Singapore Supertrees on Visions of Earth this month. Photo by Luca Locatelli / Institute @lucalocatelli.ig Man-made “super- trees”—vertical gardens ranging in height from 82 to 164 feet—stretch skyward in Gardens by the Bay. The three-year- old, 250-acre eco-tourism site promotes clean air, solar energy, sustainable practices, and botanical diversity.
TheSupertrees were built in tandem with the whole development of Gardens by the Bay. Constructed started in 2007 and the Gardens opened in June 2012. For one, Gardens by the Bay is not a garden in the traditional sense of the word. It combines the traditional elements of a garden with the less conventional. It seeks to addresses the challenges of sustainable urban development by integrating horticulture, landscape design, architecture, technology and engineering to transform a barren piece of reclaimed land into an urban ecosystem. Furthermore, the Supertrees not only function as vertical gardens, but also serve as environmental engines that are closely integrated with the rest of the Gardens’ ecosystem. @institute by natgeo