The smog levels in the southern Chinese city of Liuzhou are not yet dire, but if the city fails to deal with its pollution, it will only get worse over time.

Italian design firm Stefano Boeri Architetti believes that building a neighborhood with plant-covered towers could help the city reduce its pollution levels. On June 26, Liuzhou broke ground on what Boeri calls a "forest city", according to a report published in the Business Insider.

In April, the company also announced that it will build two skyscrapers, called Nanjing Green Towers, that will hold a total of 1,100 trees and 2,500 cascading shrubs on their rooftops and balconies. The design will be similar to that of a two-tower complex that Boeri designed in Milan. Another tower in Lausanne, Switzerland will follow a similar plan and is expected to open by early 2018, says the report.

Boeri's ultimate goal is to create an entire "forest city" that will become a reality in Liuzhou by 2020.

On flat land, the plants from each tower would cover over 75,000 square feet, the Business Insider reports quoting architects.

Collectively, the plants on Nanjing's towers will eat 25 tons of carbon dioxide each year and produce about 60 kg of oxygen daily.

Take a look at the plans below.

The forest city will be constructed in the mountainous region of Liuzhou, China by 2020. Photo: Stefano Boeri Architetti

Commissioned by the Liuzhou Municipality Urban Planning department, the project calls for towers covered in 40,000 trees and nearly one million plants, drawn from over 100 species. Photo: Stefano Boeri Architetti

The plants will absorb an estimated 10,000 tons of CO2 and 57 tons of pollutants annually — which is the equivalent of kicking more than 2,100 cars off the road. Photo: Stefano Boeri Architetti

A small portion of the city, which has a total population of around 1.5 million residents, will be redeveloped. New offices, hotels, hospitals, schools, and homes for approximately 30,000 people will be built. Photo: Stefano Boeri Architetti

The majority of the buildings' electricity will come from renewable sources, like solar power, according to the architects. Photo: Stefano Boeri Architetti

In early 2017, another Chinese city, Nanging, started building "forest towers" designed by Boeri. Set to be complete by 2018, they will feature offices, a 247-room luxury hotel, a museum, and an architecture school. Photo: Stefano Boeri Architetti