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A Touch of Green

Snapshots from cities creating green spaces and sustainable structures

The Nairobi skyline stretches out behind grazing Hartebeests in nearby Nairobi National Park, Nairobi, Kenya May (2017).
The Nairobi skyline stretches out behind grazing Hartebeests in nearby Nairobi National Park, Nairobi, Kenya, in May 2017.  REUTERS/Baz Ratner
by Mary Brophy Marcus and Caroline Kantis

Urban jungles—concrete sidewalks, high-rise buildings, miles of paved roads, and traffic—proliferated in the 20th century. But in more recent decades, many cities have been more aggressive about reintroducing nature into their landscapes as well as sustainable design. “Green spaces,” including parks and community gardens, can promote better mental and physical health, according to the World Health Organization, and they offer environmental benefits.

Flip through our slideshow to discover how some cities around the globe are greening up.

 

Greenery hangs off of every balcony of the Parkroyal Collection Hotel, an eco-friendly hotel-in-a-garden in Pickering, Singapore (2017).
Parkroyal Collection Hotel An eco-friendly hotel-in-a-garden in Pickering, Singapore (2017).
A group of men crouch over a board game inside the Jiutian Greenhouse in Langfang, Hebei province, China, where they've come to escape heavy smog outside.
Jiutian Greenhouse People escape a period of extreme pollution in the Jiutian Greenhouse in Langfang, Hebei province, China, where they play board games, stroll, and rest (2016).
A person views the Bosco Verticale, or Verticle Forest, in Milan, Italy.
Bosco Verticale “Bosco Verticale”  means vertical forest in Italian. The residential tower is located in the Porta Nuova district in Milan, Italy (2018).
People seeking refuge in a new country live alongside German residents in the
Sharehaus Refugio Rooftop Garden People seeking refuge in a new country live alongside German residents in the Sharehaus Refugio community in Berlin, Germany (2015). Neighbors in the five-story, century-old building meet for meals al fresco, and dine on their garden bounty.
Visitors walk along an elevated walkway connecting giant concrete tree-like structures called Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore May 28, 2014.
Gardens by the Bay Visitors wander along an elevated walkway connected by “supertrees” at Gardens by the Bay, a horticultural attraction in Singapore.
Felix Munk, head of the beekeeper organization Stadtimker, holds a honeycomb next to bee hives at the rooftop of the Austrian chancellery, in Vienna, Austria
Urban Beekeeping in Vienna Felix Munk, head of the beekeeper organization Stadtimker, holds a honeycomb next to bee hives at the rooftop of the Austrian Chancellery, in Vienna, Austria (2012). Urban development is one of the reasons why bee populations are in decline around the world.
Urban beekeeper Andrew Cote replenishes bee hives on a rooftop building in New York City, U.S. April 9, 2021. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
Urban Beekeeping in NYC On a rooftop building in New York City, urban beekeeper Andrew Cote replenishes bee hives (2021).
rooftop garden atop the Bon Marche
Bon Marche Rooftop Garden Charlotte Arnoux waters plants on a 7500 square foot rooftop garden atop the Bon Marche, a store whose employees grow 60 kinds of fruits and vegetables, including strawberries, zucchini, mint, and other herbs. The urban garden enjoys a sprawling view of Paris, France (2016).
Passengers fill a plant-filled bus, a special route that ran for 5 days, promoting the concept of integrating more green space into cities, in Taipei , Taiwan (2017).
Garden Bus Passengers ride a plant-filled bus on a special route that ran for 5 days to promote the idea of integrating more green space into cities, in Taipei, Taiwan (2017).
Rising Moon A sculpture containing 7,000 recycled plastic water bottles with LED lights, 20 metres in diameter and 10 metres high, shines at Hong Kong’s Victoria Park (2013). The “Rising Moon” giant lantern was created to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival in September. Designed by four local architects, it promoted environmental conservation.
A Buddhist monk looks out of the window of the Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew temple, built with more than a million glass bottles
Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew A Buddhist monk looks out of the window of the Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew temple, built with more than a million glass bottles (2008). The temple is situated in Thailand’s Sisaket Province, about 370 miles northeast of Bangkok. Everything on the premises of the Buddhist temple is made of bottles, including a crematorium and toilets.
Charles Gachanga CEO of the Dandora transformation league, poses for a photo in a community garden, in the Dandora suburb of Nairobi, Kenya, August 6, 2021.
Dandora Community Garden Charles Gachanga, CEO of the Dandora Transformation League, poses for a photo in a community garden in the Dandora suburb of Nairobi, Kenya (August 2021).
An aerial image, taken by a drone, of the Dandora community garden in a suburb of Nairobi, Kenya (2021).
Dandora Community Garden From Above An aerial image, taken by a drone, of the Dandora community garden in Nairobi, Kenya (2021).
A woman and child walk through fallen leaves in Clarke's Gardens in Liverpool, United Kingdom (2015).
Clarke’s Gardens A woman and child walk through fallen leaves in Clarke’s Gardens in Liverpool, United Kingdom (2015).

Mary Brophy Marcus is the former deputy managing editor of Think Global Health. She is a health journalist who specializes in medicine, health policy, and global health. 

Caroline Kantis is associate editor for Think Global Health at the Council on Foreign Relations.

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