The Gardens of Anfa may serve as a reminder of why architecture and landscape design education are often housed within the same institutions. This project, proposing a new neighborhood in Casablanca, Morocco, would extend the community's flower beds to the very walls of the buildings themselves.
Maison Edouard François' plans include several residential blocks, an office tower and a three mid-rise apartment buildings. The goal is to complete each of these by 2017 and to unite the separate structures at ground level with a plaza. The Gardens of Anfa would feature all sorts of beautiful fountains, courtyards, trees and lawns, but more vegetated real estate is zoned over the trellised facades of the condos. Brightly colored flowers and lush green vines will climb up the organically formed towers.
Flower Bedded Buildings
Gardens of Anfa Extends the Ideal of Landscape to Incorporate Architecture
Trend Themes
1. Green Architecture - Architecture that incorporates living plants, such as the Gardens of Anfa, presents opportunities for the green architecture trend to grow and evolve.
2. Integrated Landscaping - The use of plant life in building design, as seen in this Moroccan project, could further the trend of integrated landscaping in architecture and urban planning.
3. Vertical Gardens - Vertical gardens, in which plant life is grown on a structure's walls or facade, have been gaining popularity -- offering opportunities for further innovation and scaling for large architectural projects such as the Gardens of Anfa.
Industry Implications
1. Real Estate - Real estate professionals could incorporate more sustainable living features into buildings, such as those showcased in the Gardens of Anfa project.
2. Architecture and Design - The Gardens of Anfa demonstrate the potential for architects and designers to merge the principles of architecture and landscaping to create truly captivating and environmentally-friendly buildings.
3. Urban Planning - Urban planners could use the Gardens of Anfa as inspiration for incorporating nature into urban design and reducing the environmental impact of city living.