The Plane-Tree-Cube was designed as a contribution for the Regional Horticultural Show in Nagold in 2012. It was conceptualized as a long-term Baubotanik experiment within an urban context.
By the help of “Plan Addition” techniques, a green cube with an edge length of 10 meters was created that, right from the beginning, had the dimension of a full-grown tree. Initially, young plane trees are arranged in plant containers on six levels. They form green walls around a space open to the sky. In the course of time, the upper part of this space will be covered by the gradually emerging canopy, while the lower part will become more transparent and dominated by the increasingly knobby and thick trunks. During the horticultural show, the cube served as a view tower and shady retreat for visitors. After the show, the area will be developed into a new neighbourhood. The plane-tree-cube will then function as a multifunctional vertical pocket park.
The drip irrigation system by Netafim is an essential element to continuously and precisely water the plants in the pots. The Airpot Growth System is an innovative pot system working with so called “air pruning” of the roots to avoid circular root growth in the pots and to foster healthy plant growth. The large format concrete plates by steico cover the whole ground floor area of the project, giving it an generous appearance.
Architects Ludwig.Schoenle
Location Nagold, Germany
Architect in Charge Ferdinand Ludwig, Daniel Schönle
Photographs Ludwig.Schoenle