Paris city councilors have voted in favor of hotly-contested plans for a giant triangular tower that would be the capital's first modern skyscraper in more than 40 years. After construction 42-storey skyscraper "Tour Triangle" will be third tallest skyscraper in Paris conceding only 324 meter high Eiffel Tower and the 210 meters high Montparnasse Tower. The newest project was designed by Basel-based architects "Herzog & de Meuron", who were the creative brains behind the conversion of London's Bankside Power Station into the Tate Modern art museum and Beijing's 'Bird's Nest' stadium for the 2008 Olympics. Europe's biggest listed property group "Unibail Rodamco" is investing US$ 555 million into the project, which is set to be completed in 2018. Inside, the tower will house a 120-room, four star hotel, a restaurant, a cultural center, and 70,000 square meters of office space. The project was first shown to the public in 2008. At that time the skyscraper construction was impossible, as the laws were restricting tall buildings in Paris. Over the years, laws have changed and the project "Tour Triangle" also a little changed. For example at first the office place was 80 thousand square meters, now it is 70 thousand square meters. According to France 24, Paris city council has approved the construction of a controversial tower block "Tour Triangle". On June 30 the project was given go-ahead after getting 87 votes for and 74 against. The project was rejected by the same body in November 2014 amid accusations that conservative councilors had voted against it merely to block the success of a project supported by Socialist Mayor Anne Hidalgo. The second vote was carried out in private after Paris' mayor Anne Hidalgo dismissed November's ballot as invalid, claiming inter-party fighting influenced the outcome. Tour Triangle is set to be located in Porte de Versailles on the city's south-western fringe in the Porte de Versailles neighborhood, alongside vast convention halls. Many residents are unhappy, however, at the prospect of having to live next to the tower. Politicians have also criticized the project for not being in line with Paris' housing requirements, or being energy efficient enough. Despite skyscrapers being a common sight in many cities, residents in Paris have strongly opposed them, ever since the 324 meters high Eiffel Tower was built for the 1889 Universal Exposition. The first and last skyscraper to be built in inner Paris was the 210 meters tall Tour Montparnasse building in 1973.

When a few years ago, different architects spoke about vertical forests, nobody believes, that this structures is certainly more than just a fantasy. But in fact the world's first vertical forest construction nears completion this year, in Milan. In addition, Agora Garden, an inhabited and cultivated vertical garden in the Xinyin District of Taipei, is currently under construction. A competition for the project was won by Vincent Callebaut Architectures in 2010 with a design inspired by two encircling hands clasped together and the helical structure of DNA. Once completed the 42,335 square meter luxury residential building will incorporate nanotechnologies and vertical gardening into the residents' everyday life to make this one of the most eco-friendly structures in the city. One of the more visually arresting aspects of this ambitious project is the 90 degree twist of the tower, the sinuosity of which, the practice explains, "corresponds to the universal musical symbol of harmonic revealing the notion of ultimate balance praised by the project". The result is such that the shape of the structure morphs depending on where the onlooker is standing, for example its east/west elevations draw a rhomboidal pyramid whereas the north/south elevation is a reverse pyramid. These suspended gardens not only bring an aesthetic appeal to the Agora Garden project but will provide the building's residents with orchards, organic vegetable gardens, aromatic gardens and medicinal plants. The vertically-wide planted balconies will be accessible for all residents and will also include rain water tanks for the irrigation of the suspended gardens, nests for birdlife, composting facilities for converting waste into fertilizer and garden furniture for their own enjoyment. The planting beds are to be covered by a layer of white natural stone to protect the foliage from excess heat. To enter the Agora Garden property, users will pass through a cluster of mature trees and cross a mineral moat which will be installed to enhance the privacy of residents. In the Conceptual Design Proposal, the architects explain: "In the heart of the vegetable lung, the pedestrian square opens itself on a mineral and aquatic glade." Plants that cascade into the lower basements are provided with sunlight which penetrates through a circular light well that also illuminates the car parks, swimming pool and fitness centre. The location of these luxury 'sky houses' means that residents will have exquisite views of the C. Y. Lee & Partners and Thornton Tomasetti - designed 101 Taipei tower and the city's Central Business District. Once the project is completed in 2016, the residential units on offer will give much flexibility to potential inhabitants. The fixed central core separates the vertical circulations with the towers rotated storey by storey at 4.5 degrees. Each 540 square meter apartment is entirely free of columns as the levels are connected at both ends by two spiralling mega-columns coated in green walls, ensuring optimum living conditions for residents.

Singapore's newest skyscraper in the Central Business District, the 43-storey Asia Square Tower 1, took three years to build and is one of the latest green buildings to be built in Singapore, where the sustainability and eco-friendliness of it are part of the main considerations during the design phase, reported Asiaone. Calling itself "one of the most technologically advanced buildings in the region", Asia Square held its official opening ceremony on November 11 night. The building is equipped with a biodiesel generation plant that recycles food oil waste produced from its catering establishments, making it the first waste recycling plant to be located within a commercial development. Asia Square also collects condensation water from air-conditioning and uses it for irrigation needs. Banking on the concept of "Work, Play, Live, Grow", Asia Square boasts offices, a hotel, a gym, food & beverage outlets and retail stores. At the moment, over 60 percent of Tower 1 is occupied: Citibank is the anchor tenant with nine floors, Pure Fitness took up one entire level and Google has three and a half storey. Westin Hotel will be located at Tower 2, which will be ready in August 2013.