Wintercircus, the former Mahy garage in the center of Ghent, will reopen its doors in 2024 after years of neglect. The rooftop garden design by landscape architecture firm Omgeving makes optimal use of the sightline towards St. Bavo's Cathedral. This sightline begins from the inner terrace and transitions into corten steel and a water feature in the garden. The combination of water, corten steel, and greenery creates a unique look. The rooftop terrace, with steel plates that transition into benches, was realized by Naturoof.

The plant selection is low-maintenance, with sufficient water buffering to minimize irrigation needs, except for the shrubs and multi-stemmed trees. For this project, we supplied large multi-stemmed Sorbus Dodong trees. These trees are perfectly suited to the robust materials and green surroundings of the rooftop garden. With their striking form and beautiful autumn colors, they provide a stunning visual contrast to the corten steel and clean lines of the design. They contribute to the biodiversity and ecological balance of the garden, and their positioning is carefully coordinated with the underlying roof structure.

The green roof is part of an experience space with a pop-up bar overlooking the terrace. The asymmetrical garden, rich in details, is a contemporary addition to the historic Wintercircus.

Photos: Naturoof