Dezeen feature

Ironically quite often the higher we live, the more money we pay but the more we sacrifice certain qualities of our environment, whilst arguably attaining others. Our relationship on the one hand with nature, certainly at human scale, can become largely disconnected in our high level flats souring high above the ground and any plant life . Perhaps we still do not fully appreciate the Zen inspiring sense of well being that surrounded by nature can provide. This is perhaps why, with the absence of plant life, block living can be a tenser living experience. Bring on blocks with woods, where the artificial, man made is beautifully balanced in nature and aesthetic with nature itself, the man made and organic ecosystem working in holistic unison.

La Tour des Cedres, or The Cedar Trees Tower bold project proposal by Stefano Boeri certainly is inspiration for thought. A beautiful concept melding the man made and organic, stemming from his first test project in Milan, Bosco Verticale buildings in Milan.

On a practical note I am fascinated to understand how this would work in the long term, the upkeep of tress, watering, the safely issue of falling branches and dead trees and the debris from a thousand tress vertically located, the different faces, North,S,E and W over time generating quite a different growth could also present a few challenges. This is one big test and I’m sure one that can be learnt from, worked through and solved set by step. I’m a fan.  Rock Galpin