These green city innovations range from self-sustaining villages to urban forest pavilions. Aiming to make urban spaces more communal and eco-friendly, architects are re-adapting public parks, skyscrapers, and offices to feature elements like indoor gardens and lush, growing facades.
As cities become more populated, an increase in construction means sparser green spaces, but products like indoor gardening kits, and hydroponic planters are ensuring consumers can create indoor gardens where outdoor growing space is limited.
While standouts like 'Motorleaf' -- an intelligent device that tracks indoor gardening growing conditions -- are ideal for city dwellers looking to cultivate their own food sources indoors, Amazon's new Seattle headquarters gives employees access to a communal greenhouse space, consisting of "more than 3000 species of plants."
55 Green City Innovations
54
Eco Prefab Homes
This Wood House by ArchiBlox Features a Green Roof and Sustainable Wood
53
Self-Powered Trolleybus Gardens
This Piezoelectric Architecture Merges Design & Sustainability
52
Garden-Topped Houses
This Concept House Features a Rooftop Vegetable Garden and Solar Heating
51
Grocery Store Herb Gardens
The Albert Heijn Supermarket Features In-Store Farming
50
Ramping Rooftop Gardens
Bam! Arquitectura Designed a Buenos Aires Home with a Multi-Level Garden
49
Eco Urban Micro-Homes
This Small Urban Home is Made With Rigid Eco-Friendly Standards
48
Outdoor Multi-Age Playgrounds
BAM's Indigo Playgrounds are Designed for Children of Varying Ages
47
Pop-Up Garden Oases
This Empty Storefront Was Transformed into a Tranquil Temporary Venue
46
Recycled Garden Sheds
The West Wing Structure Won the Annual 'Shed Of the Year' Prize
45
Hybrid Green Wall Architecture
MF+ Arquitetos' 'Casa MCNY' Blurs Indoor and Outdoor Space Barriers
44
Curvaceous Wooden Domes
The 'Dome of Visions' Explores Wood as an Eco-Friendly Alternative
43
Next-Gen Farming Houses
Net Houses Offer Better Produce with Fewer Chemicals
42
Colorful Amorphous Playgrounds
The Mountain Lake Park Playground is a Joyous Playscape
41
Merged Greenhouse Cottages
Maas Architecten's 'Modern Countryside Villa' Features a Split Design
40
Patio-Connected Kitchen Concepts
Benn + Penna Architecture's Renovation Brings the Outdoors In
39
Produce-Growing Preschools
This Eco-Friendly Preschool Doubles as an Urban Farm
38
Twisted Urban Farms
The 'Hybrid Farm Apartment Building' Concept Maximizes Sunlight Access in NYC
37
Self-Sustaining Villages
The ReGen Community is Able to Create its Own Energy and Food
36
Furniture Brand Incubators
IKEA is Launching 'Bootcamp' as a Start-Up Incubator
35
Public Medicinal Greenhouses
'Breathing Bubble' is a Transparent Greenhouse for Medicinal Plants
34
Restaurant Plant Walls
The Great Green Wall in a Beirut Eatery is Made from Six Types of Veggies
33
Eco-Friendly Floating Greenhouses
The Eco Barge Cruises the Danube in a Sustainable Fashion
32
Multi-Sensory Garden Pop-Ups
This Pop-Up Garden in London is a Sophisticated Play Structure
31
CO2-Capturing Plants
The Climeworks Direct Air Capture Technology Draws in CO2
30
Towering Timber Buildings
The Canopia Timber Towers Are Proposed For Bordeaux
29
Flowing Grassy Rooftops
The Tsing Tao Visitor Center Blends Into the Hilly Environment
28
Lawn-Topped Houses
'South Coast of Landes House' Makes Use of All Its Facets
27
Hexagonal Urban Gardens
This City Garden is Interactive and Incorporates Different Designs
26
Greenhouse-Inspired Restaurants
This Nordic Eatery Boasts an Open Concept Design Scheme
25
Weatherproof Garden Protectors
The Miniature Greenhouse Garden Row Tunnel Keeps Plants Secure
24
Spherical Urban Greenhouses
Amazon is Building a Relaxing Green Community For Its Employees
