What it is
Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest) is a pair of residential towers in Milan, Italy, designed by architect Stefano Boeri. Completed in 2014, the towers host over 900 trees, 5,000 shrubs, and 11,000 perennial plants on their balconies and facades, equivalent to 20,000 square meters of forest. The buildings include integrated irrigation systems, wind sensors, and structural engineering designed to support the weight and wind load of mature trees at height.
Why we picked this
Bosco Verticale is the single most important built example of solarpunk architecture. It proved that integrating nature into high-rise buildings is structurally sound, commercially viable, and aesthetically stunning. The buildings have won the International Highrise Award and been replicated in China, France, and the Netherlands. Every time you see a rendering of a green solarpunk city, the visual language traces back to these towers.
Key takeaways
- The 900+ trees absorb approximately 30 tonnes of CO2 per year and produce 19,000 kg of oxygen, while filtering fine particles from Milan's notoriously polluted air.
- The project has been replicated and expanded: Boeri's Liuzhou Forest City in China will house 30,000 people in buildings covered with 40,000 trees and 1 million plants.
- Apartment values in Bosco Verticale command a 15-20% premium over comparable non-green buildings in Milan, proving the commercial viability of biophilic high-rise design.