urban greening
Azur
Azur
Lübeck
Azur
Our research into urban greening positions vegetation as active environmental and productive infrastructure within dense urban contexts. Through research-by-design, we investigate how green systems can be integrated where space and programmatic pressure are high, contributing simultaneously to climate regulation, energy production, water management, biodiversity, and new economic models.
We explore active and biohybrid façades, such as algae-based photobioreactors developed in the Lübecksite project, which combine solar shading and thermal capture with geothermal storage. In parallel, we research productive green roofs and controlled growing environments, supported by closed-loop rainwater systems that embed green production into everyday urban use.
A third research line focuses on hydroponics as a spatially efficient growing model, tested in projects such as Urban Greening, where productive greenery is combined with social programmes within a limited footprint. This project also creates an economical system through its plant distribution from both park and building, but also preserving the value of the land by combining urban green with public functions. At the site scale, projects like Azur and Net Brussel investigate ecological continuity through green roofs and eco-corridors, preserving microclimates and spatial experience. Our aim in this research is to create scalable strategies for integrating green infrastructure into dense urban environments.