Bosco Verticale, by Stefano Boeri

Forgoing architectural and linear technicality to showcase an instinctual and real-time ‘human-eye view’ in our detail photographs of the Bosco Verticale apartments, designed by Architect Stefano Boeri, and based in the Porta Nuova district of Milan. As assigned, we captured the visual abundance and cooling effect as experienced in the immediate street-view of the apartments.

A living jungle in the middle of Milan, Bosco Verticale is home to 20,000+ plants and trees from a hundred different plant species, distributed according to the sun exposure of the facade. As is often the case with nature, the plants pay for their keep – “The trees’ shading effect and evapotranspiration action regulate microclimate conditions, reducing humidity levels and lowering surface temperatures by up to 30 degrees. This significantly reduces the energy requirement for indoor air-conditioning, bringing down indoor temperatures by 2 to 3°C… The water management system utilises groundwater and recycles the building’s greywaters. On the roof, solar panels provide the energy required to pump water to all floors through the irrigation system.”

Walking past this verdurous haven feels like drinking a glass of ice-cold water on the driest and warmest of days in Milan. It’s a visually refreshing sight to those who pass by and live near – a shared visual luxury; Bosco Verticale feels more expensive than a structure built of ultra rare marble. Maybe in part because of the inherent generosity of nature.

www.stefanoboeriarchitetti.net