Italian architect Stefano Boeri is set to bring his famed vertical forest to Nanjing, China. The new project, to be completed in 2018, will see 1,110 trees and 2,500 shrubs engulf the facades of two enormous towers.
The Nanjing towers will stand 656 feet and 354 feet tall and will be the first forest skyscrapers in Asia. Boeri’s aim is to help regenerate local biodiversity through the architecture, with 23 local tree species used in the landscaping.
Similarly to the Vertical Forest in Milan, the building will cut a striking figure. As the seasons change, hues of green and pink will rotate across the facade, creating nature’s “paint.” But it’s not all aesthetics. The firm estimates that the vertical forest will produce 132 pounds of oxygen every day as it absorbs carbon dioxide.
So just what will go inside these luscious, green skyscrapers? The taller tower is set to hold a museum, offices, a rooftop club, and a green architecture school. The second, smaller tower will house a Hyatt hotel with a rooftop pool. Shops, restaurants, and a conference hall will be included in a 65-foot high podium. Throughout the building, balconies will allow visitors to take in the landscaping and feel a retreat into the great outdoors even while up in the air.
Stefano Boeri Architects: Website | Facebook
h/t: [Inhabitat]