World's First Forest City Is Officially Coming to China

Set for completion in 2020, The Liuzhou Forest City will function as a “fully energy-efficient urban establishment,” says Stefano Boeri Architects. Commissioned by Liuzhou Municipality Urban Planning, the forest city will cover 175 hectares along the Liujiang River, and contain two schools, a hospital, residential buildings, and offices to host approximately 30,000 people.

A variety of air purifying plants will cover each building—enough to absorb nearly 10,000 tons of carbon and 57 tons of pollutants each year, says the architectural firm.

The design for the ultra-green buildings includes geothermic energy for air-conditioning and exterior solar panels for renewable energy. Located in the mountain area of Guangxi, the Forest City will be “entirely wired [and] connected to Liuzhou through a fast rail line used by electric cars.” According to Greenpeace, Guangxi is ranked 52 in a list China’s most polluted regions.

Stefano Boeri Architects is also the firm behind the Nanjing Green Towers, Asia’s first vertical forest, which is set for completion in 2018. But with such massive projects underway, the carbon-footprint necessary to construct such structures has yet to be known.