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
Sunlight-Evoking Plant Systems
Yechan Choi Designs the Equinox Light to Control Indoor Lighting
Nest-Inspired Urban Houses
This Vietnamese Dwelling Offers Respite From the Concrete Jungle
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
App Controlled Indoor Gardens
Plant Factory's Hydroponic Farm is Fully Automoated
Low-Energy Indoor Garden Systems
The 'SproutHub' Indoor Garden Works with 54 Plant Varieties
Minimalist Indoor Gardening Systems
The Conceptual BalconyFarm POT Can Be Set Up Anywhere
Mental Health-Friendly Homes
Hong Kong's Playpod Sanctuary is Functional and Healing
Plant-Based Cabin Constructions
Moontower Design Build Creates the Cross Cabin in Austin
Nature-Inspired Solar Panel Trees
New World Wind Develops the Aeroleaf Hybrid Technology
Automated Vertical Car Parks
Daniel Statham Studio Designs the Future Car Park in China
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
Self-Shaping Timber Structures
ICD and ITKE Design the Hybrid Flax Pavilion and Wangen Tower
Serenely Stilted Houses
This Sustainable Tiny Home is Situated On An Elevated Platform
Urban Bottle Sustainable Initiatives
Heineken Presents Fields Green With Grass, Not Glass
Ambient Energy Harvesting Planters
This Hydroponic Planter System Encourages Interaction
Self-Watering Multifunctional Planters
Moss Develops the Grow Lamp to Simplify Gardening
Garden-Inspired Smartphone Chargers
The Mini Moonlit Desk Garden by Seunghyuk Shin is Meditative
Eco-Friendly Offices
Office@27 by Sanjay Puri Architects is Enhanced by Ancient Indian Principles
Soil-Free Garden Systems
The 'Gourmet' Garden Uses a Nutrient-Rich Medium & LED Lighting
Sustainable Airport Terminal Designs
This Lush Green Terminal is Powered By Renewable Energy
Kid-Envisioned Urban Environments
The Little Big Playmat Takes a Creative Path to Design Problems
Mini Mess-Free Garden Units
The LinnéGarden Vertical Hydroponics Garden is Self-Watering
Window-Accented Garden Homes
CAN Designs the Verdant House with a Luscious Garden
Tree-Lined Urban Highways
The Dubai Green Spine Will Include One-Million Trees
Artful Wooden Pavilions
Centro de Colaboración Arquitectónia Designs the Orchid Pavilion
Integrated Garden Designs
Ludwig Godefroy Champions "Habitable Gardens" in Mexico
Advanced Greenhouse Designs
BrightFarms Just Opened a New Greenhouse in Lorena, Texas
Portable Minimal Smart Planters
A Team of Designers Create the Balconyfarm Planter
Environment-First Tourism Festivals
Paradise City Festival in Belgium Won Sustainability Awards
Transparent Climate Classrooms
Forma Transforms a Century-old Glasshouse in Copenhagen
Sustainability-Oriented Kids Toys
Learning Resources Unveils a New Sustainable Toy Capsule
Vibrant Multi-Level Office Designs
Gensler Reimagines the Accenture Office Space in Chicago
Sustainable Showroom Designs
Humanscale's Showroom in Fulton Market is Eco-Conscious
Music Festival Bright Pavilions
Re:Right Design Created the Hayes Pavilion for Glastonbury
Energy-Efficient Office Buildings
This Czech Office Complex is Outfitted With Eco-Friendly Designs
Colorful Rooftop Unified Buildings
Urbanus' Nantou Hybrid Building is Comprised of Five Buildings
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
Eco-Friendly Pop-Up Restaurants
The Green Vic is End-to-End Sustainable in London
Bio-Based Compact Housing
Woonpioniers Designs the Sustainable Sprout Ruben & Marjolein House
Integrative Garden Cafes
Cheongsudang Bakery Brings a Garden Experience in the Heart of Seoul
Naturalistic Public Outdoor Furniture
The 'Life Ark' Outdoor Seat Has a Leaf-Shaped Form
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
