PLANE-TREE-CUBE Regional Horticultural Show Nagold 2012

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. With the help of plant addition techniques, a green cube with an edge length of 10 meters was created, which, from the beginning, had the dimension of a full-grown tree. Initially, young plane trees were arranged in plant containers on six levels. They form green walls around a space open to the sky. Over the course of time, the upper part of this space will be covered gradually by the growing 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 an observation tower and shaded 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. An assessment during the summer of 2023 reveals lush growth and that all trees have now grown together. Moreover, the base of one tree trunk has reached a circumference of approximately 45cm. The carrying capacity of this structure gradually becomes tangible with every season.

 

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Design

Ferdinand Ludwig und Daniel Schönle (ludwig.schönle)

 

Structural Engineering

Brocke Ingenieure

 

Consultation

SecOp

 

Client

Landesgartenschau Nagold 2012

 

Funding

Landesgartenschau Nagold 2012, Sponsors

 

Implementation of the Baubotanik Structure

Helix Plant Systems, Gartenbau Walker

 

Awards

BDA-Architekturpreis "max40" (Anerkennung) (ludwig.schönle, 2016)

Award „Mittendrin ist Leben. Grün in Städten und Gemeinden in Baden-Württemberg“ / Platanenkubus Nagold (ludwig.schönle, 2013)

Innovationspreis des Baden-Württembergischen Holzbaupreises / Platanenkubus Nagold (ludwig.schönle, 2012)

 

Publications

LUDWIG, F., SCHÖNLE, D., VEES, U. 2016. Baubotanik: Building Architecture with Nature. International Online Journal Biotope City.

LUDWIG, F. 2017. Plane Tree Cube Nagold. In: BACH, D.A. Architecture Today: Landscape, Loft Publications.