Located on the southern edge of the Dutch village of Sint-Michielsgestel, will soon reside the mixed-used, four-story Green Villa. Aptly named, the structure is covered in potted plants helping it blend into the bucolic landscape of the nearby river, fields and trees.
The project was initiated and is being developed by MVRDV, a Netherlands-based architecture and urban design firm, co-architect, Van Boven Architecten, who wanted to create a landmark project for the village while also being socially conscious and environmentally progressive.
Green Village is located in the Dutch village of Sint-Michielsgestel.
A “rack” of shelves of varying depths hosts an abundance of potted plants, bushes and trees such as forsythias, jasmine, pine and birch. This approach stems from MVRDV’s belief that sustainability implies not only a technological challenge but also a positive change in lifestyle, with urban areas considered as a part of the natural landscape.
“This design is a continuation of our research into ‘facade-less’ buildings and radical greening,” Winy Maas, founding partner of MVRDV, explained. “The idea from the nineties of city parks as an oasis in the city is too limited. We need a radical ‘green dip’: as will be shown soon in a book by The Why Factory with the same title, we should also cover roofs and high-rise facades with greenery. Plants and trees can help us to offset CO2 emissions, cool our cities and promote biodiversity.”
Construction on Green Villa is scheduled to start in 2020.
