The sensory garden atop the Magneten Activity Centre in Frederiksberg, Denmark, is the winner of this year’s Green Roof Award. The award is annually presented by the Scandinavian Green Infrastructure Association, with the aim of honouring the best green roof solutions in Scandinavia.

Magneten in Frederiksberg, Denmark, is a municipal activity and social centre for citizens with physical and mental disabilities. MASU Planning are responsible for the design of Magneten Sensory Garden, providing users with a safe, green, and recreational space.

The Sensory Garden has just been awarded the Green Roof Award 2023 in the Intensive Green Roof category.

Therapeutic Green in Secure Surroundings

The Green Roof Award is presented by the Scandinavian Green Infrastructure Association, and the jury’s motivation states:

“Foremost, Magneten Sensory Garden is a great example of a green roof with multiple purposes and a strong focus on wellbeing of the visitors and the staff working at the centre. All the people that visit the sensory garden have some kind of physical or mental disabilities and with a roof garden the access and use of the garden can be easily controlled and managed. This inclusive design ensures that all visitors can enjoy the therapeutic benefits of greenery in a safe and welcoming environment. Its innovative design and thoughtful integration of vegetation types make it a great recipient of the Scandinavian Green Roof Award.”

User Needs Form the Basis for the Final Design

Masu Planning are responsible for the landscape project, AI Architects & Engineers are main consultants for the construction, with Møllerløkkegaard A/S as the contractor and Frederiksberg Municipality as the client.
Before the design work began, the team held a series of meetings with staff and users to identify their specific needs. Sune Oslev, partner at Masu Planning, explains how the dialogue process influenced the final design:

“The user involvement process resulted in three overarching themes, which subsequently formed the basis for dividing the garden into three different zones. The vegetable garden includes beehives, fruit, and berries. The flower garden serves as an oasis for users with intimate lounging areas featuring blooming perennials, insects, and birds, while the bonfire garden constitutes a safe, communal gathering point. The three gardens vary in size and stimulate different senses for the well-being of the users,”

says Sune Oslev.

In addition to the special social aspects, biodiversity-promoting measures, and local rainwater collection, subsequently used to water the sensory garden’s plants and flowers, have been implemented.
The Green Roof Award consists of two categories, and besides the Magneten Sensory Garden, Alf Bjelkes Vei 22 in Oslo by Nord – Nordic Office of Architecture is the winner in the extensive category.

Learn more about Green Roof Awards here: www.greenroof.se/award


Project Data

Landscape Architect: Masu Planning
Total Consultant: AI Architects & Engineers
Contractor: Møllerløkkegaard A/S
Client: Frederiksberg Municipality
Area: 1,000 square meters

Photo: Kirstine Autzen