An Effort To Turn Apartment Buildings Into A “Vertical Forest” In China Goes Terribly Wrong With Jungle-Like Mosquito Infestation

Daily Sabah

It seems “Go Green” is the way to go to improve air quality in heavily-polluted urban areas all over the world. Besides, it makes our world a more beautiful place to live in. It has become a challenge for many urban planners to help the environment, as greenhouse gas emissions climb and temperatures are rising all over the world.


A housing complex in Chengdu, China, took up this challenge. The experimental Qiyi City Forest Garden apartment complex went green, and excited residents bought out all the 826 units from the developer. Moving into a manicured green “vertical forest” seemed to be ideal. But sometimes, some good ideas just go horribly wrong.

The apartment complex turned out to be like a post-apocalyptic jungle nightmare, like when the environment takes over the structures. The worst part was the swarms of mosquitoes, not normally found in urban areas, turned the residents’ “eco-paradise” into a jungle hell.

EPA

Even as all units have been purchased, only a small number of families decided to brave the mosquito infestation. Seems like only about 20 families have so far moved into their new homes. Even as they trim the plants on their balconies, the ones from the neglected units started growing and merging into one another, creating an “urban jungle” quite literally.

Just a bit of background, China did not invent the vertical forest idea. It was a concept developed by Italian architect Stefano Boeri, whose stunning design of the vertical garden Bosco Verticale in Milan garnered international attention, particularly from heavy-polluted cities across the globe. The idea was to simply balance mother nature and biodiversity with the needs of the urban population. Helps the environment, and beautifies it as well. Sounds like a dream concept. The plants provide natural shade, while improving air quality. They will absorb more carbon dioxide and release more oxygen annually. The idea has been replicated into other concepts including Koichi Takada’s Urban Forest and futuristic Cloud Corridor skyscrapers planned for Los Angeles.

However in Chengdu, China, something went wrong that turned the “dream” concept into a “nightmare”. The concept is not flawed, the problem would have to fall on the shoulders of the property managers – mainly neglect. This is according to landscape architect and New York Botanical Garden instructor Daryl Beyers.

Youtube

“Just because it looks cool, absorbs CO2, is a noise buffer, and offers psychological benefits, doesn’t mean you don’t have to do it properly,” he explained. “ and I think the developers rushed into it. They didn’t think about the maintenance.”

Looks like the developers were just in it for the money. “You can’t have a garden without a gardener,” Beyers exclaimed. “They were touting it as a manicured garden outside on your deck. If it’s manicured, someone has to do the manicuring.” seems only logical.


To make things worse, the humid climate in the Chengdu region is just perfect for mosquitoes, and the plants provide the shade needed for these pesky insects. A lesson to be learned by the developers, plan properly and don’t neglect important responsibilities. You can’t defeat nature, you have to learn to cope with it. “It is sort of apocalyptic, and that’s what nature will do to all our cities if everything goes to hell,” Beyers warns. “You see it in the movies. Plants will do those things.”

Sometimes we think we can beat nature. But at the end of all things, nature will always come out on top. So respect Mother Nature, and stop abusing her.

 

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