Art and Architecture Coexist in the Bosco Verticale
Discover “the most beautiful and innovative skyscraper in the world” – the foliage-filled Bosco Verticale – and tour one of its apartments
Claudia Schiera
10 April 2016
The Italian city of Milan is moving up. Its urban landscape is changing dramatically with a rising skyline that’s pushing architecture towards new forms. Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest), an innovative residential project completed in 2014, is part of that upward urban movement. The LEED Gold-certified project, designed by Stefano Boeri Architetti, offers an interesting vision of a future metropolis. Bosco Verticale’s two towers show how nature and architecture can exist in perfect harmony – with vegetation that is an integral part of the building structure, not simply ornamentation.
“The idea was born from my real obsession with the world of trees,” architect Stefano Boeri says of his leafy buildings. “Years ago, I happened to be working in Dubai, a city in which dozens and dozens of high-rises were springing up, all strictly clad in glass. I asked myself then if it might be possible to work with something else that wouldn’t involve such a great expenditure of energy. Thus was born the idea of a living facade: one that ‘breathed’ … and featured trees. Bit by bit, this idea became the Bosco Verticale.”
Photo by Paolo Rosselli
Photo by Paolo Rosselli
In 2015, the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, an international organisation sponsored by the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, USA, chose Bosco Verticale as the most beautiful and innovative skyscraper in the world.
“With this building, there’s a relationship between architecture and nature that’s very different from the traditional,” Boeri says. “Bosco Verticale is ‘a skyscraper for trees that also takes in humans’. Right from the beginning, it was thought of as a space built around the presence of trees. This made the architecture innovative, and its design was an experiment for us. It’s an experiment that produced something unique, and in that sense, the attempt to get outside the box was probably very much appreciated.”
“With this building, there’s a relationship between architecture and nature that’s very different from the traditional,” Boeri says. “Bosco Verticale is ‘a skyscraper for trees that also takes in humans’. Right from the beginning, it was thought of as a space built around the presence of trees. This made the architecture innovative, and its design was an experiment for us. It’s an experiment that produced something unique, and in that sense, the attempt to get outside the box was probably very much appreciated.”
Choosing plants for the Bosco Verticale required taking into account the sustainability of the vegetation. The plants had to have precise resistance features: against the wind, but also against parasites. They also needed to be simple to maintain.
The more than 17,000 plantings include 780 full-sized trees of 60 species on all sides of both towers, for a suspended-garden visual effect. Among the plantings are holly oak, ornamental apple and beech trees, as well as a great mass of smaller plants, such as lavender, azaleas and winter camellias, positioned among the trees with taller crowns. The plantings provide shade in summer and help filter the air. On flat land, each building equals – in the amount of trees – 7,000 square metres of forest. In terms of urban densification, this number of trees would cover an area of single family dwellings of nearly 75,000 square meters. The vegetation is watered with a greywater filtration system.
The recently released book Un Bosco Verticale (Italian/English, Corraini Editore) tells the story of the project and explains, with the help of drawings and photos, how to reproduce the idea in other cities.
The more than 17,000 plantings include 780 full-sized trees of 60 species on all sides of both towers, for a suspended-garden visual effect. Among the plantings are holly oak, ornamental apple and beech trees, as well as a great mass of smaller plants, such as lavender, azaleas and winter camellias, positioned among the trees with taller crowns. The plantings provide shade in summer and help filter the air. On flat land, each building equals – in the amount of trees – 7,000 square metres of forest. In terms of urban densification, this number of trees would cover an area of single family dwellings of nearly 75,000 square meters. The vegetation is watered with a greywater filtration system.
The recently released book Un Bosco Verticale (Italian/English, Corraini Editore) tells the story of the project and explains, with the help of drawings and photos, how to reproduce the idea in other cities.
The project has become an example and is being duplicated in Lausanne, Switzerland, for instance, with the Torre dei Cedri, or the Tower of the Cedars. “This is the beautiful thing about my profession – being able to do new things, to create something that did not exist before,” Boeri says. “This is a source of pride for me, because Milan has produced this unprecedented architecture, which can make us hope and believe our future could be greener – not just with parks, but also with architecture that has greenery as an essential element of its structure.”
“The towers represent one of the most successful architectural examples in the new area of Porta Nuova in Milan,” says architect Sebastiano Provenzano, who teaches in the engineering and architecture department at the University of Palermo. “The project delivers a conceptual innovation, without forgetting the austere and composed traditional architectural style of the city.”
Photo by Paolo Rosselli
“The towers represent one of the most successful architectural examples in the new area of Porta Nuova in Milan,” says architect Sebastiano Provenzano, who teaches in the engineering and architecture department at the University of Palermo. “The project delivers a conceptual innovation, without forgetting the austere and composed traditional architectural style of the city.”
Photo by Paolo Rosselli
How does one live in a building that is widely admired and has earned many awards? And what is the tie between the vegetation outside and the interior spaces? We look inside one of the Bosco Verticale apartments and speak with the apartment’s owner.
