Impact

NEW GREENER CITIES ARE MORE BEAUTIFUL NOW

Plan for Paris, Smart City 2050. Courtesy of Vincent Callebaut Architecture.

Courtesy of Vincent Callebaut Architecture. Plan for Paris, Smart City 2050.

Over 54% of the world’s population now lives in cities. It is expected to rise to 66% by 2050. So, we need to make our cities greener, now. We’ve curated 10 Beautiful Cities that are leading the way to a new gorgeous green.

1. SMART CITY, PARIS

Paris is known around the world as an elegant, romantic city. Soon, it might be able to add green to its list of beautiful descriptors.

Vincent Callebaut Architecture has proposed the idea of a Smart City, a series of 8 multi-use towers that will have positive energy output and incorporate community and suspended gardens. Their projected designs are quite beautiful, and integrate into the city’s architecture seamlessly.

This idea was born in response to the Climate Energy Plan, which aims to reduce Paris’ greenhouse gas emissions by 75% before 2050.

2. OAS1S BY RAIMOND DE HULLU

Dutch architect Raimond de Hullu has conceptualized a new kind of city that is beautifully green. Entitled Oas1s, this city will be home to a new kind of treehouse, with buildings modeled after towering trees. Its neighborhoods will integrate with forests.

The city will be constructed out of recycled materials. It will operate off the grid, utilizing solar power and on-site water functions. De Hullu’s cities will be set up as land trusts, in order to make them affordable to everyone.

3. CHENGDU TIANFU DISTRICT GREAT CITY, CHINA

A brand new city may be the solution to China’s pollution and crowding problems.

Chengdu Tianfu District Great City, designed by Chicago-based firm, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, is designed in a densely vertical style. Taking up only .5 square miles, the city can hold an astounding 80,000 people.

This new city will use 48% less energy and 58% less water than a conventional city with the same population. And it touts a slew of other eco friendly stats.

4. NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Though it may shock you, New York was recently ranked the greenest city in the US by WalletHub.

After the city flooded during Hurricane Sandy in 2012, more than 250 initiatives were created to rebuild infrastructure and explore new technologies to protect New York against coastal flooding and storm surge, including green infrastructure such as wetlands, swamplands, and sand dunes.

New York City is also known for its green rooftop initiatives. Now, urban farms such as the Brooklyn Grange, the hydroponic Gotham Greens, and organic vegetable-growing Eagle Street Rooftop Farm, are exploding in popularity as well.

5. CLARK GREEN CITY, PHILIPPINES

The first green city in the Philippines is going to be sustainable in both design and location. The defunct U.S. Clark Air Base is being transformed into Clark Green City through restorative development, led by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.

Clark Green City will serve as a model to the rest of the Philippines, and will host a regional climate change knowledge and training center.

6. MILAN, ITALY

There is a vertical forest in the center of Milan! Bosco Verticale is a set of 2 residential towers. Each apartment has a mini forest on its balcony, which filters out dust and cools down the apartment. Plus, it looks beautiful!

The towers are 110 and 75 meters tall, respectively, and each equal 10,000 square meters of forest. There are 900 trees, as well as shrubs and floral plants, adorning these wonderful towers.

This is a spectacular example of utilizing urban land to its greatest potential, and it adds a healthy dose of nature to the city.

7. INDIAN SMART CITIES CHALLENGE

As the population of India grows tremendously, the Smart Cities Challenge is bringing hope and the beauty of sustainability to the country’s cities.

City officials and citizens will play a huge role in this green movement, as 100 cities in India will be nominated for the Challenge. Each will put forth proposals detailing how they would make their cities green.

A small number of winners will be chosen after proposals are presented, and awarded funding from the Ministry of Urban Development to make these green dreams come true. The first round has already begun, with 2 more rounds planned for 2016 - 2017 and 2017 - 2018.

8. SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA

Singapore is considered by many to be the greenest city in the world. They’ve earned this title, as they recycle almost every drop of rainwater, run a year-round green campaign, and are even named “Garden City,” because trees and parks are flawlessly integrated into the urban jungle.

For a beautiful green retreat in Singapore, head to the Nanyang Technological University’s School of Art, Design, and Media’s green roofs.

This gorgeous series of roofs, designed by CPG Consultants, create a gently sloping arch that supports the mirrored school buildings. The architectural effect is stunning, especially when you consider the lush planted grasses and native plants in the park-like landscape below.

These roofs also insulate the school, cool the air around them, and harvest rainwater.

9. HONOLULU, HAWAII

Honolulu is the 5th greenest city in the US.

This beautiful city has the lowest greenhouse gas emissions, the most farmer’s markets, and the highest in median air quality index. Plus, it has the highest percentage of beautiful green space. Check out the beautiful green top of Diamond Head, a stunning volcanic tuff cone, at the edge of the city.

10. VERTICAL CITY -- LUCA CURCI

Vertical City, designed by Luca Curci Architects, is a green tower block that can hold 25,000 people, uses no energy, and connects its inhabitants with nature.

The building is made up of hexagonal void modules, which allow sun, rain, and the elements to be experienced from inside. It’s also surrounded by photovoltaic glass, which can generate enough power to run the building, with excess to run buildings on the mainland.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

Image: Courtesy of Vincent Callebaut Architecture. Plan for Paris, Smart City 2050.
Image: Courtesy of Vincent Callebaut Architecture. Plan for Paris, Smart City 2050.
Image: Courtesy of Oas1s. Urban Forest Concept.
Image: Courtesy of Oas1s. Urban Forest Concept.
Image: Courtesy of Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture. Great City. Chengdu Tianfu District Great City, China.
Image: by Jeffrey Zeldman. Tribeca. New York, NY.
Image: Courtesy of Eagle Street Rooftop Farms. The Green Roof Organic Vegetable Farm. New York, NY.
Image: Courtesy of BCDA Group. Clark Green City Conceptual Plan. Philippines.
Image: Courtesy of Stefano Boeri Architietti. Vertical Forest. Milan, Italy.
Image: Courtesy of The Wave Group. Smart City Concept. Wave City, Ghaziabad, India.
Image: Courtesy of CPG Consultants. Nanyang Technological University’s School of Art, Design, and Media’s Green Roofs. Nanyang, Singapore, Malaysia.
Image:by Steve Jurvetson. O bam’a. Diamond Head. Honolulu, Hawaii.
Image: Courtesy of Luca Curci Architects. Vertical City.
Image: Courtesy of Luca Curci Architects. Vertical City Concept.
Image: by Patrick Bingham-Hall. Courtesy of WOHA Architects School of Arts Singapore. High School of the Performing Arts.
Image: by BN App - Download now!
Image: by Kelly Fike. Courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region. Coastal Wetlands.