By Maeve Campbell • Updated: 12/05/2021
Stunning Examples of Green Architecture
Not only has it been scientifically proven that urban gardens, woodlands and parks reduce depression, in a study by the University of Leeds for example, they are immensely valuable for preserving the environment.
Urban gardens and vertical farms are starting to pop up all over the world, as the UN predicts 68 per cent of the world population will live in towns and cities by 2050. With the building of ‘urban forests’ around Paris, in a bid to decrease air pollution, and Singapore confronting the food crisis with sky farms and lab-grown shrimp, the trend is catching on. When it comes to green architecture, the results are stunning. But what makes a building sustainable? It's all about minimising the environmental impact of the structure. This could be through energy efficiency, eco-friendly materials or a deliberate awareness of its surroundings, aiming to conserve the biodiversity of the area.
Architect Chris Precht has designed the Toronto Tree Tower, a proposed residential block made from timber, incorporating staggered walls with plants and trees sprouting from the generous balconies.The second image is of Precht's Yin & Yang house, with gardens on its interlocking roof, near the German city of Kassel. The architecture is completely self-sufficient.
We spoke to the man himself who told us a little about the emotional aspect to his work and the ways in which he aims to stimulate the senses through his architecture. Chris Precht:
“Cities of tomorrow will be driven by data collection and surveillance. We will have much more information in the future. We will know more. But the question will also be how we can feel more. Knowledge for smart cities will be important, but so is consciousness, emotions and our senses."
"We will achieve that by a connection to nature and integration of plants. Buildings with ecological materials we want to touch. Integrated gardens we can smell and eat. And buildings we can hear because bees and birds nest in them. Sensible buildings that make us feel alive. That’s my dream of the future.”