Eight kilometres of green hedges, some 30,000 plants in total, cover the surface of the Ko-Bogen II in the heart of Dusseldorf. Consequently, Kö-Bogen II’s facade hedges were chosen for their microclimate improving qualities: they protect the building against sun rays in summer, and by doing so reduce the overall urban heat in their surroundings. Green spaces in any form also support a higher biodiversity by providing living and breeding space for insects and birds. According to ingenhoven architects, the ecological benefit of the Kö-Bogen II hedges equals that of “approximately 80 fully grown deciduous trees”. In short, an intelligent green concept can provide a valuable mitigative effect of the results of the climate crisis, while also creating a better environment for people to live and work in. The hornbeam is a wonderfully rewarding plant. Robust and non-poisonous, it grows quickly into thick hedges. The positive effects of the giant hornbeam hedges on the inner-city climate are plain to see. The greening prevents the facade of “Kö-Bogen 2” from heating up disproportionately to as much as 70 degrees when exposed to strong sunlight and returning this heat to the ambient air. Here, the plants act as a buffer against heat, stopping temperatures around the new complex from rising. Credit: WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM
