Hi @Junglekeeper - glad you posted this. I was reading it earlier (and still haven't read the whole article) but one objection that stood out for me was that critics say these buildings typically share some not-so-green traits: their construction relies on vast quantities of carbon-intensive concrete. The thing is that most high-rise buildings rely on 'vast quantities of carbon-intensive concrete' so perhaps in a small way, planting shrubs and trees may offset that negative. It would be so exciting if initiatives like this that are currently only available to wealthy apartment owners may eventually become more affordable for average folks.
The article points out some negatives of this 'green' design. The additional concrete and iron required to support the extra weight is one. The idea of having gardeners rappelling down the building to maintain the plantings is almost laughable. Putting aside the negatives, I have to say the Bosco Verticale is a marvel to look at.