A skyscraper like no other is being constructed in the capital of Taiwan, Taipei – it’s shaped like the double helix pattern of human DNA, and will purify the bustling city’s air once it’s completed.
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The Tao Zhu Yin Yuan was designed by Vincent Callebaut Architectures of Paris, and is scheduled for completion in September 2017. The ambitious vision entailed creating an energy-saving carbon absorbing structure that would play its own part in fighting global warming.
The 21-story-high residential complex will feature more than 23,000 trees and shrubs, and is projected to absorb some 130 tons of carbon dioxide annually. Although that seems like a miniscule amount when considering that the island nation of Taiwan emits more than 250 million tons of CO2 each year, the skyscraper is believed to be a significant step forward in eco-friendly architectural design.
Furthermore, the skyscraper maximizes the use of natural light and ventilation. It also includes rainwater recycling and rooftop solar panels. The lead architect behind the project, Vincent Callebaut, is the man behind several noteworthy eco-concepts of the past few years.
These include a floating garden designed to clean European waterways, and an underwater skyscraper made of ocean garbage. Other ideas he’s proposed are a 132-story urban farm for New York City, and turning the whole of Paris into a green, smart city by 2050.
Callebaut, who calls himself an “archiobiotect”, says that it is our collective duty to adopt more eco-responsible lifestyles and incorporate nature into the fabric of our cities. The global population is set to balloon to 9 billion people by 2050, and some 80% of those inhabitants are predicted to live in megacities.
He added that although the primary reason for architecture has always been to protect man from nature, its contemporary form seeks to reconcile human beings and their natural ecosystems. For instance, gardens are increasingly becoming part of buildings, rather than being placed to the side of them.
Let’s hope that this building turns out to be a success!
