Vertical forest rising in Nanjing, 1st in China and Asia

BY Zoe Phoon

The Nanjing Towers, which will house commercial real estate as well as vertical forest, is slated for completion in 2018.

The two green towers could provide the city with a breath of fresh air daily, producing oxygen as they absorb carbon dioxide.

Located in Nanjing Pukou District, the taller tower of 656ft will contain offices, a museum, a green architecture school, and a rooftop club.

The second tower of 354ft will hold a 247-room Hyatt hotel and rooftop swimming pool. A 65ft high podium will include shops, restaurants and a conference hall.

Balconies on the two towers will allow inhabitants to get up close to the nature thriving on the building facades.

Some 600 tall trees and 500 medium-size ones will grow on the towers, according to inhabitat.com, an online guide to green design ideas.

Producing oxygen as they absorb carbon dioxide, the two green towers would provide the city with fresh air.

Architect firm Stefano Boeri Architetti, which brought the vertical forest concept to Nanjing, said the trees and cascading shrubs and plants will help regenerate biodiversity in the area.

After the Nanjing Towers project, the firm aims to design vertical forests in Shanghai, Guizhou, Shijiazhuang, Liuzhou and Chongqing.

The vertical forest concept that it introduced to Nanjing was popularised in Milan, Italy, where the world’s first vertical forest, Bosco Verticale, is located.

Given the lack of green space in the Italian city and an environment that does not promote biodiversity, the plantings provide an urban ecosystem able to support the presence of birds and insects.

Zoe Phoon is a business and lifestyle writer that can be reached at zoephoon33@gmail.com