Stefano Boeri Architetti has unveiled its vision for the first vertical forests in Africa, in the Egyptian capital, Cairo. The 3 cubes or the 3 experimental edifices consisting of one hotel and two residential structures, will be part of the new administrative town plan, under construction in the southeast of the city.
“Cairo can become the first Northern-African metropolis to face the big challenge of the climate change and of the ecological reconversion” – Stefano Boeri and Francesca Cesa Bianchi
Presented by architect Stefano Boeri and architect Francesca Cesa Bianchi, the “Greener Cairo” initiative, a new sustainable approach of 6 strategies for the ecological conversion of the greater city of 20 million people, includes plans to transform flat roofs into green gardens, facades into green vertical surfaces and proposals to put in place a green corridor system that goes through the city.
Part of this global vision, the 3 generated prototypes or the green cubes will have dimensions of 30 m in both height and width, with 350 trees and more than 14000 shrubs and perennials from a 100 different species. The total green area will exceed the building footprint. Flexible in its programming and repeated all over the metropolis, the novelties hosted in the New Capital City are self-sufficient and able to absorb up to 7 tons of CO2 per year while releasing 8 tons of O2.
The 3 green additions, designed with a local partner, designer Shimaa Shalash and in collaboration with landscape agronomist Laura Gatti, will be built by the Egyptian developer MISR Italia Properties. The works are scheduled to start in 2020 and to be completed by 2022.
