An artist rendering of the finished skyscrapers. (Photo: Courtesy of Boeri Studio)
In Milan, a new kind of skyscraper is under construction. Once complete later this year, the two-building project will be covered in greenery, an effect that gives the buildings their name: Bosco Verticale, or Vertical Forest.
A plan for one of the apartments. (Courtesy of Boeri Studio)Yahoo! News spoke with Boeri Studio, the architectural firm behind the buildings' design. Construction on the residential skyscrapers began in 2008 and is set to be complete sometime this year when people can move in. But people aren't the only residents. Also moving in: a heckuva lot of trees, plants, and shrubs.
The two buildings (26 stories and 18 stories) will be quite literally covered in green: 480 big and medium-size trees, 250 small trees, and roughly 11,000 groundcover plants, according to the firm. It's the equivalent of a hectare (almost 2.5 acres) of forest on the sides of the buildings, the firm says.
But the trees and bushes and plants aren't just for show. The designers explain that they will also help to filter out air pollution, a major problem in big cities like Milan. "Vertical Forest helps to build a micro-climate and to filter dust particles which are present in the urban environment," write the designers. "The diversity of the plants helps to create humidity, and absorb CO2 and dust, produces oxygen, protects people and houses from the sun’s rays and from acoustic pollution."
One of the vertical forests under construction. (Photo: Carola Merello)PaginationHanna
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Hanna • RemoveThe news in few years time will be the tree fall down from sky and kill the pedestrian.... Medium size trees need bigger room for roots. I wonder how long can it last till it drop. Hey, my friend plant mango tree outside landed house, the roots break their cement parking lot from underneath.
Reply- Greg Miech • Report Abuse
Bring the mountain to the city. Wait until the first tree falls over. Plenty of leaves to be around the place.
2 Replies - Well That's Just Me • Report Abuse
The water damage and plants tearing apart the structure with limbs and roots will make the structure cost-prohibitive.
12 Replies - Gollum • Report Abuse
I could see this working in a country like Switzerland, where residents obsessively take care of things around them. In Italy, though...mama mia, I forgot to water the plants again! Okay, ciao little brown shrub. Look out below!
7 Replies - Emerson • Report Abuse
you need as much room for the roots as for the rest of the tree, I only see enough room to grow a vegetable garden
Reply - X T • Report Abuse
This is ridiculous. Did they even have a landscaper or botanist on the project? The weight of the soil and trees (and water) is pretty high and the amount of space they've left for soil is way too small for the trees they're showing - the only way that would work would be if the trees are... More
4 Replies - Newsdelight • Report Abuse
@Anton, I was fortunate to live in the area where we had exactly that; however, it was only a two lane in either direction. Traveling was a pleasure because it was scenic now it is a concrete jungle. Remember route 66?
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