Exterior living wall
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Khalifa Avenue
Qatar's stunning 7,000m² living wall defies extreme heat and climate conditions, setting a world record in the process.
The story behind the world’s largest living wall
In 2018, Viritopia’s Principal Urban Environmental Consultant, Steve McIntyre, had just finished giving a talk in Qatar about urban greening when a group of locals approached him with a question: Was it possible to green the long avenue being constructed in their community?
They wanted the avenue surrounded by greenery, but its long, sloping walls seemed to leave only one option: concrete. Steve’s talk showed them that planting could cover the surfaces instead.
That conversation that followed sparked what would become the largest living wall in the world.
The living wall would need to cover 7,000m² of sloping façade while withstanding extreme heat, intense UV, high humidity, and hot coastal winds. This required a system flexible enough for both the façade structure and the climate.
After seeing what was possible with living walls and assessing multiple systems, the clients and landscaping team chose the Viritopia Living Wall System® for the job.
STRATEGY
The Viritopia system, delivered by local experts
This living wall was being planned in a region where temperatures reach over 50 degrees Celsius, humidity levels reach 90%, and the UV index often exceeds 11. We partnered with local landscaping experts, Nakheel Landscapes, to design the best plant palette for the climate and install the walls.
When working with local contractors around the world, Viritopia doesn’t just supply the system.
We also:
- Advise on plants and substrate: We worked with Nakheel Landscapes to choose the right species and substrate composition, which involved testing several species of plants in the modules to ensure compatibility.
- Consult on design: We created mockups of various designs and patterns to align on the aesthetic direction.
- Help with the logistics: Our consultants also advised on irrigation strategy, installation logistics, and long-term maintenance.
- Provide training: Finally, we trained the team to install the modules and traveled to Qatar to provide practical support during delivery.
This is how Viritopia approaches international projects: we provide local contractors with the system, training, and technical guidance to complement their expertise and ensure successful living wall delivery.
What made the Viritopia Living Wall System the right choice?
- Proven in the Middle East: Viritopia’s system has been successfully used on developments in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, The United Arab Emirates, and other countries with hot, humid climates and high UV exposure.
- Designed for angled façades: Our system can be installed at an angle between 30-90 degrees while allowing for healthy plant rooting and development.
- Native plants and longevity: The system supports various substrates and plant species, enabling landscapers to use plants that are suited to thrive in the local climate.
IMPACT
A new benchmark for living walls
Completed in 2020, Khalifa Avenue maintains its record as the world’s largest living wall. The 7,000m² of planting was fully established within a few months, replacing what would have been a long stretch of hot concrete with living greenery.
This project proved the versatility of living walls — showing that they can work in harsh climates, with sloping angles, and at a large scale when using the right system.
- 7,000m² of continuous planting
The living wall stretches along the avenue’s sloping sides, making it the largest installation of its kind in the world. - Beautiful greenery
The finished wall was well received by locals. They welcomed the transformation and took pride in having a world-record living wall in their community. - Proven in an extreme climate
The project demonstrates how Viritopia’s living walls thrive even in hot, humid, and high-UV conditions.
Project gallery
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Partner with the team behind the world’s largest and most awarded living walls.
