City Hall of Wrocław

Wroclaw City Hall with Poland's first vertical garden on a public facility

Modernizing the building on Świdnicka Street is an example of how new technologies can be used to introduce greenery to hard to grow areas. Changing the guest entry allowed to create a green patio in the inner courtyard.  In the years that followed, The Wrocaw Development Office worked on a resolution called “Exemptions from real estate tax on the usable areas of residential premises as part of the project to create more green areas in the City of Wroclaw.” The resolution mentioned by the City of Wroclaw Office envisions possibilities for property tax reduction for those who decide to develop a publicly accessible green roof or a vertical garden on the building's walls.

Design challenges in creating a vertical garden

Making a vertical garden in the given place was a design challenge. The post-war brick walls did not allow the addition of extra load. As a result, it was planned to build a steel substructure on which plant panels would be installed. The green wall was separated into modules due to the existing courtyard entrances to the restaurant. Between the foliage, a perforated cornet sheet was placed to conceal the doors. The combination of a vertical garden and metal sheeting gives the site a fresh new look. The Wroclaw City Hall has transformed into a green highlight for the city.

What plant species are worth using on the green wall when there is significant shading

Due to the existing basement beneath the courtyard, it was not possible to employ traditional flora such as trees and plants. Vertical gardens are ideal for such locations. Over 6400 plants were planted on a 100-square-meter green wall. Shade-loving plants was used in this project like Pachysandra terminalis ‘Green carpet,' Geranium macrorrhizum and Vinca minor. The plant wall is watered automatically, with the necessary amount of water dosed to each panel. The fertilizer dispenser ensures that water containing micronutrients required for plant growth is given. The Wroclaw City Hall with a vertical garden was awarded in the area of welcoming public space by the Wroclaw Branch of the Association of Polish Architects – DOFA 2015 [Link DOFA 2015].