Forma transforms century-old glasshouse into Væksthuset climate classroom

A 105-year-old glasshouse from Copenhagen Botanical Gardens has been taken apart and rebuilt in a new location by architecture studio Forma to create a classroom in the west of the city.

Known as Væksthuset, which translates as "the greenhouse", it is now a plant-filled education and events space with a focus on farming and sustainability. Rescued from the brink of demolition, Copenhagen-based practice Forma carefully dismantled and reassembled the greenhouse over a new substructure and floor using as many recycled materials as possible. It is one of the first completed projects by the newly launched studio, which is led by architects Mikkel Bøgh and Nicolai Richter-Friis. The project began when entrepreneur, activist and BaneGaarden co-founder Søren Ejlersen unexpectedly succeeded in calling off the bulldozers. Ejlersen, a Danish chef was given all five of the glass sheds that formed the old greenhouse, but he only had room for two at BaneGaarden, a former rail yard where nine barns are set in an area of protected woodland. These are now installed at one end of the site, while the other three were sold and repurposed elsewhere. The original steelwork no longer functions as the building's primary structure. Instead, the old frame is hung over a new substructure of significantly thicker I-beams. Even the flooring was repurposed from an old convention center building, while the doors were sourced from a local school. Not all of the glass had survived, but the panels that did were all reinstalled on the side walls. Security glass was then sourced for the roof panels, to ensure they won't shatter if a tree branch falls on them. Inside, it is filled with both recycled furniture and large custom-made planting boxes.