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Nicole Ratajczak, Marisa Musing

In recent years the city of Toronto has become a major focal point in terms of its urban development and population growth, two factors which are both expanding at exponential rates. The city’s ever growing population is in constant demand of further urbanization, placing less focus on green space and plant life within the city. The Breathing Wall strives to revitalize the city’s views on the importance of the natural environment and works to harmonize plant life with the fabric of the city.
With its swift, nearly aerodynamic design and minimal floor area coverage, the Breathing Wall encourages people of Toronto to experience their city on foot by making the walking experience more enjoyable and engaging. The wall is an interactive piece; the perforated steel walls are sized to fit the standard dimensioned soup can through its holes, and Torontonians are encouraged to plant seeds in their own recycled tin cans and insert them into the wall. The end result is a unique contrast between steel and greenery, representing the balance between the urban and green environment that the city of Toronto and every present-day urban city strives to attain. As more and more people participate with the wall, it grows and becomes a living, breathing member. In its full execution the wall is abundant in plant life and acts as a significant environmental symbol as well as an interactive part of the city and its urban fabric.
The Breathing Wall is modern day pop-up architecture; it is “light, quick, and cheap” in its materiality, assembly, and disassembly. It is made from recycled materials such as reclaimed light gauge steel frame members and puts recycled tin cans to use with its innovative and interactive design. Pedestrians interact with the wall by inserting vegetation planted in a recycled tin can. At the time of disassembly, the plants can either be claimed by the participants or the tin cans can be recycled and the plants can be planted in public parks throughout the city.