Vertical Forest for Future Cities

Vertical forests are high-rise buildings that incorporate trees and plants into urban architecture. Italian architect Stefano Boeri created them to combat climate change.

A prototype was constructed four years ago in Milan, Italy. It housed around 20,000 plants and became home to 20 bird species.

Instead of glistening buildings made of glass and steel, vertical gardens look like tall or raised forests as greenery drapes the building like a garment.

Plants and trees have been used in landscape design, usually for aesthetic purposes. However, this time, vertical gardens design buildings to optimize plants’ function to absorb carbon dioxide, produce oxygen, and regulate urban temperatures.

Mr Boeri says that although cities around the world cover 3% of the Earth’s total land area, they consume 70% of energy and produce 75% of carbon dioxide emissions, which contributes to climate change and the urban heat island (UHI) effect.

The video below features the top 7 vertical cities in the world, their many benefits to urban residents, and why they are the future of cities.