From supertall skyscrapers to private homes, we've reported on an increasing number of architecture projects that incorporate trees and plants on their facades lately. With this in mind, let's take a look at some of our favorite greenery-covered buildings from around the world.
We've gathered our picks of the most interesting and notable greenery-covered buildings and houses we've seen in recent years, both completed and under-construction, into a gorgeous gallery. But we've selected a few outstanding projects to whet your appetite below.
Though obviously not the first architect to hit upon the idea of enlivening his buildings with greenery by any means, Stefano Boeri Architetti's Bosco Verticale (pictured above) did help popularize the modern trend of covering buildings in green.
Located in Milan, Italy, Bosco Verticale consists of two residential towers which rise to a height of 382 ft (116 m) and 279 ft (85 m). Their facades are covered in hundreds of trees and several thousand shrubs and plants, all of which are housed in concrete planters. The project has won a lot of awards and has resulted in Stefano Boeri Architetti being commissioned to design a number of similar buildings for cities around the world, including Albania, Switzerland, and Italy.
Much of Heatherwick Studio's recent output has incorporated greenery, with its Eden in Singapore being a notable example. The 104.5 m (342 ft) residential high-rise building contains 20 luxury apartments – just one for each floor.
During the design process, Heatherwick Studio drew inspiration from Singapore's natural landscape and the building's curved balconies are overflowing with greenery, providing shade and helping to enliven the concrete structure for residents and those nearby. Other greenery-covered projects by the firm that aren't just for the ultra-rich include England's Maggie's Leeds cancer support center and the New York City park, Little Island.
BIG (Bjarke Ingels Group) combines a waste-to-energy power plant and ski slope in Copenhagen, Denmark with its CopenHill project.
In addition to the ski slope and power plant, the unusual building includes the world's tallest climbing wall and extensive tree-lined hiking and running trails. This area consists of 7,000 bushes, 300 pine and willow trees, plus other trees and various plants, creating a wild landscape in the heart of Copenhagen's industrial area.
Kampung Admiralty, by WOHA, was named the winner of the prestigious World Building of the Year competition back in 2018. The superb project is conceived as a retirement village and hosts a massive amount of greenery on its upper levels to create a pleasant environment for elderly residents in Singapore.
WOHA sought to reduce the building's energy use with a focus on passive ventilation, natural light, and shading. Rainwater is also collected and used to irrigate the massive amount of greenery in the park, green roofs, and green walls. WOHA has lots of prior experience integrating greenery into its projects, such as Taiwan's Sky Green and the Oasia Hotel Downtown in Singapore.
Ingenhoven Architects turned an area of inner-city Düsseldorf, Germany, from gray to green with Kö-Bogen II. The mixed-use project is centered around a large building that hosts an incredible 8 km (5 miles) of hedges on its exterior, making it Europe's largest green facade.
The main building measures 42,000 sq m (roughly 452,000 sq ft) and reaches a maximum height of 27 m (88.5 ft). Over 30,000 hedges are planted on its exterior, which were first grown in a nursery so that they could be delivered with fully-developed roots. The greenery is irrigated with captured rainwater and a sensor-aided water supply ensures the hedges stay healthy.
