Urban Jungle

The words "green revolution" could be used to describe what the Italian architect Stefano Boeri has done with two apartment blocks at the heart of Milan.

The two high-rise buildings measuring 80 and 110 metres in height stand out with their vegetation consisting of 900 trees and 20,000 other plants that had been specially prepared for their task. They are watered with the process water accumulated in the buildings; they are tended and pruned by three gardeners who lower themselves for this job from cranes installed on the roofs for this particular purpose.

Boeri's “Bosco Verticale” could soon become the prototype for green skyscrapers all over the world. "The Vertical Forest is a model for sustainable residential construction and urban reforestation without taking up valuable urban space", says the architect. Positive secondary benefit for the residents: the facade of the building changes appearance with the seasons.