Going up for sustainable development 

Metro Manila has undergone rapid population growth compared with that experienced in neighboring countries, and this growth is continuing. With a total population of 13.48 million in the National Capital Region in May 2020 and a population density of 21,765 persons per square kilometer, Metro Manila’s population has brought drastic changes to the city’s urban landscape, causing serious environmental problems, including the widespread presence of unsanitary conditions, traffic congestion and an increase in informal settlers.

With the rapid urban sprawl in the Metro increasing pressure on our land, there is a need to consider the development of sustainable vertical cities. Imagine if everyone can visit friends, do a grocery run, exercise at the gym and commute to work by elevator — all in the same building!

As explained by Arquitectonica’s Director David Zaballero, that's one of many benefits behind sustainable vertical cities: “Building vertically allows communities and work-spaces to be developed efficiently; they conserve land, energy and resources, and can promote the preservation of natural environments.”

Arquitectonica is an international architecture, landscape architecture, interior design and urban planning design firm with headquarters in Miami and offices around the world. The firm focuses on ecologically and commercially viable designs, and is widely recognized for its ability to create unique forms of memorable imagery in close harmony with the environment.

Arquitectonica said the sustainable vertical city will consist of a large part of mixed-use developments and clustered, interconnected buildings, with elevated communal spaces, amenities and parks that can facilitate and promote a higher quality of life for its residents and visitors. 

“Aside from conservation of space, this vertical, mixed-use approach also reduces air pollution and traffic congestion, since all residential, work and leisure components will be stacked next to each other. Unlike in urban sprawls, people can just walk or vertically commute from their homes to their workplace to the shops, and even out into communal parks contained in podium and rooftop spaces,” Zaballero further explained.

Currently, architects and engineers are incorporating cutting-edge energy and water-saving technologies to skyscrapers, like solar panels, smart sensors that control energy consumption and even rainwater catchment and recycling systems. In addition, advances in energy recovery in elevators (such as Regenerative Drive System) makes vertical travel feasible and cost efficient compared to the traditional horizontal travel. 

Vertical Sustainable Cities also offers a unique opportunity to reduce carbon dioxide in the air. By installing vertical and rooftop gardens, these cities can reduce the internal temperature of buildings and expand the amount of green area being implemented into cities while addressing air pollution through carbon sequestration. One good example of this is the Santalaia building in Bogota Colombia which has the largest vertical garden in the world. Having 85,000 plants that span 3,100 square meters, this vertical garden can produce enough oxygen for more than 3,100 people every year and absorb carbon dioxide emissions from 750 cars a year.

The future of sustainable vertical city is promising and constantly growing due to its environmental benefits and because it provides a solution for urban sprawl. By building sustainable vertical cities, we can save energy, support our growing population and preserve our horizontal spaces which can be used for other core services such as food production, recreation and additional social services.