Stefano Boeri Architetti has completed the Wonderwoods Vertical Forest in Utrecht, Netherlands, a 104-metre, 31-storey mixed-use tower wrapped in balconies supporting hundreds of trees and thousands of plants. Located in the new car-free Beurskwartier district, the tower is part of the wider Wonderwoods development, which also features a smaller, tree-covered block designed by local studio MVSA.
Mixed-Use Design and Public Integration
The tower provides 200 apartments alongside shops, offices, and leisure areas, all set above bicycle parking and public squares at street level. A seventh-floor bridge links the Vertical Forest with the MVSA block, adding public gardens and restaurant terraces that overlook the city. Stefano Boeri Architetti described the project as the Netherlands’ first Bosco Verticale to host public functions, aiming to integrate this architectural typology with urban life and ensure accessibility to all residents.
Each apartment has access to at least one plant-filled balcony, arranged in a stepped formation to maximise sunlight and accommodate tree growth. The facades are clad in white concrete and terrazzo tiles, with dark wooden planks lining the undersides of the balconies, which also include nesting areas for birds and bug hotels in surrounding green spaces.
A Living Urban Ecosystem
“Wonderwoods Vertical Forest is a living architecture with facades that change in colour and foliage density through the seasons,” the studio explained. Sensors monitor the irrigation system and schedule pruning interventions, while a rainwater collection system beneath the tower supports sustainable water management. The tower provides a haven for biodiversity, particularly supporting bird populations that use the circular holes in the balconies for nesting.
Legacy of Vertical Forests
Wonderwoods continues the studio’s Vertical Forest series, which began with the Milan prototype in 2014 and includes Eindhoven’s 2021 Trudo Vertical Forest. Similar construction methods were employed here: a steel and concrete structure with prefabricated balcony and façade elements. Stefano Boeri Architetti’s recent projects, including the Palazzo Verde housing block in Antwerp, continue to explore stepped forms and terraces densely planted with trees and shrubs, advancing the concept of urban forests in high-density cities.