The city of Milan, Italy, is the future home of the world’s first two food forest skyscrapers.

Described by its architects as “a model of vertical densification of nature within the city,” the urban food forest towers measure 110 and 76 meters tall. Altogether holding 900 trees vertically, the skyscrapers will hold the equivalent of 10,000 square meters of forest.

Towers recycle water, filter air and utilize solar energy

Set to open this year, the skyscrapers, designed by lead architect Stefano Boeri, will create a micro-climate within the city, filtering dust particles, removing carbon dioxide and creating oxygen. They’ll even bring a whole new ecosystem of birds into the city. The towers will also use recycled water from shower and sink runoff, which will be irrigated throughout the food forest. Additional voltaic panels built into the towers will help draw solar energy in.

Green enthusiasts revel in the new design

Many green enthusiasts are quickly becoming fans of the new design.

NPR blogger Robert Krulwich believes the project is paving the way for greener cityscapes, saying, “Cities could one day look like mountain vistas.”

Co.Exist’s Michael J. Coren says, “Milan’s Bosco Verticale shows that vertical green space is more than possible.” He thinks that vertical green space could help cities find room for trees even in their already dense steel and cement jungles. He welcomes the vertical blurring of the lines between nature and living space.

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