'Fourth generation' building project aims to initiate new wave of first-class housing

Despite being located in a bustling urban part of Huanggang in the central province of Hubei, Xiao Yaqin's apartment is less than a stone's throw from a forest. Unlike other buildings in the city, his apartment block stands out because of its green appearance resulting from being wrapped in lush plants.

"It makes me feel very comfortable. When you open the window, fresh air keeps rolling in," the 65-year-old said, to explain why he chose to pay over 2,000 yuan ($300) more per square meter than the average price in the city for the 128-sq-m apartment.

After working for many decades as a reporter for Changjiang Shipping News in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province, the retiree plans to enjoy the rest of his life in the apartment in his hometown.

He was one of the first group of tenants that recently moved into the vertical forest complex consisting of two 80-meter-tall, 25-story buildings, which the developer Easyhome, headquartered in Beijing, claims to be China's first "vertical forest" residential project.

According to the company, there are 404 trees and 4,620 shrubs in the vertical forest, which is classified as the "fourth generation" of housing.

Grasses, flowers and climbing plants cover 2,408 sq m of the floor area. The plants are estimated to be capable of absorbing 22 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere per year, while generating 11 tons of oxygen.

With landscape plants along the building's external walls, the vertical forest embodies a new way of connecting urban and natural environments, the company said. While promoting a balance between the two, it aims to bring urban residents a new life experience.

The project, completed in March last year, is the result of cooperation between Easyhome and Italian architect Stefano Boeri, often called "the father of the vertical forest".

Boeri erected his first vertical forest in Milan, his hometown, in 2014.

The company didn't disclose how many of the project's 209 apartments have been sold.

A similar housing project named the Qiyi City Forest Garden in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, became an internet sensation when it was launched.

With gardens on every balcony, the project, completed in 2018, is reputed to be the first of China's fourth-generation housing projects. Its apartments reportedly sold out soon after sales began, while other fourth-generation projects appeared across the country.

However, the development of this new type of housing hasn't been met without skepticism. Major concerns involve mosquito control and high maintenance costs.

For example, mosquito infestations are one of the reasons people are reluctant to move into the Qiyi City Forest Garden, according to reports in several media.

The irrigation system required to ensure the survival of the plants in the vertical forest and the need to have gardeners trim them means much higher maintenance costs than in regular buildings, according to a recent report in China News Weekly.

However, Xu Yibo, the Chinese partner of Stefano Boeri Architetti China, told the magazine that mosquitoes will not pose a big problem. He said that in addition to choosing mosquito-repellent plants, a drainage system that can help avoid water accumulation will also help address the issue.

It is not yet known what the future of fourth-generation housing will be in China, but it has at least met the hopes of many people who want to live closer to nature.

Xiao, the retiree, said his new apartment has met his expectations for better quality of life. "You feel you are close to nature, even if you don't open the window," he said.