23
Glowing Transparent Greenhouses
'Less House' in Ho Chi Minh City is a Luminous Structure
22
Eco Urban Pathways
'The Thailine' is a Park System That Stretches Beneath Bangkok's Highways
21
Greenery-Adorned City Buses
The 'Forest Bus' in Taipai Acts as a Mobile Greenhouse
20
Hydroponic Superfood Planters
The Gakken LED Grow Box Utilizes Greenhouse Growing for Indoor Use
19
Green Wall Retail Displays
The Saje at Home Concept Store Blends Organic Products with Greenery
18
Indoor Restaurant Greenhouses
This Restaurant Has an Indoor Greenhouse and Uses Recycled Materials
17
Honeycomb Staircase Structures
'Vessel' Will be a Towering Stairway in New York's Hudson Yards
16
Compact Herb Kits
Plant 'n' Grow's BBQ Backyard Herb Kit is Packaged for Convenient Delivery
15
Net-Zero Energy Schools
This New York City School Produces as Much Electricity as It Uses
14
Expansive Smart City Plans
Samsung Electronics and SK Telecom to Create a Nationwide Network
13
Underground Visitor Centers
The Skamlingsbanken Visitor Center Will Have a Grassy Roof
12
Wood-Made Office Campuses
The 'Nanterre Arboretum' Will Be the World's Largest Solid Wood Project
11
Smart Garden-Monitoring Gadgets
The 'Motorleaf' Indoor Growing System Tracks Conditions
10
Massive Green-Roofed Bookstores
The 'Book Garden' is the Largest Bookstore in the World
9
Diverse Cactus Gardens
The Desert City is Cactus-Filled Research Center Outside Madrid
8
Hybrid Concrete-Wood Towers
C.F. Moller's Vasteras High-Rise Features Solid Wood and Concrete
7
Urban Forest Pavilions
Asif Khan's 'Forests' are Spread Throughout East London
6
Sustainable Silicon Valley Offices
The New Google HQ Design Aims for LEED Certification
5
Earth Day Walking Tours
This Walking Tour Takes Participants to Green Sites Across New York City
4
Rejuvenated Urban Greenways
Vancouver's Arbutus Greenway Project Will Feature Bike Lanes and Paths
3
Green Lifestyle Festivals
The 'Green Festival Expo' Marked Earth Day in New York City
2
Rooftop Produce Brands
IGA's 'Frais Du Toit' Brand Sells Organic Greens from Its Rooftop Garden
1
Culturally Influenced Park Designs
Alex Hanazaki Created a Garden That Represents Brazil's Culture
Related Ideas
Self-Sustaining Indoor Gardens
The 'Hydro' Automated Hydroponic Indoor Garden is Connected
Smart Indoor Hydroponics Gardens
The Verda Garden Modular is a Space-Saving Way to Grow Veggies
Space-Saving Hydroponic Gardens
The ExoTower Modular Hydroponic Garden Tower is Slender
Innovative Plant Growth Boxes
abby is the Newest Next-Gen Smart Indoor Hydroponic Grow Box
Sunlight-Evoking Plant Systems
Yechan Choi Designs the Equinox Light to Control Indoor Lighting
Dark-Green Minimal Cabins
Scalar Architecture Introduces a New Quaint Forest Cabin for a Family
Automated Urbanite Farming Systems
The 'Weatheseed' Indoor Farming System is Easy to Use
Subterranean Japanese Libraries
This Underground Library is Situated Beneath a Sustainable Farm
Modern Indoor Farm Stands
Lettuce Grow Helps You Grow Your Own Groceries at Home
Nature-Inspired Geometric Office Domes
Anthony Hodson Designs the New Dzome as a Garden Office Pod
Natural Moss Terrariums
Petite Foret Plus Features Five Tiers for Observing Fresh Moss
Updated Indoor Gardening Solutions
The Plantone 2.0 Delivers a Hassle-Free Gardening Experience
3D-Printed House Neighborhoods
EYRC and Mighty Buildings Develop the Suburbs of the Future
Self-Watering Multifunctional Planters
Moss Develops the Grow Lamp to Simplify Gardening
Cube-Combining Tiny Homes
This Unique Tiny Home Uses Modular Spaces to Enable Flexible Use
Low-Energy Indoor Garden Systems
The 'SproutHub' Indoor Garden Works with 54 Plant Varieties
Accessible DIY Housing Strategies
Manuel Cervantes Estudio Promotes "Assisted Self-Production"
