The website Stad+Groen publishes an article delving into the plant component of the Trudo Vertical Forest project by Stefano Boeri Architetti in Eindhoven.
Designed to primarily accommodate a low-income user base – such as young professionals and students – the Eindhoven tower houses rent-controlled apartments with high-quality living standards, representing the first example of a vertical forest dedicated to social housing. The complex vision of coexistence between humans and other species is thus amplified in the project, posing a dual challenge: the opportunity to unite the major challenge of the environmental crisis with the urgent need for affordable housing in contemporary cities.
Trudo Vertical Forest, with 23 floors and 190 apartments, hosts 135 trees of various species, along with approximately 5,200 shrubs, smaller plants, and other vegetation, totaling around 8,500 plants. The article focuses on the specifics of living nature, such as the selection of trees and plants, which took into account seasons, growth conditions at altitude, and local climate. Trees such as field maples, currants, rowan berries, as well as sedums and grasses, were selected for this purpose.
Furthermore, the social rental contracts stipulate that the greenery is accessible to the maintenance team once a year through the apartments and that residents cannot make changes to the greenery, such as removing undergrowth, replanting, or pruning, as it is considered a common good and requires specialist attention from botanists and experts.
To read the full article: https://www.stad-en-groen.nl/article/45486/groene-luchtkastelen-terugblik-op-realisatie-eerste-groene-nederlandse-toren