Greenroofs.com Projects - Klinikum 2, Cantonal Hospital of Basel

Klinikum 2, Cantonal Hospital of Basel

Newly constructed green roof on the Klinikum 2 of the Cantonal Hospital of Basel, built in accordance with the city's new guidelines on green roofs and urban biodiversity; Photo Courtesy: Stephan Brenneisen

Project Name: Klinikum 2, Cantonal Hospital of Basel
Year: 2003
Owner: University Hospital Basel
Location: Basel, Switzerland
Building Type: Healthcare
Type: Extensive, Test/Research
System: Custom
Size: 32307 sq.ft.
Slope: 1.5%
Access: Accessible, Private
Submitted by: Greenroofs.com and Hochschule W?denswil

Designers/Manufacturers of Record:
Designer: Dr. Stephan Brenneisen, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Institute of Environment and Nature Resources

First season of vegetation; Photo Courtesy Hochschule W?denswil

The designers? intention was to create "bird paradises" but they also attract spiders such as the Cicindela campestris, a rare and endangered species, which great for the insect hunting birds.

Different substrate depths (6, 12, and 20 cm) used to create various vegetation forms as a basis for the colonization of diverse fauna on the Cantonal Hospital roof; Graphic Courtesy: Stephan Brenneisen

The Klinikum 2 Building (Clinical Center 2) of the University of Basel contains four greenroofs: starting at the top roof is an extensive sedum mat greenroof; off the forth floor is the research greenroof highlighted here; and a 3' deep intensive greenroof at the third floor encircles an interior ground level intensive courtyard garden.

Reconstruction of the 30-year old roof of the Klinikum 2 fourth story roof resulted in a research greenroof in 2003. Spearheaded by Dr. Stephan Brenneisen, he designed a space to encourage and test biodiversity. Substrate materials include regional soils, sands and a sand-gravel-loam mixture, designed with different levels.

Different micro habitats provide living areas for many local plants and animal species, and the entire roof has been left to naturalize, with no maintenance. The vegetated roof contains two large gravel areas for birds as well as tall grasses, sedums, and the "Basel Mix" of seeds. Large branches are included in the design and provide cover. The roof is monitored for birds, spiders and more.

"The Basel area is part of the central European mosaic of warm-dry regions and contains their typical flora and fauna. (The main photo) above shows some of the habitat types associated with the area, which have been newly re-created on the green roof of the Cantonal Hospital of Basel. The substrate regimes on this roof ranged from gravel and sand (simulating river terrace conditions) to topsoil coverage (for near-natural dry meadows). The substrate depths were 6, 12, and 20 centimeters (photo in # 4 position). The roof was seeded with a mixture of native annual and perennial herbs, (Brenneisen, 2006).

Additional thumbnail photos:

Download the PDF 'Klinikum 2, Cantonal Hospital of Basel' in English from Livingroofs.org here. Also visit the Urban Habitats article "Designer: Space for Urban Wildlife: Designing Green Roofs as Habitats in Switzerland," by Stephan Brenneisen of December, 2006. For additional info, please contact Stephan Brenneisen, Dr. phil Geograph, ZHAW - Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Institute of Environment and Nature Resources, Centre of nature management-Urban Greening, Competence Centre Green Roofs, Gr?ntal, Postfach 335, CH - 8820, email: bres@zhaw.ch; or Nathalie Baumann, Dipl. BioGeografin, email: bale@zhaw.ch.

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