As cities grow more conscious of overpopulation and pollution, ideas like apartment blocks that double as air-cleaning towers are becoming an increasingly entertain-able proposition. The latest metropolis to green-light such a project is Paris, which will welcome a new wooden structure to be shrouded in thousands of trees and plants.
Stefano Boeri's vertical forest towers are already taking shape in Switzerland and Milan, and earlier in the year his firm announced plans for a full-blown Forest City in the mountains of southern China. That last example is set to include almost one million plants, which are expected to absorb 10,000 tons of C02 and 57 tons of pollutants each year, all while producing 900 tons of oxygen annually.
Boeri's newly announced Forêt Blanche project doesn't aim quite so high, but will take the the Italian architect's fight against pollution and vanishing urban biodiversity into new territory. Going up in Villiers sur Marne, a community in the eastern suburbs of Paris, the entirely wooden tower will stand 54 meters (177 ft) tall, and will play home to offices and commercial services on the lower floors and residential apartments up top.
All four sides will feature a mix of terraces and balconies, with the facades to be covered by 2,000 trees, shrubs and plants. According to the firm Stefano Boeri Architetti, this green surfacing will be equivalent to one hectare of forest – 10 times the footprint of the building itself.
A timeline for construction of the project is yet to be released.
Source: Stefano Boeri Architetti
