planned Green Roof

(Not yet visited)

Created at: 27 May 2025

Description

Green roof at the Museum of the Human Body | Urban Nature Atlas

Green roof at the Museum of the Human Body

LA CITÉ DU CORPS HUMAIN

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Leaflet | © OpenStreetMap contributors

Montpellier, France

City population:417322

Duration:in planning stage – unknown

Implementation status:In planning stage

Scale:Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)

Project area:7826 m2

Type of area:Public Greenspace Area

Last updated: October 2021

In 2013, architecture firm BIG's design was chosen for a proposed Museum of the Human Body in Montpellier (Ref. 1). The plan was "An ambitious scenographic project resulting from a simple and clear spatial design. The alliance of its architectural, environmental, and functional qualities". "The gentle slopes of its roofs transform into a landscape intertwining vegetable and mineral terraces that provide direct access to pedestrians on the urban sidewalk and the park" (Ref. 2). It would have involved a "park of eight hectares" (Ref. 12, page 4). The project has not yet become a reality (as of August 2, 2020).

Green Roof at the Museum of the Human Body

Photographer: Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), retrieved 08/28/2018 from Kathrine Kirkeby Thomsen

Overview

Nature-based solution

Nature on buildings (external)
Green roofs
Other
Grey infrastructure featuring greens
Institutional green space

Key challenges

Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
Climate change adaptation
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Regulation of built environment
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Enabling opportunities for physical activity
Improving mental health
Improving physical health
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
Real estate development

Focus

Creation of new green areas

Project objectives

"The museum’s roof functions as an ergonomic garden – a dynamic landscape of vegetation and mineral (made of concrete) surfaces that allow the park’s visitors to explore and express their bodies in various ways – from contemplation to the performance – from relaxing to exercising – from the soothing to the challenging." (Ref. 1, 12) "Integration of the building into the environment, adaptation to climatic conditions" (Ref. 2) "The 7,800 m² museum is conceived as a confluence of the park and the city" (Ref. 1)

Implementation activities

Green roof and terraces creation: "the urban pavement and the parks turf flow together in a mutual embrace forming terraced pockets overlooking the park and elevating islands of nature above the city."(Ref. 1) "Their roofs will slope up from the ground in alternate directions, creating accessible elevated areas of landscaping overlooking the park and surrounding city. Those that slope up from one side will be paved, while those coming from the other direction will be covered with turf." (Ref. 3)