Redesigned Hybrid Offices
Mason Studio Redesigned Its Toronto Office For "The Greater Good"
App Controlled Indoor Gardens
Plant Factory's Hydroponic Farm is Fully Automoated
Self-Watering Plant Pots
The Vivo Pot by Ivan Zhurba Functions as a Desk Light and Decor
420 Automated Grow Boxes
The New abby Smart Indoor Plant Grow Box Boasts a Slim Design
Greenery-Sheathed Architecture Offices
This Building Will House the Offices Of 'VTN Architects'
Automated Vertical Car Parks
Daniel Statham Studio Designs the Future Car Park in China
Nature-Inspired Solar Panel Trees
New World Wind Develops the Aeroleaf Hybrid Technology
Plant-Filled Latticed Buildings
Wallflower Architecture + Design Creates the Touching Eden House
Indoor Organic Waste Gardens
The Conceptual BOSCH Eco-Hub by Batuhan Duran is Sustainable
Hydroponic Plant-Growth Ecosystems
The Square Greens Pod is a Compact Device to Cultivate Food
Supermarket-Style Pavilions
Venice Architecture Biennale's Latvian Pavilion Has a Familiar Form
Garden-Centering Urban Townhouses
This Vietnamese Home's Layout is Arranged Around an Inner Garden
Ambient Energy Harvesting Planters
This Hydroponic Planter System Encourages Interaction
Sustainable Airport Terminal Designs
This Lush Green Terminal is Powered By Renewable Energy
Soil-Free Garden Systems
The 'Gourmet' Garden Uses a Nutrient-Rich Medium & LED Lighting
Audaciously Adaptable Floating Cities
'Dogen City' is Designed to Withstand Climate Challenges
Ocean-Cleaning Island Cities
Estudio Focaccia Prieto Conceptualizes Self-Sustaining Island Cities
Sphere-Shaped Skyscrapers
The 'Skyscraper City of Tiankeng' Has Different Microclimate Spheres
Community-Centric Headquarters
SPACE10 Embraces Community-Centric Design for Its Headquarters
Award-Winning London Garden Homes
Nic Howett Architect Designs the Secret Garden Flat
Mockup-Inspired Garden Structures
New Affiliates & Samuel Stewart-Halevy Create Testbeds
Circular AI Campuses
This AI Hub Will Feature Futuristic Labs, Lifestyle Spaces & Green Tech
Plant-Covered Concrete Homes
Studio Symbiosis Designs the Villa KD45 in Delhi with a Terraced Roof
Integrated Garden Designs
Ludwig Godefroy Champions "Habitable Gardens" in Mexico
Artful Wooden Pavilions
Centro de Colaboración Arquitectónia Designs the Orchid Pavilion
Transparent Climate Classrooms
Forma Transforms a Century-old Glasshouse in Copenhagen
Tree-Inspired Solar Panel Systems
The SolarBotanic Energy Tree Works in Public or Private Spaces
Vibrant Multi-Level Office Designs
Gensler Reimagines the Accenture Office Space in Chicago
Wondrous Wooden Cities
The 'Stockholm Wood City' Will Include 2,000 Homes, Retail Spaces & Offices
Rejuvenated Retail Buildings
This Vietnamese Building Will Feature Lush Native Greenery
Nature-Inspired Indoor Playgrounds
Sarit Shani Hay Designs a New Playground in Tel Aviv
Urban Structural Street Furniture
BLUE Architecture Studio Designs the Symbiotic Urban Furniture
Energy-Efficient Office Buildings
This Czech Office Complex is Outfitted With Eco-Friendly Designs
Interior Plant Design Services
Plantd Life Capitalizes on the Springtime to Boost Its Offerings
AI-Fueled Sustainable Product Series
SPACE10 and oio studio Add AI to Products of Place
Ocean Plastic Indoor Gardens
Ocean by Ingarden is Made Out of Ocean Plastic Waste
Hydroponics Indoor Garden Designs
The Nutraponics TLX Blends Nature with Technology Together
Bio-Based Compact Housing
Woonpioniers Designs the Sustainable Sprout Ruben & Marjolein House
Stylish Indoor Hydroponic Planters
The Folia Origin Planter Has a Built-in Camera and More
Subterranean Garden Installations
Tideway is Bringing Attention to the Thames Tideway Tunnel
Micro-City Housing Nooks