Apartment at a Glance
Who lives here: Simona Pizzi; her husband, a businessman in the healthcare sector; and the youngest of their three children
Location: Porta Nuova, Milan, Italy
Size: 217 square metres inside; 87 square metres on two terraces outside
Year of construction: 2014 (the family has lived in the apartment since September 2014)
That’s interesting: The apartment forms a backdrop for the family’s great passion – contemporary art.
Simona Pizzi owns a sunny apartment on the 14th floor of the highest of the two Bosco Verticale towers. She explains what it’s like to reside in a beautiful ‘living building’ with a breathtaking view.
Photo by Federico Floriani
Apartment at a Glance
Who lives here: Simona Pizzi; her husband, a businessman in the healthcare sector; and the youngest of their three children
Location: Porta Nuova, Milan, Italy
Size: 217 square metres inside; 87 square metres on two terraces outside
Year of construction: 2014 (the family has lived in the apartment since September 2014)
That’s interesting: The apartment forms a backdrop for the family’s great passion – contemporary art.
Simona Pizzi owns a sunny apartment on the 14th floor of the highest of the two Bosco Verticale towers. She explains what it’s like to reside in a beautiful ‘living building’ with a breathtaking view.
Photo by Federico Floriani
The apartment is a neutral, light and quiet space. Furnished fairly minimally, it features warm beige tones in the living areas, and grey tones in the sleeping areas.
“Coima Image oversaw the interior design,” Pizzi says. “We worked with them to choose the furnishings, but I chose all the furniture personally. We wanted to live in a home where the contemporary art had its own weight; we didn’t want a furniture showroom. In fact, the furnishing is extremely minimalist and limited to essentials.”
Sculpture: Paolo Grassino
“Coima Image oversaw the interior design,” Pizzi says. “We worked with them to choose the furnishings, but I chose all the furniture personally. We wanted to live in a home where the contemporary art had its own weight; we didn’t want a furniture showroom. In fact, the furnishing is extremely minimalist and limited to essentials.”
Sculpture: Paolo Grassino
A piece by noted English sculptor and land artist Richard Long dominates the living room. Crafted in a single afternoon for this apartment, the work uses colour and materials to develop perfectly one of the artist’s favourite shapes: the circle.
This living area features upholstered furniture from Poltrona Frau. For the centre of the conversation area, Pizzi chose a classic: the Table With Wheels from FontanaArte, designed by Gae Aulenti in 1980.
This living area features upholstered furniture from Poltrona Frau. For the centre of the conversation area, Pizzi chose a classic: the Table With Wheels from FontanaArte, designed by Gae Aulenti in 1980.
On the wall in the sunniest part of the large living room is an ethereal canvas by the Piedmontese artist Valerio Berruti. The contemporary bow window holds an expansive work created by another important English artist, Tony Cragg, titled ‘Social Situation’.
“I didn’t want to fill this important part of the living area simply with a chaise longue and a table. I wanted to give it its due value,” Pizzi says. “So I chose a piece of art that had a beautiful intensity, but also a certain material breadth.”
The windows in the apartment provide changing views over the city. These alter not only with the seasons, but also with the passing hours, providing a fresh spectacle every day.
The apartment is equipped with a home control system. A central computer near the entrance controls the lights, security alarm and electrical systems. These can be activated by tablet or smartphone.
Raimond pendant lights: Moooi; Mild Earth floor lamp by Marc Sadler: Foscarini
The apartment is equipped with a home control system. A central computer near the entrance controls the lights, security alarm and electrical systems. These can be activated by tablet or smartphone.
Raimond pendant lights: Moooi; Mild Earth floor lamp by Marc Sadler: Foscarini
The furnishings in the living area are a good balance between mid-century modern and contemporary design. The materials were carefully chosen to provide a neutral setting for the artworks, and are mostly in shades of off-white, chocolate brown or black.
The large dining table, a vintage piece with heavy metal legs lightened by a glass top, was designed by Mario Bellini. Six brown leather LC7 chairs from Cassina complement it. They were designed by Charlotte Perriand in 1927, and today are considered cult objects for lovers of mid-century modern design.
The large dining table, a vintage piece with heavy metal legs lightened by a glass top, was designed by Mario Bellini. Six brown leather LC7 chairs from Cassina complement it. They were designed by Charlotte Perriand in 1927, and today are considered cult objects for lovers of mid-century modern design.
Tomato serving plate from Memphis Milano, designed by Michele De Lucchi, 1985.
“I wanted the kitchen to be an integral part of the living room,” Pizzi says. “The other apartments have a masonry wall that divides the two spaces, but I preferred a solution that gave more of an idea of continuity, hence using sliding doors with opaque glass.”
The kitchen, with off-white lacquered cabinetry by Dada, is of a good size (there’s a separate laundry room) and extremely functional. It consists of one wall of base and wall cabinets plus an island.
The kitchen, with off-white lacquered cabinetry by Dada, is of a good size (there’s a separate laundry room) and extremely functional. It consists of one wall of base and wall cabinets plus an island.
