Madrid – city gardens of a different kind

I like green in the city and I like alternative greening methods. If you walk through the streets with your eyes open, you will see a variety of urban garden shapes. Madrid even offers two very special “city gardens”, which I had to see, of course.

A city garden is located at the Caixa Forum, which opened in 2008, a museum and conference center, which is located in the “Triangulo del Arte” in the immediate vicinity of the Prado. The architects of the building were Herzog and de Meuron from Basel. The architects have managed to create a successful connection between old and new and different materials. In my opinion, the most exciting thing about the building is Patrick Blanc’s vertical garden with a variety of plants planted vertically on the wall of the house. However, there is a major dispute among landscape architects and ecologists as to whether such a green wall has a positive influence on urban ecology at all or is purely an artistic contribution, as the whole construction takes little account of the use of site-appropriate plants and longevity and requires intensive care. However, I think the approach of lavishly greening house walls is quite positive for testing alternative locations for urban green spaces.

Near the Caixa Forum is the Madrid Atocha train station. There it is worth taking a look at the old impressive station hall, which is now used as a waiting hall and meeting place. There is an incredibly great palm garden in it. I think there should be more station halls in this style. You feel like you’re in a tropical microcosm.