Sustainable Furniture Capsule Shops
Light and Dwell Open up a Store of Furniture Designs
Micro-City Housing Nooks
Notan Office Transforms an Industrial Site in Brussels
Garden Oasis Renovated Homes
Sam Crawford Architects Designs the Hidden Garden House
Planted Balcony Home Designs
4site Architects Designs the House of Greens in Bangalore
Tech-Rich Gardening Facilities
This Soli Organic Vertical Farm is Expansive and Ultra-Advanced
Garden-Centric Health Centers
A Trio of Studios Designs the Carcavelos Health Complex
Subterranean Courtyard Galleries
Buzz Designs the Hermit Space Yards in Beijing Park
Lily-Shaped Reusable Pavilion
Studio Saar Has Designed the Srivan Pavilion Presented Last Month
Community-Centric Office Spaces
Shubin Donaldson Architects Designs the Tricon Residential Office
Greenery-Packed Museum Buildings
This Science Museum is Designed Around a Central Park
Hidden Urban Oasis Cottages
Winwood McKenzie Adds an Extension to the Quarry House
Interior Plant Design Services
Plantd Life Capitalizes on the Springtime to Boost Its Offerings
Draped Plant-Design Shopping Centers
INgenhoven Associates Redesigns the Calwer Passage
Slopped-Base Green Tiled Homes
Bak Gordon Arquitectos Integrates a Home with Surrounding Buildings
Greenhouse-Topped Residences
Moe Architecten Adds a Greenhouse on Top of the Wooden House
AI Plant Care Apps
HomeGardenAI Enhances the Health of Indoor Plants & Home Gardens
Hollow Terracotta Pillared Gardens
Formafantasma Creates the Biodiversity Island in Champagne
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
Bamboo-Clad Residential Homes
i29 Designs the Open Park Villa to Connect with Nature
Sustainable Visitor Pavilions
NU Architectuur Atelier Designs the Green Arc in a Garden
Nature Blending Modern Homes
MODU Designed the Mini Tower One Residence in Brooklyn
Island-Based Cannabis Farms
Mailen Design Unveils a New GrowLab Organics Space on the Isle of Man
Environmentally Blending Residences
A Threshold Studio Designs the Ineffable Light Home
Serene Wooden Garden Pavilions
Byró Architekti Designs the Garden Pavilion in Prague
Environmental Sustainability Business Initiatives
Butterfly Pavilion Organized a Special Coalition
Hempcrete-Crafted Sustainable Workspaces
Commonbond Architects Designs the Gardenhide Studio
Local Craft-Shown Bamboo Pavilions
AtArchitecture Designs the Northeast Pavilion for an Art Fair
Rocky Garden-Nestled Serene Pavilions
Temp Designs the 3-to-1 Pavilion in a Rocky Garden
Artful Climate-Themed Installations
Michael Pinsky & Studio Bark Unveil the Making a Stand Design
Elevated Miami Office Spaces
Arcadis' In-House Team Designs a New Office Space in Miami
Italian Rooftop Restaurants
Public Gardens in Toronto Offers a NYC-Inspired Oasis
Beetle-Inspired Sustainable Planters
The Fog Smart Hydroponic Planter Leans on Biomimicry
Nature-Connecting Office Spaces
Hawkins\Brown Designs the Here + Now Office Buildings
Lush Garden-Focused Melbourne Homes
Splinter Society designs the Gardener's House in Melbourne
Woodland-Inspired Timber Office Spaces
Atelier du Pont Completes the Pavilion Jardins Building
Greenery-Filled Skyscraper Terrarium
ODA Presents a Look at the Terrarium Cheong-Dam Design
Wind-Responsive Panel Pavilions
Fernanda Ahumada & FREE Design the National Biodiversity Pavilion
Spiralled Roof Horticultural Centers
KPMB Architects Designs the Leaf Building in Winnipeg
Hydroponic Herb Kits
Raes the Roots' Indoor Herb Garden Kit Inspires Household DIYs
Chequered Garden Tea Rooms
Rashid Ali Architects Designs a New Garden Pavilion in Hargeisa
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
Expansive School Bamboo Canopies
CollectiveProject Creates a Canopy at Talaricheruvu Rural School
