors that sense when the temperature is close to freezing, they then shut down the watering schedule and open a series of drainage valves that allow the water to gravity drain out of the pipes before any pipes freeze. The reverse happens again in the spring as well, the temperature rise is detected and the water is turned on as soon as possible for the plants.

LOCATION