We stopped living in the forest a long time ago, and attempts to forcibly bring it into our stone buildings turn out to be a far more complicated story than it might seem.
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The complex shown in the video was built in Chengdu, China, in 2018.
The buildings served as an experimental project, in which approximately 20,000 plants of various species were planted on purpose-built structures covering the buildings' exteriors.
The idea was that the plants would help cleanse the air of carbon dioxide, improve the buildings' thermal efficiency, and reduce energy consumption.
But as residents began moving in, so did the problems.
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The drainage system proved ineffective, and the water that accumulated as a result became a thriving breeding ground for mosquitoes and insects that made life in the buildings unbearable.
The plant species selected were not properly planned and were not accompanied by a maintenance program, leading to uncontrolled growth that blocked sunlight to an extreme degree.
These issues resulted in only 10 out of 826 buyers actually moving in upon completion, and the project became a cautionary tale for other green building ventures.
In the years since, the Chinese project's shortcomings have been addressed — it is now more than 80% occupied and is home to popular entertainment centers.
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Another example of this construction approach is the Bosco Verticale towers (translated as "Vertical Forest") in Milan.
In these towers, the plant species were carefully selected, and irrigation is partly based on recycling the water used within the apartments.
A detailed maintenance plan was established from the outset, including cost projections, an efficient drainage system, and continuous improvement of the project through regular feedback from residents.
The project is still considered an outstanding success to this day, and similar projects are now being built around the world in its wake.
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Despite the advantages of this type of construction, it is important to remember that it involves building that is complex, challenging, and extremely costly to maintain.
Most of us will probably continue living in soulless stone buildings and burning energy — but projects like these are certainly something we'd be happy to see from our windows.
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Video credit: South China Morning Post YouTube channel