Edouard François has already designed such houses, for example, the Flower Tower apartment building in Paris, whose appearance is formed by bamboo pots placed along the perimeter of the floors, connected by a common irrigation and fertilization system. The residential tower Tour vegetale, which François intends to build in the future eco-village of Nantes, reproduces this technique even more ingeniously: landscaping literally grows into architecture. The architect planted plants specially adapted for the facades in thin steel tubes with a diameter of 12 cm and a length of 4 m, fixed along the balcony railing. Unlike massive tubs and pots, these structures take up almost no space and are visually perceived as an integral part of fences.
At the base of the 17-storey elliptical condominium are shops, parking and offices. The residential tower rises above them, shifting slightly to one side. It is surrounded by light mesh balconies that are accessible from all apartments. The shape of the balconies varies slightly from floor to floor, creating a complex organic silhouette for the entire building.
Plants borrowed from the collections of the botanical gardens of Nantes. The viability of such an unusual plantation, growing from pipes and consuming relatively little water, has been proven by a scientific experiment conducted by local specialists throughout the year. So it will be possible to equip almost any facade with the original system soon.
N. K.
