With biophilic design and biophilia becoming increasingly popular and, finally, somewhat mainstream, you might be wondering what the difference is between moss walls vs. living walls… or vertical garden, as it is most commonly named. Even though there are a number of differences, we think that the decision to choose one or the other will come down to maintenance, cost and look.
A moss wall is one that has been largely covered with real, but preserved moss. This moss, because it is preserved, doesn’t require any soil, water or misting of any kind. Think of it as a piece of art made out of natural materials that are dormant and that, basically, require no maintenance at all. Moss comes in all kinds of colors, with an array of natural green shades depending on the kind of moss you use.
A living wall, on the other hand, is comprised of real, living plants that do require soil, water, misting, the right level of sunlight and everything else a regular plant would require.
One thing these two have in common is that they give you sensorial stimuli that allow you to reap the benefits of biophilia and biophilic design.
“A recent study by researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, published in the journal Environment International, supported that claim, concluding that biophilic interiors helped inhabitants recover from stress and reduce anxiety more quickly than interiors without natural elements, and documented a notable reduction in blood pressure.”
-CookFox Architects
Moss and living walls also help with reduction of noise and air pollution, regardless of moss being dormant. In fact, moss is so porous that it absorbs VOCs (volatile organic compounds) better than other live plants.
Having said all this, they are also very different in many ways.
