Vertical Forest, Milan - Italy - Boeri Studio - Arch. Stefano Boeri, Gianandrea Barreca, Giovanni La Varra

The idea behind Bosco Verticale has become so popular that there is already a similar project in Lausanne (also designed by Studio Boeri). Bosco Verticale has risen to the challenge of planting 800 trees (two for each of its residents), 4,000 bushes and 16,000 perennial plants and creepers belonging to more than one hundred different species. This is equivalent to a two-hectare forest on just a small strip of land. It is a model of vertical densification of nature within the city that operates in relation to policies for reforestation and naturalization of large urban and metropolitan borders. The ceramic material used for the external cladding of the ventilated facade of Bosco Verticale is Cotto d’Este 14mm extra-thick porcelain stoneware, the result of a unique production technology: pressed 3 times and cooked at 1230° for over 90 minutes, this process guarantees superior qualities and technical and aesthetic performances. The Blackstone product designed ad hoc for this project stands out for its gunmetal grey shade inspired by the fine sandstones of Northern Europe. Lea Ceramiche’s products cover the interior spaces and are in line with the project’s environmentally sustainable vision. Two collections were used: Basaltina Stone Project and Slimtech Basaltina, an innovative product, only 3.5mm thick. Compared to traditional porcelain, the technology used for this collection entails a major reduction in the consumption of raw materials, water, and energy, and in the emission of pollutants and of CO2 during firing. http://archi.panariagroup.it/en/projects/vertical-forest/