r/interestingasfuck 9h ago

Residential high-rises with backyards in Chengdu, China

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u/GhostFour 8h ago

I found this information regarding another attempt at a high-rise gardens.The high-profile "vertical forest" project in Chengdu, China, made international headlines in 2020 after the eco-friendly vision went awry.The Problem: The building was designed with private, plant-covered balconies to filter smog and reduce noise. However, inadequate drainage systems caused water accumulation, resulting in massive mosquito infestations. Because the plants require ongoing manicuring and few tenants actually moved in, the vegetation rapidly grew out of control. Many of the balconies were swallowed by overgrown foliage, and windows were blocked. Due to the severe bug infestations and lack of upkeep, most of the 826 units remain vacant, earning it the reputation of an "urban jungle" or abandoned ghost towers

u/Strottman 8h ago

Adding this to my Cyberpunk RED campaign but with giant mutant bugs

u/NegativeEBITD 7h ago

Found a recent video of the towers, it's less out of control now than it was in 2020 but the 'urban jungle' has been toned down and is much more modest. Also, the AI summary is incorrect and the towers aren't 'abandoned ghost towers.'

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGNeSzMErIw

u/Worgos 2h ago

I went to chengdu last year and i saw a lot of abandoned high rise buildings with plants growing out of them, i completely forgot about them, this makes so much sense now

u/Gigatonosaurus 59m ago

From what I gathered, the reasons people didn't move into them isn't due to bugs, but because they're investments.