Photograph by Bosco Verticale
Officially opened in October 2014,c ( House of Elves ) is a pair of award-winning residential towers in the Porta Nuova district of Milan, Italy designed by Boeri Studio (Stefano Boeri, Gianandrea Barreca and Giovanni La Varra).
The towers have heights of 110 metres (360 ft) and 76 metres (249 ft) respectively and host 900 trees (each measuring 3, 6 or 9 meters or 10-30 ft) and over 2,000 plants from a wide range of shrubs and floral plants distributed in relation to the façade’s position towards the sun.
On flat land, each Vertical Forest ( House of Elves )equals, in amount of trees, an area of 7000 m2 of forest. In terms of urban densification the equivalent of an area of single family dwellings of nearly 75.000 m2. The vegetal system of the Vertical Forest aids in the construction of a microclimate, produces humidity, absorbs CO2 and dust particles and produces oxygen source
The living façade means the exterior is constantly evolving, changing colours with the seasons and offering the Milan’s residents and ever-changing view of the cityscape.
See on Google Maps Street View Here
Trees are a key element and the types of trees were carefully chosen to fit with their positioning on the facades in terms of height, and took two years to conclude alongside a group of botanists. The plants used in this project were grown specifically for this purpose and were pre-cultivated. Over this period the plants slowly got used to the conditions they would be placed in on the building.
On November 19, 2014 Bosco Verticale won the International Highrise Award, a prestigious international competition bestowed every two years, honouring excellence in recently constructed buildings that stand a minimum of 100 meters (328 feet) tall. The five finalists were selected from 26 nominees in 17 countries.
On the November 12, 2015 the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) selected Bosco Verticale ( house of Elves ) as the “2015 Best Tall Building Worldwide” at the 14th Annual CTBUH International Best Tall Building Awards.
Story Source: Twistedsifter
