BUILDINGS THAT ABSORB POLLUTION
Green 25 Turin
The Italians have taken this issue to heart, for the next project is located in Turin, otherwise known for Juventus and its car factories. Green 25, as it is called, is a design by Lucia Nopia that offers an otherworldly aspect to the urban landscape. From the outside this residential apartment complex seems like one of those old mansions forgotten by time and taken over by creepers and weeds, but in reality it was completed in 2012 and is ‘overgrown’ with greenery by design. To begin with, the structure isn’t plane or symmetrical but offers a rather intricate combination of irregular shapes. This, in turn, leads to the creation of rather intimate pathways, terraces and inner squares, all of which are planted in trees and shrubs. The same is true of the balconies, giving Green 25 the look and feel of apartments set within a lush forest. There is so much foliage embracing the complex that even the steel structure is barely visible, with the roof surfaces also carpeted in greenery that absorbs pollution just as it provides a cosseting, cosy and private living environment. The design has a village-like feel that promotes a sense of identity and community within the apartment complex that few of its rather more sterile brethren can emulate, and of course there is technology to aid the fantastic work done by the lovely plants and shrubs. The latter act as a screen between the homes and the city, drowning out city noise, creating a microclimate, reducing temperature and moisture extremes, and once again soothing the soul as they reflect the natural seasons in cities that have long forgotten what that looks and feels like. In addition to this, continuous insulation, sun glare protection, geothermal heating and cooling and rainwater recycling for irrigation make the 63 apartments in the complex unique and environmentally sound. Together, the trees and plants absorb 200,000 litres of carbon dioxide and produce 150,000 litres of oxygen per hour.
“From offices and city dwellings to wineries and luxurious villas on large grounds, we’re witnessing a quantum shift towards sustainability in the design, construction and engineering of today’s buildings. The aim is to make our homes and workplaces energy-efficient, and vanguard projects such as these show the way forward.”
Cristina Martínez Rimontgó Valencia, SPAIN
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