Bosco Verticale is a vertical forest located in Milan, Italy. It consists of 2 residential buildings towering at 111 meters (364.173 feet) high. Constructed by Stefano Boerti Architects in Milan in 2014, the vertical forest is a remarkable and captivating site, containing over 5,000 shrubs, 900 trees, and 11,000 plants.
The purpose of Bosco Verticale goes far beyond the appearance. The trees help remove gas-polluting particles from the air in Milan. The trees absorb carbon dioxide emitted from the cities and provide oxygen.
Another benefit of Bosco Verticale is that it is energy efficient, significantly reducing the heat on buildings in the summer. The forest also helps to keep the buildings isolated in the winter. Thus, the building uses substantially lower energy consumption when compared to other buildings in Milan. Research by Giacomello and Valagussa suggests that this building uses 7.5% [1] less energy than other buildings in Milan.
Moreover, the forest is home to many different birds and insects, increasing biodiversity in the city.
This innovation is considered one of the most efficient ways to combat climate change. Many other cities globally are also striving to create more vertical forests.
Giacomello & Valagussa, 2015, p.58
