Garden of Communities Pavilion l Hello Wood

Architecture, Cultural Buildings

The Garden of Communities is an installation of art that honors the historical and cultural significance of the Veszprém-Balaton area. Together, the 116 communities competing for the title of Veszprém-Balaton 2023 European Capital of Culture built this pavilion as a testament to their partnership. Hello Wood has already produced public art with a charitable purpose, most notably the Christmas tree-shaped Sledge Trees exhibited in numerous European towns briefly before being dismantled and the sleds donated.

The Garden of Communities Pavilion’s Concept

The design team behind the VEB2023 program has created a custom planter box for every community that prominently features the city’s name on one side and a seedling within. One hundred sixteen planters comprise the Garden of Communities in Veszprém, the epicenter of the European Capital of Culture 2023, promoting the everlasting ideals of communal togetherness.

The irregularly formed planters produce a magnificent public exhibition space. Guests can stroll the Garden of Communities pavilion and read the names of the towns and places with special meaning to their ears, drawn there by the juxtaposition between the geometric architectural shapes and the lush foliage.

In this biodiverse vertical lawn, regional tree saplings planted in crates grow and flourish along with the passing of the seasons. Foliage kept thriving thanks to the in-structure computerized irrigation systems. Moreover, the Garden of Communities’ intricate design offers vegetation varying exposure to the sun, wind, and precipitation; this makes it possible to grow trees of different kinds in areas most suited to their water and sun requirements.

The location’s legacy as the home of one of the most prominent furniture firms in the region for approximately 120 years also played a significant role in the planning process. In remembrance of the past, the planter boxes are sided with recycled larch timber from the recently rebuilt Drechsler Palace in Budapest, which dates back nearly 120 years. Along with the historical allusion, the utilization of vintage components helps the piece stand the test of time.

Four years from now, the communities will receive their planters back, and the seedlings will have plenty of time to establish themselves as living symbols of the solidarity of 2023. The Hello Wood Architectural Summer School and Festival will return between July 6 and July 15, also within the larger context of the EKF 2023 initiative, but this time in the awe-inspiring setting of the Zalahaláp Basalt Mine.