Beat the heat

A sneak peek into Vert – a pathbreaking solution and possibly a gamechanger in the continued effort to battle the effects of global warming – all set to be unveiled at London Design Festival 2024. A modular triangle-based ‘greening machine’ made from red oak glulam, and greened exclusively by climbing plants; Vert is projected to reduce the ambient temperatures by up to 8ºC, and cast four times more shade than a 20-year-old tree. Besides offering an urban-cooling solution and lending itself to the enhancement of the urban streetscape, Vert explores the high potential of red oak glulam for use as an alternative to wood-based materials typically used in design and construction, encouraging greater diversity and resilience in the world’s forests.