Tokyo, Japan — Deciduous vines provide this building with summer shade, and winter sun; reducing energy demands, while contributing to bird habitat and urban green.
(Source: tokyogreenspace.com)
“Tokyo’s historic Imperial Hotel combines rooftop plants with solar electric panels that mimic the shape of a garden pond. Tokyo is a prime example of an “urban heat island,” where a dense concentration of blacktop and buildings has caused average temperatures to climb in recent decades. The city has mandated green roofs in hopes of cooling things down.”
Photograph by Diane Cook and Len Jenshel, National Geographic
Fashion Museum Omotesando Has Beautiful Latticed ‘Living Wall’ Skin | inhabitat
“This plan for Tokyo’s Fashion Musum by Wing Shun Leung and Donald Shek features milky white layers that form the facade and allow daylight to filter through the building and trays overflowing with plants trickle down the side of the tower, achieving a look that is very fashion-forward and constantly interacts with the outside environment on Omotesando Street.”
via age-of-ecology: Designboom
Klein Dytham Architecture | Green Screen
“Vertical stripes in different widths made from 13 types of real evergreen plants alternate with graphic patterns with a green leaf theme”
In Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Tokyo’s COTOTOI restaurant is just plain gorgeous. Coexisting and balance is a main concept of the restaurant, as ample plant life shares the space with patrons. The creators stress that dining is enhanced by harmonizing good cuisine with good atmosphere.Dilight of Tokyo is behind the interior and the brand, including a nice logo that has a real Bantjes flavor to it. (via a+.29)
Deep underneath some tall office buildings in Tokyo is a secret series of gardens, sprouting with healthy vegetables in the most unlikely of places. The whole shebang consists of six large rooms, each teeming with plants, all dedicated to both researching indoor gardens as well as producing delicious fresh veggies.
The gardens are staffed by local youth, who get to get off the streets and learn about agriculture in their free time. In the future, underground gardens like this may become a large food source for cities, cutting down on the shipping costs that are required when fresh fruits and vegetables need to be sent in from afar.
“Green Island Project” imagines what Tokyo would look like if covered with grass instead of pavement
Sadly, these photos are not real, but provide great visual incentive to work to increase the greenery in our cities, which is a passion we share!
Photos via Gizmodo and cscoutjapan
