The first section of the plant-covered 1,000 Trees development, designed by British designer Thomas Heatherwick's studio, has officially opened in Shanghai, China.
Described as "Shanghai's Hanging Gardens of Babylon", the mixed-use development features up to 1,000 pillars, each with a tree planted on top. It was designed by Heatherwick for developer Tian An.
The first phase of the development has now opened
The first phase of 1,000 Trees opened with a lighting ceremony on 22 December in Shanghai's Putuo district after eight years of development. A full set of images of the project is set to be released later this month.
It is located next to the city's M50 arts district and a public park. Comprising two mountain-like peaks, the development will span 300,000 square metres and encompass restaurants, museums and galleries, as well as a number of historic buildings, when complete. Read: Heatherwick proposal for Nottingham development incorporates ruins of shopping centre

"The aim was (to have) a warm and live structure with harmonious relationship between human and nature, rather than a concrete mammoth," said Huang Jingsheng, project marketing general manager.
Another Heatherwick project featuring plant-covered columns, Little Island, opened in New York in May of this year.
The designer also recently unveiled plans for a mixed-used development in Nottingham, UK, that would see the studio retain and rewild the frame of a partly demo...