In the master bedroom, a spacious walk-in wardrobe is located on the other side of the wall behind the bed. The side walls are covered in a grey wallpaper with a subtle metallic sheen. This serves to emphasise the functional space while maintaining the chromatic harmony of the environment, based on shades of grey.
In the sleeping area, the windows are equipped with electric curtains and blinds.
In the sleeping area, the windows are equipped with electric curtains and blinds.
The focal point of the room is a curved Fornasetti cabinet with a Palladio design, complemented by the Flos Snoopy lamp designed by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni. The black and white colours and the stylistic calibre of the two elements create a contrasting balance between the warm softness of the honey-coloured oak flooring and the light grey of the walls and furnishings.
“I’ve always loved Fornasetti very much,” says Pizzi. “When we saw this piece, my husband and I couldn’t resist.”
The master bathroom was designed with soft beige and cream tones. The oak floor creates continuity with the rest of the apartment, and integrates well with the large slate tiles chosen for the walls. All this is accentuated by just a few ‘strong’ and colourful furnishing accents. The Flamingo table from Memphis Milano, designed by Michele De Lucchi, is unmistakable.
The apartment also has two additional bathrooms.
The apartment also has two additional bathrooms.
The youngest child’s room is more colourful than the rest of the apartment, with touches of bold red. It’s also furnished with interesting design pieces, including a large, playful totem, the ‘Nerocactus‘ from Gufram.
The study is also the bedroom for the older children when they stop by for the night. It faces the Isola neighbourhood, an historic area of the city. Isola is densely populated and dominated by the yellow houses that typify the outer ring of central Milan.
The couple chose this area of the city to be near a train station. “I travel a lot and didn’t want to get around by car,” says Pizzi. “Our offices are in Turin, and I wanted something that made my life less hectic. Today, I catch the train just below the building [at the Porta Garibaldi] and in three-quarters of an hour I’m at the Porta Susa station in Turin. It’s a completely different life.”
The triptych of pictures over the sofa is by the Piedmontese artist Paolo Mussat Sartor.
The couple chose this area of the city to be near a train station. “I travel a lot and didn’t want to get around by car,” says Pizzi. “Our offices are in Turin, and I wanted something that made my life less hectic. Today, I catch the train just below the building [at the Porta Garibaldi] and in three-quarters of an hour I’m at the Porta Susa station in Turin. It’s a completely different life.”
The triptych of pictures over the sofa is by the Piedmontese artist Paolo Mussat Sartor.
From the 14th floor, the view of the city is expansive. The Duomo and the Torre Velasca can be seen from the living room, while the mountains towards Lecco, north of Milan, can be seen distinctly from the study.
“The windows of the Bosco Verticale are true ‘living pictures’, which are constantly changing and enriching themselves,” says Pizzi. “I love living here very much. I call this apartment my ‘high-altitude dream’.”
Bard pouffe: InternoItaliano; May Day lamp: Flos
“The windows of the Bosco Verticale are true ‘living pictures’, which are constantly changing and enriching themselves,” says Pizzi. “I love living here very much. I call this apartment my ‘high-altitude dream’.”
Bard pouffe: InternoItaliano; May Day lamp: Flos
Winter in the Bosco Verticale provides a romantic and somewhat melancholy panorama. (The photos at the beginning of the story show the building in its fullest phase, during springtime when the plants are greenest.) Below the great structures that serve as garden rows and boundaries for the terraces, ornamental plants and small bushes provide a pleasant green spot at each level. This continues as the view rises towards an unbounded landscape, settling on the massive Resegone mountain at the foot of the Alps, mentioned several times in the novel The Betrothed, by 19th century Italian writer Alessandro Manzoni.
“When I arrived here in September 2014, the plants were much smaller,” recalls Pizzi. “There’s been crazy growth in one year, and the flowering in spring is marvellous. We just have to admire and enjoy the vegetation. The [strata] handles all the care and maintenance, including doing work each month inside the apartments, and coordinating ‘flying gardeners’, who climb down from the top to prune and arrange the plants with larger crowns. The types of plants vary from one floor to the next. The planting is strictly regulated based on the height and exposure.”
“When I arrived here in September 2014, the plants were much smaller,” recalls Pizzi. “There’s been crazy growth in one year, and the flowering in spring is marvellous. We just have to admire and enjoy the vegetation. The [strata] handles all the care and maintenance, including doing work each month inside the apartments, and coordinating ‘flying gardeners’, who climb down from the top to prune and arrange the plants with larger crowns. The types of plants vary from one floor to the next. The planting is strictly regulated based on the height and exposure.”
The skyscraper has about 70 apartments (more or less three per floor), but few are still available. It has a 24-hour concierge service. The apartment on the top floor (about 550 square metres) belongs to the sovereign fund of the Emir of Qatar, who wanted it as a pied-à-terre. In the taller skyscraper, two players for the Italian soccer club, Inter, also have their homes: Ivan Perišić and Felipe Melo.
TELL US
How would you like to have your home in a ‘living building’? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
TELL US
How would you like to have your home in a ‘living building’? Share your thoughts in the Comments below.
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This would be good in downtown LA. Wonder if it would help with the heat island effect?