Notan Office Transforms an Industrial Site in Brussels
Green Medium-Density Developments
Brahn Smillie-Fearn Consolidates Built & Natural Environments
Garden Oasis Renovated Homes
Sam Crawford Architects Designs the Hidden Garden House
Green Garden-Surrounding Homes
Cote Architects Designs the Hillside House in Hue City
Rejuvenated Former Bank Buildings
This Dutch Building Now Boasts Solar Panels & Insect Hotels
Subterranean Courtyard Galleries
Buzz Designs the Hermit Space Yards in Beijing Park
Caterpillar-Shaped Apartment Buildings
Undecorated Developed an Eye-Catching Metal Building
Off-Grid Self-Sufficient Island Homes
Vollebak and Bjarke Ingels Design the Earth House in Canada
Greenery-Packed Museum Buildings
This Science Museum is Designed Around a Central Park
Community-Centric Office Spaces
Shubin Donaldson Architects Designs the Tricon Residential Office
Hidden Urban Oasis Cottages
Winwood McKenzie Adds an Extension to the Quarry House
Sustainably Built Canopied Buildings
Kevin Daly Architecture Designs a Foundation's Headquarters
Plant-Centric Dynamic Office Spaces
Maison August and Atelier Ochre Design the Garden of Edyn
Slopped-Base Green Tiled Homes
Bak Gordon Arquitectos Integrates a Home with Surrounding Buildings
Modular Automated Indoor Planters
The totam planter Has an Automated, Self-Watering Design
Self-Sustaining Houses
Archiopteryx Designs the People Tree House in Noida, India
Chic Self-Watering Garden Planters
The Glowpear Mini Bench Works Well Indoors or Out
Multifunctional Circular Housing Blocks
Gensler's EVE Park Design has Integrated EV Parking Towers
Festival-Based Mycelium Pavlions
Simon Carroll Creates the Hayes Pavilion at Glastonbury
Bamboo-Clad Residential Homes
i29 Designs the Open Park Villa to Connect with Nature
Plant-Powered Food Halls
Saluhall is a New Dining Concept by IKEA's Parent Company
Air Purifying Architectural Towers
Studio Symbiosis Designs the Verto Air Purification Tower
Environmentally Blending Residences
A Threshold Studio Designs the Ineffable Light Home
Mirrored-Detailed Garden Cafes
IDIN Architects Designs Structures for Nana Coffee Roasters
Living Plant DIY Chairs
Front/ Highlights Themes of Nature with the Green Hideaway Chair
Greenery-Sheathed Libraries
This Library Building Features Generous Plantings Of Native Species
Biophilic Serene Communities
The Biophilic Leadership Summit is Surrounded by Greenery
Planted Balcony Home Designs
4site Architects Designs the House of Greens in Bangalore
Local Craft-Shown Bamboo Pavilions
AtArchitecture Designs the Northeast Pavilion for an Art Fair
Artful Climate-Themed Installations
Michael Pinsky & Studio Bark Unveil the Making a Stand Design
Locally Focused Visionary Tableware
IKEA's Design Lab Presents the New Products of Place Campaign
Beetle-Inspired Sustainable Planters
The Fog Smart Hydroponic Planter Leans on Biomimicry
Nature-Connecting Office Spaces
Hawkins\Brown Designs the Here + Now Office Buildings
Community Hub Timber Pavilions
The Craft Not Carbon Pavilion Raises in London's Park
Climbing Plant-Wrapped Homes
Anarchlab Designs the Nevogilde House in Porto with Unique Screen
Wind-Responsive Panel Pavilions
Fernanda Ahumada & FREE Design the National Biodiversity Pavilion
Greenery-Filled Skyscraper Terrarium
ODA Presents a Look at the Terrarium Cheong-Dam Design
Spiralled Roof Horticultural Centers
KPMB Architects Designs the Leaf Building in Winnipeg
Greenery-Topped Winery Designs
This Czech Winery Complex Pays Tribute to its Green Surroundings
Elevated Garden-Filled Buildings
Snøhetta Designs the New Cloud 11 Building in Bangkok
IoT-Integrated Vertical Gardens
Hexagro's Smart Vertical Garden Clovy Revolutionizes Urban Farming
LED-Wrapped Airport Renovations
