2002 to 2006

The roof gardens formed by the comb-structure of a building on the campus of the Munich university medical centre “Klinikum rechts der Isar” and the exterior landscaping of the buildings had to be redesigned. With a bow to the nearby Isar River, the open spaces feature stylised waves planted with grasses, catching patients’ eyes. The rooftop gardens structurally continue the straight lines of the architecture. The design is based on consistently planted rooftops as an image motif to the eyes of patients, who occupy the bedrooms facing the inner courtyards. Offices, too, are oriented towards the inner courtyards. The impression of the undulating waves of grass is particularly compelling when viewed from a seated position. The harmonious movement of the grasses in the wind create an airy, soothing atmosphere. The range of plants is completed by juneberries (Amelanchier). The planted areas are bordered by Corten steel elements. Two carex varieties with different shades of green are planted in turns on each side of the abstracted wave shapes. Bright red steles by artists Maik and Dirk Löbbert add colourful accents to the reduced artistic alienation effect of the rooftops, especially as they are reflected in the mirrored façade. They are continued in line with the buildings’ supporting columns, which were painted in the same bright red, visually turning the narrow space along the hospital’s street front into a “covered walk”. Resembling moving images, the rooftop gardens create an atmosphere of contemplation characterised by the beauty and physical presence of the plants. Organic forms, including the specific movement patterns of the grass varieties used, provide for a romantic ambience. The beholder witnesses an interplay of the plants as “bodies” and their ease.

Principal

• Bauamt München 2

Architects

• Architekten Freudenfeld+Krausen+Will

This principal's other projects

Hospital Rechts der Isar, Munich is this principal's first project.