A vertical forest is expected to be completed this year in Milan. There are two tower apartment complexes which contain a total of 400 residential units. The facade of the buildings will be covered with 730 trees, 5,000 shrubs, and 11,000 perennial plants. It is expected to have the same ecological impact as 10,000 square meters of forest.
Aside from fighting smog and producing oxygen, the foliage is expected to provide insulation to the residential units.
It’ll be really cool to see how these trees grow in order to maximize access to sun, water, and nutrients. Also, a step towards a sci-fi solar punk future – I’m in.
I sure hope the structural engineers planned for the buildings to increase in mass as the trees grow.
Well, or else for maintenance labor to keep the trees rigorously trimmed to prevent too much increase in mass. Or both? (The wikipedia article says the engineering team consulted botanists and horticulturists in planning how much weight the buildings could bear, so it seems likely that the fact that trees grow would have come up.)
This is a pretty cool idea regardless and I hope they get it right. I wonder if anyone will do anything like this in New York.
This falls in the “I really hope they do it but I’ll believe it when I see it” category for me.
It’s been up for 2 years, inaugurated in October 2014, and still going strong. It’s won multiple awards.
Here they are building it.
Bosco Gardeners hang around outside the building.
Change of Seasons…
And a view from the place itself.
OH MY GOODNESS PLANTS ON A BUILDING I WANT TO LIVE THERE
this made me feel really uneasy, the ocean is terrifying.
its like when cats bring home a dead bird and drop it at your feet except the ocean is like I HAVE BROUGHT YOU THIS ENORMOUS TREE FROM THE DEPTHS OF HELL ENJOY
i feel like i should make a public service announcement that the arbor day foundation sells incredibly cheap (we’re talking $25 or less, though most are between $5 – $13) baby trees. you can even give them your zip code and they’ll let you know what varieties do best in your area!
seriously, i just got a magnolia from them and it is adorable and healthy and such a cute addition to my life. it’s small enough to keep in a pot indoors right now, so definitely apartment friendly!!!!! trees have been found to significantly improve mental health, and are good for your personal environment and The Environment as a whole. and plus, they’re fun to fuss over and love.
i will continue to reblog this b/c buying trees is awesome and soul-enriching.
eirenical17 