Vertical forest towers designed by Italian Architect Stefano Boeri will rise in China in 2018, the first of its kind in Asia. The building will be covered with flowering plants, trees, and shrubs that help resolve issues with air pollution and global warming.
The tower is conceived with the environmental aspect of growing plants around the building in its provisioned ground space. Stefano Boeri told Digital Trends, "The idea of the Vertical Forest was born several years ago, as a way to contrast what had become a stylistic trend in the architecture of skyscrapers. The excessive amount of glass on the facades and the thermal effects that it has in our cities. From this reflection came the idea to include not only green surfaces but also trees that could ... reduce the amount of CO2 and dust particles in the atmosphere."
The design of the tower has been adjusted ensuring that the balconies can withhold the weight of the soil and trees that will be grown alongside the tower. Yangzi Group President Cai Long said in China Daily uploaded on Stefano Boeri Architetti said, "Each tree planted on the balconies will be tested in a wind tunnel to prove it can remain vertical in storms." He further added that this vertical forest is advantageous for the environment by regulating microclimate, isolating noise, and reducing heat flows.
Professor Zhou Qi of Southeast University Architecture School said, "high cost of construction and maintenance will prevent the vertical forest from developing rapidly. Growing tree will greatly raise the cost of construction materials and labor. This is the exact problem Stefano Boeri encountered when his firm raised the same vertical forest in Milan.
The vertical forest will be built in the Nanjing Pukou District, comprising of two towers interchange of green tanks and balconies. Stefano Boeri said this will be home to a hotel, museum, architecture school, and a private club.
