Cancun is located near the Riviera Maya, a geography of unquestionable natural beauty. A forest-city in this Mexican region would be a true example to follow. The same urban location implies contact with nature, as well as its surroundings with beaches and Mayan archaeological remains. The project, designed by Stefano Boeri, generates great expectations.
How many people could inhabit this city-forest? It is said that it would achieve the amount of 130,000 inhabitants. Something fantastic, since this is how a total of 400 hectares used to build the city, hotels, highways and buildings in Cancun in the 70s are returned to nature.
trees in urban settings
During the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, many architects dreamed of something called “The Garden City”. In the 21st century, the idea of creating an large urban forest in china with the intention that the trees absorb all the city pollution.
The truth is that in Cancun they aspire to combine an urban reality combined with a habitable forest. It is estimated to sow some 7,500,000 plants.
Under the responsibility of Laura Gatti, a botanist and expert in landscape design, 400 plant species have been chosen for this project. Of these plants, a total of 260,000 are trees. That is, an average of 2.3 trees is calculated for each inhabitant of the new city.
Some interesting facts about this city-forest in Cancun
It is expected that the vegetation of this town will be able to absorb up to 116,000 tons of CO2. This means a perfect balance between nature and architecture.
In addition, thanks to the help of the German company Transsolar, it is hoped that this city-forest will become 100% self-sufficient. That is to say, that it can supply itself on its own in terms of energy and food production.
To achieve this, the city will surround itself with a ring of solar panels. Likewise, its perimeter will have irrigated agricultural fields. All this will have the institutional support of a botanical research center that is expected to be built in this fantastic forested city.
The issue of water and its importance in forest-city ecology
The water is collected at the entrance to the new city, in a large nearby basin. Likewise, a desalination tower will be built. This water, already purified, is distributed through a system of navigable channels to the buildings and agricultural belts that border the city.
The experience of bringing water to an ecological city has already been raised. There are even initiatives such as creating a forest in the desert of Egypt that show that it is feasible to grow trees anywhere, but with the help of ingenuity and technology.
Can you imagine a city-forest? Don’t you think it’s possible? Well, without a doubt in Cancun this wonder will come true. More cities like this will come later!
Sources
tickbeat