The World's First Vertical Forest City Begins Construction in China
Giving new meaning to the term “green city.”
Vertical Forest is an architecture project by Stefano Boeri Architetti that combines natural trees into modern residential buildings for a revolutionary take on the term “green city.” The idea is that the leafy trees throughout the main structure will help fight air pollution by mitigating smog and producing more oxygen, as well as alleviating the burden of “concrete jungles.”
After completing the world’s first Vertical Forest Tower in Milan, Stefano Boeri is now taking his concept to a larger scale with the world’s first Vertical Forest City located in Liuzhou, a mountainous region in Guanxi, China.
The green city will accommodate up to 30,000 residents in modern buildings — designed as offices, houses, hotels, hospitals and schools — in a 175-hectare space near the Liujiang River. The city’s buildings will include a total of about 40,000 trees and nearly 1 million plants from over 100 species, which will absorb an estimated 10,000 tons of Co2 and 57 tons of pollutants per year, as well as produce up to 900 tons of oxygen.
Additionally, the greenery will benefit residents by acting as a cooling system for interior spaces, a noise barrier from highways and a support system for local biodiversity. Each building maximizes eco-friendly design and self-sufficiency with geothermal systems for air conditioning and rooftop solar panels for renewable energy. Vertical Forest City has started construction and is slated to open in 2020.
