9th July 2017

China to build first "forest city" in 2020

The masterplan for an eco-friendly "forest city" in China has been revealed by Italian architecture firm, Stefano Boeri Architetti.

Known as Liuzhou Forest City, the project will be built north of Liuzhou, in a mountainous part of Guangxi Province, in an area that covers 175 hectares along the Liujiang River. The new green city, initially hosting 30,000 people, will feature various residential areas, commercial and recreational spaces, along with two schools and a hospital. It will include electric cars and a connection to Liuzhou through a fast rail line.

Liuzhou Forest City will be self-sufficient in clean energy, utilising geothermal and rooftop solar power. While this may seem impressive enough, an even greater innovation is the widespread use of vegetation covering every building, of all sizes and functions. A total of 40,000 trees (1.3 for every person) and almost a million plants of more than 100 different species will make this a true "forest city".

The diffusion of plants – not only in parks, gardens and along streets, but also over building facades – will greatly improve the air quality, decrease the average air temperature, and create barriers for reducing noise, while improving the biodiversity of living species, generating new habitats for birds, insects and other small animals that inhabit the Liuzhou territory. According to Stefano Boeri Architetti, the city will absorb 57 tons of dust and other pollutants each year, generate 900 tons of oxygen and sequester almost 10,000 tons of CO2 annually. For the residents, being surrounded by so much vegetation may have yet another benefit: studies have repeatedly shown that the presence of trees and plants can significantly improve mental health.

The architects hope that Liuzhou Forest City could serve as a model or template for other cities, both in China and around the world. Given the challenges faced by humanity, perhaps this style of architecture may become necessary, rather than optional, in the not-too-distant future. It would be interesting to see major world cities like New York, London and Paris being transformed into much larger forest cities.

Click to enlarge

Images credit: Stefano Boeri Architetti

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