Deutsche Bahn Campus, Erfurt - Building 1

The project stages an explicit dialogue between architecture and nature, creating an immersive environment for learning and work.

On the exterior, trellises, cable systems and integrated planters turn the facades into seasonally changing green structures. Flowering layers support urban biodiversity by offering forage and habitat for insects and birds, while evergreen strata maintain structure and shelter throughout the year. As a performative envelope, these planted systems improve the microclimate, reduce heat loads, filter particulate matter and provide effective summer shading.

Inside, generous planters, suspended vegetation and groups of trees choreograph zones for learning, gathering and circulation. Planted winter gardens function as climatic buffers and informal workspaces, where seating, high tables and dense planting islands allow working and break areas to merge seamlessly.

The rooftop terrace and adjacent open spaces extend this continuum outdoors, offering a spectrum of settings for social exchange and focused retreat. Referencing the site’s railway heritage, planting beds in railway ballast and a mix of native species with typical trackside vegetation lend the project a distinct identity rooted in its historical landscape.