China is building the world’s first “forest city” where all buildings are covered with millions of plants and trees.
Located north of Liuzhou, in the province of Guangxi, the project aims to combat air pollution and global warming by integrating nature into urban architecture.
The Southern province of Guangxi, is regarded as one of the world’s most smog-affected urban areas due to overpopulation, of about one and a half million inhabitants.
Once completed, the Liuzhou Forest City is expected to house about 30,000 people and contain around 1 million plants from over 100 species and 40,000 trees.
The goal is to absorb CO2 and produce oxygen to reduce air pollution and create a healthier environment.
It was designed by Italian architect Stefano Boeri Architetti, and was commissioned by the Liuzhou Municipality Urban Planning division.
“Our vision is to create an archipelago of small, high-density Forest-Cities, surrounded by greenery and agricultural fields, which minimise land consumption. Ten years after the inauguration of the Vertical Forest in Milan, the idea of a territory dotted with urban ecosystems, where living nature meets architecture, is no longer just a utopia” said Stefano Boeri.
Although commissioned as far back as 2017, the City was scheduled to be constructed in 2020, costs are estimated at $100 billion.