Treescrapers are skyscrapers that work like trees. The scrapers make oxygen, distil water, and produce energy. Let’s design a City with Treescrapers.
In a previous blog post, “Cities that help saving our planet,” we explored two examples of green ideas for cities: the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore and Bosco Verticale in Milan. In this blog post, we will explore ways to design a green city with treescrapers inspired by ideas from these two cities and other sustainable buildings.
Problems that we need to solve
To start, let’s examine some important ideas and problems related to cities of the future.
- How to design a city that is built for both humans and animals and plants.
- How to solve problems with a lack of biodiversity.
- How to deal with air pollution.
- How to grow food.
- How to design for changes in climate – flooding, heatwaves and cold spells.
- How to save water.
- How to deal with overcrowding.
- How to build communities in big cities.
- How to provide sustainable transportation.
What can we learn from Singapore?
Singapore is unique - a place designed to serve both as a city and as nature. In the 1960s, the city was heavily polluted, but now it is one of the greener cities in the world. Also, Singapore is now richer in species than any other city worldwide. The riches apply to all areas of the city. Polluted waterways have been cleaned up, and species are returning to these places. Buildings are intertwined with both natural and produced biodiversity under the green initiatives.
Super tree structures are filled with life in the Gardens by the Bay. Creepers climb on the steel structures, making them perfect homes for a variety of animals. Skyways connect some of the giant tree structures. The trees come alive at night, but the light show is restricted to one hour each evening. This ensures that there is as little disturbance as possible to the wildlife.
The tall trees provide much-needed shade during the hottest hours of the day. The structures are made of concrete and metal and covered with a living skin consisting of 200 different species of plants. The plants have been chosen for their ability to climb and braid a thick green covering. Several bird species, such as bee-eaters and kingfishers, live in the Gardens by the Bay.
Greening of walls and roofs
Greening roofs and walls can provide a rich habitat for wildlife. In Milan, two towers host 800 trees. The trees produce oxygen and capture and store CO2. By using green roofs and vertical forests, it is possible to grow plants in a smaller area than when planting trees in a woodland.
- Vertical gardens require that you use carefully selected plants.
- The trees require pruning.
- Need to consider how much sun the plants receive.
- How to water the plants.
- What soil to use and making sure that the soil is not too heavy.
The largest rooftop garden is La Pista 500 in Turin, which is located on the former Fiat factory.
Wildflower Meadows on the Roof
Sustainability in Copenhagen
While Singapore has undergone major changes, Copenhagen has focused on overhauling its sustainability practices. The city has kept most of the existing structures.
Draw and Build a Model of Your Green City of the Future!
For this challenge, you will design a green city. You must build not only for humans but also with others in mind.
Make a drawing of your design. You can also make a model using recycled materials or materials found in nature—just be careful when you take things from nature.
Go on a nature walk or a walk in a local park. Collecting things from nature, such as moss, sticks, pine needles, pine cones, bark, and flowers, all work well when you are making a treescraper.
Click here or here for more inspiration for treescrapers designs.
I will post our ideas tomorrow in Treescrapers for Kids!
Have fun!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is biomimicry?
Biomimicry is the practice of looking to nature for solutions, then applying what we learn to design and problem-solving. Instead of inventing from scratch, it means studying how plants, animals, and ecosystems have already solved a challenge — like staying cool, collecting water, or absorbing carbon — and adapting that strategy for human use.
How does biomimicry help address climate change?
Nature has been adapting to extreme conditions for billions of years, so many organisms already hold working solutions to problems we now face at a larger scale — cooling buildings without electricity (termite mounds), collecting water in drought (the Namib beetle), protecting coastlines from storms (mangrove roots), and capturing carbon (corals, forests, kelp). Biomimicry means studying those solutions and applying the same principles to human design.
How can children get involved in biomimicry?
Children don’t need special training to think like a biomimicrist — just curiosity and a habit of asking “how does nature solve this?” Simple ways to start include a backyard scavenger hunt for nature’s patterns, a “design-an-animal” challenge for a changing climate, or building a small model (like a passive-cooling structure or a water collector) inspired by something they’ve observed outdoors.
Is biomimicry only for scientists and engineers?
No — biomimicry is as much a mindset as a profession. Anyone can practice it by observing nature closely and asking design questions. Professional biomimicry practitioners apply it in architecture, materials science, and engineering, but the same core skill — careful observation followed by “what if we built it that way?” — is exactly what this post’s classroom and family activities are designed to build in children.
Åsa Jomård
In 2015, Åsa completed a course in Biomimicry: A Sustainable Design Methodology at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. With over 10 years of experience exploring nature for inspiration and as a former member of Ben, Biomimicry Education Network, she brings both academic background and creative teaching experience to her work. Her materials seamlessly integrate stories, nature observations, and design challenges, making them perfect for inquiry-led learning in early primary contexts.
AI was used as a Thinking Partner.
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