Gardens in the sky

With the city at your feet, why not introduce nature and well being above? Landscaping and building envelope combine in the mixed-use residential and retail development that is Sky Green Taichung, Taiwan

Sky Green makes greenery accessible to the residential white

Plants always grow towards the sun but at teal, gray

The sky gardens are natural outdoor spaces immediately black, gray

With its sky-level gardens, balconies, green walls and brown

Mirror facade panels reflect greenery while above nature gray

Concrete jungle? Creepers appear to be growing right gray, white

Dropping your gardening trowel could have disastrous consequences gray, black

Developer: Golden Jade Construction & Development Corp

Architecture design consultant: WOHA

Sky Green is a mixed-use residential and retail development located at the heart of Taichung City, the Wu Q Redevelopment District – a densely developed and vibrant neighbourhood.

The design of this high-rise, mixed-use development examines the relationship between internal architecture planning and the formal expression of the building as an urban object.

The hustle and bustle of Taichung streets is captured and extended along the lower retail levels of the building. The retail shops have staggered patterned glass cladding as an urban backdrop to tree-lined pedestrian walkways and modern outdoor street furniture.

"Above the retail shops rise two towers of residential apartments of different types with generous recreation facilities.

The development consists of two residential towers of 26 floors with apartment units from level 4 and above and retail units at level 1 to level 3. Between the residential and retail components is a recreational floor for the residents with generous facilities for indoor and outdoor activities.

The site is made up of two rectangular plots, while an intimate, serene landscaped courtyard greets residents as they return home from the busy urban streets.

Both towers have deeply recessed windows and the facades are enveloped with protruding balconies with trees, sky gardens and mesh screens that serve as a trellis for green creeper plants.

Landscaping is treated as a key material in creating the building envelope for the residential towers, as well as bringing nature in to high-rise living. The façade elements create deep sun-shading and the greenery acts as an active and living interface between the interior and exterior environment.

Skygardens at every 5 floors within the block dissolve boundaries between interior and exterior as the residents enjoys nature and fresh air in a high-rise environment. Every unit is able to enjoy visual greenery outside their apartment windows. The residents at skygarden floors each own a 'garden in the sky', with outdoors forming part of their residence.

A series of open yet sheltered sky gardens, terraces, balconies and planters create a breathable facade and visual interest, enhancing the real estate value of these apartments in a densely built up area while providing spatial relief to apartment owners.

The architectural strategies of Sky Green are new for Taichung - and the building and its façade language is a prototype that is representational of the city’s aspirations towards fostering sustainable living in a high-density urban environment.

Skygreen overcomes construction challenges to make the towers resistant to earthquake and typhoons.

The skygarden concept inspires the city government to formulate incentives and amendment of the planning regulations to encourage the adoption of livable highrise greenery in the city’s future developments.