Vert Installation / Diez Office + OMC°C

With temperatures rising and heatwaves set to intensify, coupled with dwindling biodiversity in cities across the world, there is an urgent need for a rethink in urban development. Devised in a three-way collaboration between the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), Stefan Diez's industrial design studio Diez Office, and urban greening specialists OMCºC, Vert is an experimental proposition for a modular structure that can address both issues. Unveiled at Chelsea School of Art during the London Design Festival, the project proposes a timber structure that helps to cool the city while integrating easily into its existing infrastructure. Tall sails covered in climbing plants work to fix carbon dioxide in the air while creating areas of cooling shade – sheltered spaces for people to pause. Built from sustainable materials, Vert combines aesthetic appeal with tangible environmental benefits and represents a transformative approach to urban development.