Solo Flexible Study Spaces
YounghanChung Architects Designs the Tiny Forest Study Space
Clover-Style Conference Center Designs
MAD Designs the ZGC International Innovation Center
Cozy Gaden Cabin Retreats
BYRÓ architekti Designs the Garden Pavilion with Wooden Detail
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
Hotel-Based Garden Terraced Columns
WOHA Designs the Pan Pacific Orchard with Garden Terraces
Traditional Sustainable School Designs
Heatherwick Studio Showcases Plans for Universidad Ean
Nature-Themed Modern Workspaces
The New Natwest Office in London Features Greenery Throughout
Micro Backyard Work Studios
The e-Den Garden Office is Weatherproof for Year-Round Use
Net-Positive Energy Botanical Gardens
Olin & Overland Completes the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens
Natural Landscape-Surrounding Homes
All(zone) Designs the Under the Rain Trees Holiday Home
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
Electric Garden-Nestled Cottages
NOKE Architects Designs the House of Color in Poland
Tree-Like Library Spaces
Studio Hinge Presents the Forest of Knowledge Library Design
London-Based Garden Roofscapes
James Corner Field Operations Designs a Roof Garden in London
Mirrored Panel Tropical Gardens
Research Artistic Design + Architecture Designs the Frame Garden
Garden-Connecting Melbourne Homes
Splinter Society Renovates and Extends the Gardener's House
Urban Green Space Overhauls
Four of London's green spaces will receive a makeover
Live Self-Construction Projects
Dropcity Initiates Live Self-Construction in Milan Central Station
Urban Natural Expansive Buildings
Atelier Delalande Tabourin Designs Office National des Forêts
Climate-Friendly Waterfront Homes
From 4 to 1 Creates Three Pavilions in Copenhagen
City-Honoring Furniture Projects
The Symbiotic Urban Furniture Project is Imaginative
Sustainably Transformed Tech Headquarters
Google's New Chicago Office Will Be More Ec-Friendly
Retro Gabled Greenhouse Additions
BHY Arquitectos Renovates the Casa Wiz in Buenos Aires
Plant Pod-Inspired Pendant Lights
Sujeet Kakad Designs the Nature Inspired Pendant Light
Plant-Aiding Hydroponic Systems
turf is an Energy-Harvesting Conceptual Cultivation System
Botanical Visitor Pavilions
NU Architectuuratelier and Archipelago Create the Green Ark Pavilion
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
Transformed Disused Steelwork Structures
Delugan Meissl Designs Expo Cultural Park Greenhouse
Expansive Roofs Concrete Homes
Studio MOB Creates a House in the Farm in Coimbatore
Steel Structural Dynamic Workspaces
Skylab Architecture Builds a New Skylab Office in Oregon
Lantern-Topped Sleek Workshops
Cabinet Designs the Gardeners House in a Park in Geneva
Nature-Connecting Design Installations
OMCC and Diez Office Unveil the Vert Installation
Bamboo Screen-Wrapped Restaurants
Long Nguyen Design Creates the Nhà Tú Garden Restaurant
Nature-Inspired Design Objects
Students at Tecnológico de Monterrey Design the Plant-Based Series
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
Greenery-Surrounding Lush Homes
Ho Khue Architects Creates the Nest House in Vietnam
Multifamily Canadian Housing Developments
MODA Unveils the GROW Project with Roof Gardens
Repurposed Imperfection-Embraced Buildings
Civic Architects & VDNVP Elevate a Series of Workspaces
Naturally Derived Plant Food Kits
Flourish Plant Food is Organic and Dense with Nutrients
Aggregated Plant Retail Apps
GetAnyPlant Boasts a Vast Database of Greenery for Sale
Large Passive House Buildings
Handel Architects Builds the Harmony Commons at UofT
Glamorous Urban Tranquil Villas
GROWTO DESIGN Presents the Natural Villa in China