At a time where our world has been converted to a “concrete jungle,” it comes as a refreshing change to see architects taking the environment seriously. Architects are now incorporating plants, trees and flowers on the inside as well as on the outsides of buildings all over the world.
The latest addition to this unique concept is the 280 meters tall building in Singapore, one of the tallest buildings on this island state/city. Designed by Carlo Ratti Associati and Bjarke Ingels Group, this particular building is going to be a blend of urban life with a tropical nature. This building will feature office spaces, residential apartments and retail sites.
Green buildings have several benefits. From fostering the health of the residents to increasing a green cover in the city, being environmentally conscious is an effective tool. With migration increasing every day in large cities, the infrastructure of these cities gets put under more strain than normal. Since the beginning of time, people have built structures keeping a healthy environment in mind.
From the Neolithic buildings to Minoan buildings in Crete which were built over 3,000 years ago, every building was designed to get the most out of nature. Neoithic buildings were built to capture the sun rays and make optimal use of nature’s vitamin D, while the Minoans underground sewage systems were done to avoid plagues. Even the Romans used underfloor heating systems and aqueducts and provided baths throughout the empire to keep the population in good health.
Despite these early successes, mankind seemed to have forgotten about the benefits of aesthetically designed infrastructure and decided to make the move to grander structures. Lack of understanding the cost and the policy options has severely limited good urban infrastructure planning. With more and more governments sitting up and realising the value of a green world, the green building in Singapore is the first step towards a green world!
