6 Amazing New Eco-landmarks

Sydney's One Central Park (not to be confused with New York) is a feat of engineering and environmental genius courtesy of French architect Jean Nouvel and botanist Patrick Blanc. The commercial space will have one of the tallest green walls in the world, with 35 different plant species growing on it. But the true show-stealer is the huge cantilevered panel of mirrors that reflects sunlight onto the lower floors by day and turns into a huge LED light installation at night.

This new Club Med property has a lot to brag about: a 13-acre private island, 52 overwater bungalows, oh, and it's the first solar-powered resort (#casual). The three-bedroom villas -- which have curved 12-foot ceilings, a plunge pool and a private beach -- are all connected by futuristic solar-paneled pathways. Walking on sunshine? Don't it feel good.

We guarantee you'll do a double take at these two towers. Located in Milan's up-and-coming Porta Nueva district, the 27-story Vertical Forest is covered with more than 16,000 trees, shrubs and plants (that's equal to a hectare of forest!). They're actually residences, born from architect Stefano Boeri's vision of building a sustainable structure that would help combat urban pollution. Our advice: Best not buy a condo here if you've got serious allergies.

The world’s greenest resort isn’t where you’d expect it to be. It’s not located by the ocean or in a rainforest, but in the middle of an arid desert. The star-shaped Oasis Eco Resort, opening in 2020, is a zero emission zone and has 84 connecting suites with 157,000 rooftop solar panels. At the center of the resort is the main attraction: a tranquil palm tree-lined spring and wildlife reserve with a staff of biologists and conservationists.

Pony up for a home here and it'll feel like you're living in a botanical garden. The much-anticipated development, set to open in 2017 in Casablanca, will have four apartment buildings, with vines of jasmine and white bougainvillea blanketing the wrap-around facades. The residences are part of a 540,000-square-foot complex that will house cafes and a plaza with water fountains, palm trees and picnic areas bordered by blue and white blossom trees. Talk about an African oasis.

Ok, you got us. This megacity is purely conceptual right now, but if taken on, it would change the landscape of Tokyo as we know it. Plans for the new eco-district were submitted to a Japanese architecture contest by U.S.-based firm Kohn Pedersen Fox. The infrastructure is designed to withstand natural disasters (rising sea levels, earthquakes, typhoons), and would run on solar power, wind turbines and kinetic energy. There would also be urban farming – using algae as a clean fuel source–, a hyperloop transportation system and a mile-high skyscraper, twice the size of Burj Khalifa. Just imagine that penthouse view!