With the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping through the world's urban centers, governments worldwide are urging citizens to hunker down at home in a bid to quell the virus' spread. For apartment dwellers under quarantine, balconies have become the new platforms for entertainment and social interaction, making now an opportune moment in rethinking how we design and build these outdoor urban spaces.
As the new venues for social interactions, protests, and celebration, balconies have become more than just a place to to get fresh air and a brief respite from the confines of urban living. Nowadays, thanks to advancements in building technology, as well as a push for "greener" cities, urban gardens are becoming a fixture in cities' plans for bettering the lives of their residents; however, these plans present a new array of challenges such as structural support, maintenance, plant care, and the kinds of plants suitable for the urban environment. It's a challenge many developers are tackling with gusto, as they plan to make gardens the centerpiece of urban living spaces.
