A habitable forest in Turin, Italy.

Architect Luciano Pia created a one-of-its-kind residential complex in the middle of the city of Turin. The building is alive thanks to 150 tall trees and plants on the balconies and in the courtyard which produce oxygen during the day and absorb carbon dioxide at night.



The “25 verde” project designed by Luciano Pia is described explicitly in the words of its creator, “You can dream of a house or live in your dream”.



The result is a residential complex the size of an urban block which makes targeted use of greenery and construction material in order to create a compact block of flats with a green filter through to the outside.





Metallic structures rising like roots from the ground floor and growing up to the roof support the scaffolding-like balconies. The combination of the trunk shaped lattice as it twines its way through the vegetation and the larch shingle skin creates a unique, living façade.





The sixty-three apartments in the building were designed in close relationship with the greenery in the outdoor spaces where the plants play a fundamental role in blocking out air pollution, sound-proofing the interior, creating an ideal microclimate and offsetting sudden changes in temperature.



The use of greenery changes according to its position - on balconies, in garden-cum-courtyards, green terraces and hanging gardens. Most of the tree species are deciduous to let light into the apartments in winter and shade them in the summer.



The project is energy efficient due to its kind of “coat” form of insulation made up of ventilated walls, protection from direct sunlight, heat pump air-conditioning and heating, rainwater harvesting for the plants in order to put life into this project and bring nature into the city.

Project: Arch. Luciano Pia, http://www.lucianopia.it/
Project and Structural Management of Public Works: Ing. Giovanni Vercelli -Turin
LANDSCAPE PLANNERS: LINEEVERDI (Dott. Agr. Stefania Naretto, Dott. Agr. Chiara Otella)- Turin
CLIENT: GRUPPO CORAZZA, MAINA COSTRUZIONI, DE-GA S.P.A.
CONTRACTING COMPANY: DE-GA S.p.A. - Turin
Gallery: Courtesy of Luciano Pia, http://www.lucianopia.it/