A garden on a slab with unexpected topograph

Redeveloping the university campus at Jussieu also called for reimagining both the image and function of the campus courtyard. In its former state, this hardscape courtyard was a hostile space, exposed to weather, wind, and hot and cold temperature extremes. Now, the courtyard is transformed into a garden, filled with bold constructed islands of greenery. This on-structure garden is planted above an underground parking lot. The load-bearing capacity, dating from the 1960s, can only support a soil depth of 10 centimeters. The equivalent of 1 meter of soil can only be installed directly above load-bearing columns. Structures of lightweight and composite materials underlay the constructed islands that dot the garden, creating a coherent and naturalistic landscape from the low soil volume.