Einar Johansen
More Than a Garnish
 
Mixed media on kraft card.
85 (w) x 23.2 cm, total framed size
 
I used to bemoan the proliferation of apartment developments throughout Greater Sydney and their bland, concrete facades. The Greenway corridor hasn’t been immune, albeit with a few moments of architectural expression like this brick-clad behemoth at Arlington as well as many inspired warehouse conversions. Now I imagine these developments' potential as blank canvases ready to be ensconced by the natural world; rendering any human-devised ornamentation obsolete. But nature isn't just there to be pretty. As urban centres have to reconcile the necessity of higher density housing to accommodate us all without completely destroying the place, we need to return the natural world to our cities to offset its ill effects. The simple yet vital benefits of cleaning the air, reducing the effects of urban heat islands brought about by these developments, and providing environmental therapy for their inhabitants – all at low cost, low effort, and often for free.