The Easyhome Huanggang Vertical Forest City Complex has opened to its first tenants in Huanggang, Hubei Province, China. Designed by Stefano Boeri Architetti China, the project features open and closed blaconies interspersed with shrubs, trees and crawling greenery that fill out the gaps with their foliage and act as a mercurial face of movement in the design.
“The design allows an excellent view of the tree-lined façades, enhancing the sensorial experience of the greenery and integrating the plant landscape with the architectural dimension,” says Stefano Boeri. “Thus, the inhabitants of the residential towers have the opportunity to experience the urban space from a different perspective while fully enjoying the comfort of being surrounded by nature.”
The complex covers roughly 49,900 square feet and consists of five towers, two of which are designated as residential and have been crafted to be high-scaling vertical forests. Integrating residences, hospitality and commercial spaces, the development is designed to meet the daily needs of a number of different individuals, residents, guests, inhabitants and tourists.
Diverse, Local Fauna Scale a Geometric Facade
In creating its towering greenscape, Stefano Boeri Architetti China used plant life sampled throughout the region. The tower uses 404 trees (consisting of Ginkgo biloba, Osmanthus fragrans, Acer griseum, Ligustrum lucidum and Chimonanthus praecox); 4620 shrubs (consisting of Hibiscus mutabilis, Elaeagnus pungens, Nandina domestica and Euonymus alatus); and 26,000 square feet of grass, flowers and various climbing plants (consisting of Ophiopogon bodinieri, Sedum lineare and Liriope spicata).
It is expected that over the course of their lifetime, the plants will help absorb 22 tons of carbon dioxide per year and generate 11 tons of oxygen.
“The completion of Huanggang Vertical Forest City Complex is a big step in the practice of Stefano Boeri’s green concept in China,” comments Xu Yibo, Partner of Stefano Boeri Architetti China. “This project represents very comforting news for all of us: we hope that one day everyone will have the chance to live close to nature in their own private area rather than just in public buildings. The Vertical Forest model in residences will fundamentally transform the landscape of future cities and change people’s expectations for future ecological life”