Prague's Airport is Getting a Sustainable and High-Tech Update
Solo Flexible Study Spaces
YounghanChung Architects Designs the Tiny Forest Study Space
Expansive School Bamboo Canopies
CollectiveProject Creates a Canopy at Talaricheruvu Rural School
Traditional Garden-Inspired Cultural Centers
Open Architecture Designs the Shanfeng Academy
Light-Filled City Center Gardens
ROOM + Design & Build Designs the Secret Garden in Vietnam
Perforated Light-Passing Art Installations
The Volvo Circle Pavilion Uses Tyvek Facades
Hidden Garden Timber Pavilions
Tikari Works Designs A Room Around a Tree in London
Botanical Public Garden Updates
Land Morphology & Olson Kundig Update the Leach Botanical Garden
Tranquil Plant-Filled Offices
Daniel Boddam Studio Transforms a Warehouse for Wyer & Co
Hotel-Based Garden Terraced Columns
WOHA Designs the Pan Pacific Orchard with Garden Terraces
Sustainable Cubic Homes
Appels Architekten Designs a New Wooden Home in Germany
Danish Recreational Hub Projects
The City of Copenhagen Announces a New Waterfront Development
Climate-Managing Greenhouse Concepts
Salazar Sequero Medina Designs the Livable Greenhouse Home
Mirrored Panel Tropical Gardens
Research Artistic Design + Architecture Designs the Frame Garden
Elevated Miami Office Spaces
Arcadis' In-House Team Designs a New Office Space in Miami
Pyramid-Roof Glass Greenhouses
Studio Odile Decq Designs the New Green Pavilion Structure
Reimagined Hybrid Workspace Designs
Mason Studio Redesigned its Offices in Toronto
Natural Landscape-Surrounding Homes
All(zone) Designs the Under the Rain Trees Holiday Home
3D-Printed Public Pavilion Prototypes
Hassell Works with Nagami on a New Public Pavilion
Kaleidoscope Vibrant Pavilions
Google's Mountain View Features a Halo Pavilion Artwork
Spine-Based Central Design Buildings
Foster + Partners Designs the Hangzhou Center
Flower-Shapes Greenhouse Gardens
Cobe Designs the Opera Park on a Copenhagen Island
Tree-Like Library Spaces
Studio Hinge Presents the Forest of Knowledge Library Design
Energy-Efficient Headquarter Buildings
The New 'Bench' Building Prioritizes Sustainable Design
London-Based Garden Roofscapes
James Corner Field Operations Designs a Roof Garden in London
Hill-Like Designed Food Markets
MVRDV Designs the New Tainan Xinhua Fruit and Vegetable Market
Historically Based Nurseries
Régis Roudil Constructs a New Nursery in the Palaid de l'Alma
Urban Green Space Overhauls
Four of London's green spaces will receive a makeover
Climate-Friendly Waterfront Homes
From 4 to 1 Creates Three Pavilions in Copenhagen
City-Honoring Furniture Projects
The Symbiotic Urban Furniture Project is Imaginative
Plant-Based Functional Chairs
Franklin St. Studio Presents the Good Morning Glory Project
Sustainably Transformed Tech Headquarters
Google's New Chicago Office Will Be More Ec-Friendly
Lantern-Like Tea House Pavilions
Grau Architects Designs the Tea House Pavilion by the Lake
Plant-Aiding Hydroponic Systems
turf is an Energy-Harvesting Conceptual Cultivation System
Dynamic Interactive Lighting Installations
Zava Designs a New Light and Metal Installation
Industrial Warehouse-Inspired Offices
Carr Designs a New Office Block with Industrial Themes
Lantern-Topped Sleek Workshops
Cabinet Designs the Gardeners House in a Park in Geneva
Natural Material Gardening Sets
Pallarès and Audo Copenhagen Launch the Garden Collection
Tree-Inspired Panelled Workspaces
Hood Design Studio Creates a New Campus in Silicon Valley
Climate-Sensitive Pavilion Structures
Querkraft Designs the Pavilion Inspired by Wind Towers
Repurposed Imperfection-Embraced Buildings
Civic Architects & VDNVP Elevate a Series of Workspaces
Residential Developed Urban Farms
Snøhetta Designs the Pavilia Farm Residential Development Space