The DrivHAUS Building, also known as the Administration Building with Rooftop Greenhouse, is a notable architectural project in Oberhausen, Germany, designed by Kuehn Malvezzi. It integrates offices for a public job center with a translucent urban greenhouse atop a brick warehouse-style structure.
Design Features
A central vertical garden courtyard, created with landscape architects Atelier Le Balto, connects the five-storey brick base to the lightweight steel-framed greenhouse above, featuring a zigzagging roofline. The galvanized steel trellis supports plants across floors, with walkways, a staircase, and balcony offering city views. Exposed materials and high ceilings in the warehouse-like offices allow flexible future use, such as conversion to apartments.
Sustainability Systems
Warm air and CO2 from offices feed the greenhouse to boost plant growth, while rainwater and treated greywater irrigate the vertical garden and support research by the Fraunhofer UMSICHT institute on building-integrated agriculture. This circular system enhances energy efficiency in the post-industrial urban context near Altmarkt.
Location and Purpose
Located in Oberhausen’s historic center, the U-shaped building blends with brick surroundings on its northern facade while opening southward to reveal the garden structure. Funded partly by Germany’s National Urban Development Projects, it combines administration, research, and public space innovation.
