MAD Architects: Urban Forest
MAD Architects plan for an eco friendly skyscraper
Skyscrapers have become a status symbol - a my-economic-penis-is-bigger-than-yours middle digit rising arrogantly up into the sky. Nature naturally takes a back seat - especially in many of China’s cities. In an effort to combat this loss, environmental architects MAD have unveiled plans to create a high rise ‘Urban Forest’ in Chongqing, inspired by traditional China and its mountainous landscapes.
The Urban Forest skyscraper will have around 70 floors, each one curved and layered slightly off centre to the last. A cylindrical core structure will support all the floors, each one being surrounded entirely by glass. Green garden balconies with pools, trees and courtyards will surround offices, residential and open spaces.
Does this make for a greener more environmental China? Probably not, but it looks cool and in an ideal world may inspire more action when it comes to bringing nature back to China’s cities. ‘Forest’ is a big word for a skyscraper that looks more like a glorified office garden, however MAD have found a new way of using space in an area where there is little room left for green plots.
