Urban gardens and vertical farms are starting to pop up all over the world, as the UN predicts 68% of the world population will live in towns and cities by 2050. With the building of ‘urban forests’ around Paris, in a bid to decrease air pollution, and Singapore confronting the food crisis with sky farms and lab-grown shrimp, the trend is catching on.
When it comes to green architecture, the results are stunning. But what makes a building sustainable? It’s all about minimising the environmental impact of the structure. This could be through energy efficiency, eco-friendly materials or a deliberate awareness of its surroundings, aiming to conserve the biodiversity of the area.
Architect Chris Precht has designed the Toronto Tree Tower, a proposed residential block made from timber, incorporating staggered walls with plants and trees sprouting from the generous balconies.The second image is of Precht’s Yin & Yang house, with gardens on its interlocking roof, near the German city of Kassel. It is completely self-sufficient.
Architecture firm WOHA have built world-renowned green buildings, such as the Park Royal Hotel Pickering in Singapore, which features curved high rise gardens, reflecting pools, waterfalls and green walls.