Cities of the Future: The Boldest Ideas in Eco-Architecture in 2025

🌲 Stockholm Wood City — The largest wooden city in the world

In Stockholm, the construction of Stockholm Wood City has begun — the largest urban district in the world built entirely from wood. The project aims to create 2,000 new residential units by 2027, as well as office spaces and public areas. The use of wood as the main building material helps reduce the carbon footprint, as wood stores carbon and is lighter and faster to build with compared to concrete. This project is positioned as an international model for sustainable construction, emphasizing Sweden's leadership in environmentally conscious practices.

🌋 Lavaforming — Architecture made of lava

Icelandic architect Arnljóður Palmadóttir presented the Lavaforming project, which proposes using cooled lava as a building material. The idea is to direct lava flows to form foundations, streets, and buildings. Cooled lava has high structural integrity and can become a durable alternative to concrete, especially in regions with active volcanic activity. This project will be presented at the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2025.

🌿 Eco-brutalism — A combination of nature and brutalism

The new architectural trend of eco-brutalism combines the harsh aesthetics of brutalism with ecological practices such as green roofs, living walls, and indoor gardens. This style uses functional, raw materials like recycled metal and natural stone, supporting biodiversity through the use of local plants. Eco-brutalism promotes a harmonious integration of urban spaces with nature, creating sustainable and eco-friendly environments.

These projects showcase innovative approaches to ecological architecture aimed at reducing the impact of construction on the environment and creating more sustainable cities.