Parkstad was once a flourishing coal mining city, but is nowadays gaining a reputation of a shrinking city. Ever since the city has lost its core industry, it lacks of a significant identity. One potential, which is also the essence of the park-city, is the diverse cultural landscapes ranging from productive landscapes to urban parks and green spaces formed around medieval castles. However, some of these areas are encroached by development and lack a cultural relevance to the current city.

The new horticulture institute is an alternative building typology that merges the experience of nature and architecture and makes a smooth transition from city to landscape. The area becomes a natural platform that promotes interaction between all layers of society.

Students and children have lively and playful after school activities, elderlies have the opportunity to actively interact with society, farmers share their knowledge about the region and visitors from outside the city enjoy a unique experience of Parkstad. Finally, the landscape becomes a cultural archive where the stream of time, the story of people and the identity of Parkstad can be vividly discovered.