BLUM – Reinterpretation of the Flower Pavilion
The BLUM project is the contemporary reinterpretation of the flower pavilion, developed as part of the complete revitalization, new construction, and reconstruction of the heritage-protected ensemble of the Fürst-Pückler-Museum Park and Branitz Palace. Volumetry, construction, and materiality stand in close dialogue with the historical fabric of the former palace gardening house.
The design builds upon the two existing buildings – the Oberhaus, used as a café, and the reconstructed Blue House, used as a greenhouse – and complements them with three new structures: the flower pavilion, the propagation house, and the connecting corridors. The main use is year-round operation as a greenhouse; during the summer months, the flower pavilion and propagation house can additionally be used for exhibitions and events with up to 50 people. The architectural concept takes its cues from the historical geometry of the exposed foundation structures. All volumes are unified into a harmonious ensemble through a shared eaves line. The connecting structures create short distances between the different use areas and form a covered forecourt as an entrance and gathering space, linking the café garden with the perennial nursery.
The materiality is defined by slender steel frame structures and expansive glass façades. Vines on the façades improve the microclimate and, during the summer months, take on a natural shading function that reinforces the integration of the architecture into the historic park. The building services include automatically controlled windows and ventilation flaps, a base temperature of 5–10 °C during winter operation with snow-melting heating, dimmable lighting, as well as data, drinking water, and service water connections throughout all areas. All buildings are connected at ground level, providing barrier-free access.
Handling the heritage-protected fabric is central to the project: the historical foundations are fully preserved and built over; structural interventions are limited to minor staircase adjustments and minimal terrain modeling. The foundation is constructed on ground slabs with localized soil replacement due to the challenging ground conditions in the area around the Blumensee.
Sustainability plays an important role at every level of planning: a simple, material-efficient construction method, the use of CO₂-reduced concrete, energy-efficient winter operation, and minimal alteration of the outdoor areas. The project brings together heritage conservation, contemporary architecture, horticulture, and sustainability into a sensitive overall concept that interprets the historic palace gardening house as a modern continuation of its original function.
