Taiwan building aims to absorb 130 tons of carbon per year

The goal of the Tao Zhu Yin Yuan project is grand: to create architecture that absorbs carbon and lowers the Earth's temperature . The vertical condominium located in Taiwan is designed by the French firm Vincent Callebaut Architectures and will feature approximately 23,000 trees, shrubs and plants across its 20 floors . Construction is expected to be completed in the second half of 2021.

(Vincent Callebaut Architectures / CASACOR)

sinuous architecture

(Vincent Callebaut Architectures / CASACOR)

The skyscraper’s sinuous design is inspired by the shape of DNA: the double helix structure appears on each floor, which is made up of two housing units, and from the base to the top, the levels stretch and twist – each floor rotates 4.5 degrees clockwise to a total of 90 degrees . When viewed from different angles, the tower morphs into a myriad of shapes.

(Vincent Callebaut Architectures / CASACOR)

The twisting layout was chosen for several reasons: to comply with the urban setbacks required by the Taipei City Government, to create cascades of hanging gardens outdoors, to create more privacy for each unit and to promote panoramic views of the city without too much interference.

vertical forest

(Vincent Callebaut Architectures / CASACOR)

The plants provide oxygen, make the environment more humid and reduce noise. The tower also has natural ventilation chimneys that filter the air inside the central core, rainwater recycling, LED lighting, fiber optic connections, solar and wind energy capture panels and a structural system with high resistance to earthquakes and bad weather.

(Vincent Callebaut Architectures / CASACOR)

"We hope to enhance the world's efforts in fighting global warming and establish people's carbon absorption culture; we will start from Taiwan and declare this to the world," the architects explain on their official website .