Hamburg, June 25, 2013
- Architecture is facing a period of upheaval. In times of climate
change and a shortage of resources, environmentally-responsible
construction, sustainability and energy efficiency are increasingly
gaining in importance. Architects are using spectacular roof gardens,
green walls and natural methods of ventilation to revolutionize
architecture. In the coming years, a sea of green, consisting of trees,
flowers and tendrils, will gradually conquer sterile high-rise facades,
creating a wholly new urban landscape in the process.
The trend toward Green Architecture is epitomized by one current project in particular, a complex named Bosco Verticale
- "Vertical Forest". In this project, two high-rises are home to as
many trees as a 10,000m² (2,470 acre) area of forest, and so create a
green oasis in the heart of Milan, Italy. Emporis (www.emporis.com),
the international provider of building data, has taken the upcoming
completion of this prestigious project as an opportunity to compile a
list of the most exciting examples of Green Architecture.
The
idea of using plants as part of a building's structure is not entirely
new. It was in 1992 that Ken Yeang, a self-titled "eco-architect", set
the first standard in Green Architecture with his Menara Mesiniaga
tower in Subang Jaya, Malaysia. Thanks to its unique facade
guaranteeing natural ventilation, and its generous greenery on each
floor, the tower is regarded as ecologically pioneering and as the
world's first bioclimatic high-rise.
At the moment,
however, the probably best-known proponents of the "green city" are the
Singapore architects WOHA. Their "breathing" high-rises, which they
refer to as "Sky Villages", are model examples for sustainable buildings
throughout the world. Especially in Singapore, one of the world's most
densely-populated cities, their projects send a clear signal - that
nature is reclaiming the city. Thus in the foreseeable future, WOHA's
most recently-completed project, the hotel and office complex PARKROYAL on Pickering, will also disappear under the green of its plants.
Big
multinationals are also viewing the principle of Green Architecture as
an opportunity to provide their employees with a healthy working
environment that is in tune with nature. With Apple, Facebook and Google
all having released plans for new, sustainable corporate headquarters,
Amazon followed suit a few weeks ago with a spectacular concept - three
enormous glass domes reminiscent of conservatories are to be constructed
to house tall, mature trees situated on the grounds of the office
complex the company is planning to build in Seattle.
Download photos of Green Architecture
About Emporis
Emporis
is a leading database of information about building and construction
projects, based in Germany. For over a decade Emporis has helped
companies, organizations and individuals stay informed about the
building industry. The Emporis Skyscraper Award is the world's most
renowned prize for high-rise architecture.