Italian architect Stefano Boeri aims to combat climate change by building forests in the city. From the first Vertical Forest in Asia in Nanjing, China, to another Forest City in Liuzhou, the designer is planning to turn the country from the world's biggest polluter to an eco-friendly place.
The Vertical Forest
The Vertical Forest or the Nanjing Project is Boeri's third vertical forest mode, which will get completed at the end of 2019. The first one is built in Milan, Italy, in 2014, and has 800 trees, 4,500 shrubs, and 15,000 plants. The second one is in Eindhoven, Netherlands, and is set to be complete in July 2019.
Boeri described the Vertical Forest as a "model for the sustainable residential building." The architect strongly believes it can help fight climate change.
But compared to his project in Milan, Boeri's Vertical Forest in China would be much bigger. It would get based on two residential towers, which would be higher than the one in Italy, around 200 meters and 108 meters, per the South China Morning Post. It would also hold 1,100 trees, with around 23 local species, and 2,500 plants and shrubs, which are now getting tended in local nurseries.
With the building of the Vertical Forest, Boeri said the air quality would surely improve. Also, the "heat island" effect and energy consumption would get lessened. The project would generate 60kg of oxygen per day, would absorb 25 tons of carbon dioxide, and would produce different breeds of wildlife. The architect based his projections on his prototype in Milan.
Liuzhou Forest City
Boeri will also build Liuzhou Forest City in Guangxi in northern China near Liujiang Lake. It will hold 40,000 trees, a million plants, buildings, streets, homes, schools, offices, hospitals, and 30,000 occupants. The project will start in 2020.
LifeGate reported that Liuzhou Forest City would be the first "zero impact, autonomous urban agglomeration." It would be a "self-sustaining community when it comes to energy as it would have its geothermal energy and "integrated solar panel system."
Without the use of coal, the building of Liuzhou Forest City will surely benefit the environment. Just like the Vertical Forest in Nanjing, the plant life will produce better air quality. It can absorb 57 tons of carbon dioxide and produce 900 tons of oxygen every year. It can also reduce the heating temperature.
Stefano Boeri's Fight Against Climate Change
The Vertical Forest and Liuzhou Forest City just proved Boeri's plan to fight the climate change. His projects vary from urban forestry to protection of biodiversity in the cities - from Milan to Eindhoven and now in China.
Boeri aims to avoid the use of cement and the expansion of cities. He also wants to get the cities closer to forests, protect the environment and biodiversity to lessen the pollution, and to make nature an important part of the architecture.
