World's First Forest City Is Officially Coming To China

The new sustainable forest city, designed by Stefano Boeri Architects, will host 40,000 trees and nearly 1 million plants in an effort to combat China’s air pollution.

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.

About the author

Amber C. Snider

Home & Design Editor

Amber was born in Washington, D.C. and relocated to NYC in 2007. She received an M.A. degree in Liberal Studies: Women's Studies, Gender, and Sexuality from CUNY's Graduate Center and University, and an honors B.A. in English from The City College of New York. Before coming to Culture Trip, she was the executive editor for Metropolitan Magazine, a boutique luxury lifestyle and arts publication, as well as the editor for ResidencyNY Magazine. In 2015, she also started her own company, ACS Media Services, and has over 8+ years experience as a writer/editor in the NYC area. As one of the original employees in Culture Trip’s New York City office, Amber focuses on three verticals: Design, Architecture, and Home and Interiors, exploring how creativity and design influences our contemporary social landscape. She lives in Brooklyn with her typewriter.