'Tree-covered mountains' planned for urban Shanghai

Planned for M50, a major arts area in Shanghai, a mixed-use plan from Heatherwick Studio is quite the scene. 

ArchDaily reports that instead of a building, the idea is for the structure to be viewed as a piece of topography. More than 1,000 columns and 400 terraces make up two “tree-covered mountains,” as the studio puts it. Columns from the buildings jut out of the exterior to support plants and trees. 

The 300,000-sm development sits on a 15-acre site split over two lots. It is located near a park, residential buildings, and concrete towers. Construction is expected to be completed by 2018.