CLAD PEOPLE
PROJECT
Nanjing Green Towers, China
We’re creating new spheres, where people, trees and animals can coexist in an environment of wellness Stefano Boeri founder Stefano Boeri Architetti
I
talian architect and ‘vertical
The project, scheduled for
forest’ pioneer Stefano Boeri has
completion in 2018, is billed by
unveiled his design for a pair of
the developers as “the first vertical
towers in Nanjing, east China,
forest in Asia,” although Boeri is also
covered by 1,100 trees and 2,500
overseeing green schemes in the
cascading plants and shrubs.
Chinese cities Shijiazhuang, Liuzhou,
The Nanjing Green Towers
Guizhou, Shanghai and Chongqing.
complex will house a museum, a
Stefano Boeri is working on a number of major green schemes in China
green architecture school, a private
THE ADVANTAGES
club and offices in one of the
Boeri told CLAD how the vertical
buildings, and a Hyatt hotel with
forest model promotes wellness and
rooftop pool in the other.
creates sustainable urbanisation.
A 20m (65.6ft) high podium will
“Research has enabled us to
support the towers and have shops,
develop building technologies to
a food market, restaurants, plus
bring trees high up in the sky, and
conference and exhibition space.
irrigate them with recycled water,” he
Around 600 tall trees and 500
said. “This advancement, alongside
medium trees of 23 species will line
ongoing analysis of the vegetation
the building façades, with plants
that can thrive in these environments,
and shrubs also covering 6,000sq
allows us to conceive unique
m (64,500sq ft). The towers will be
buildings specific to their locations.
characterised by the interchange of balconies and green tanks to support the greenery, following the
Boeri said truly environmental
prototype of Boeri’s famous vertical
architecture is necessary “to induce
forests in Milan and Lausanne.
sustainability and a relationship
Boeri says this urban forestation will regenerate local biodiversity by absorbing carbon dioxide and
20 CLADGLOBAL.COM
“The result is new spheres, where people, trees and animals coexist.”
of symbiosis between man, architecture and nature.” He said: “One importantº
producing 60 kg of oxygen per day.
method is the ‘de-mineralisation’ of
The project is being bankrolled
cities – the multiplication of green
by the state-owned Nanjing Yang
surfaces to find a balance between
Zi National Investment Group. It
construction and the natural
will be located in Nanjing’s Pukou
environment. A green surface can
District as a driver for the wider
reduce the air temperature, sink CO2
Yangtze River economic zone.
levels and reduce noise.” l
CLAD mag 2017 ISSUE 2