Aerial Roots – Fact and Fiction in Elevated Landscapes
Greenery in the city is becoming increasingly important. New ways of integrating nature into our living environment are emerging everywhere, but vertical greenery is relatively new. The exhibition Aerial Roots – Fact and Fiction in Elevated Landscapes explores how architects, landscape architects and other designers have sought answers to this challenge over the past ten years.
Opening Symposium
The exhibition opens on Friday 9 October 2026 at 3:00 pm with a mini-symposium. Landscape architects, researchers and ecologists will reflect together on the development of vertical landscapes and discuss the future of greenery in high-rise buildings. What new questions does high-rise development raise for landscape architecture?
From Inspiring Examples to Technical Systems
Through a selection of remarkable projects in Amsterdam, the Netherlands and abroad, visitors discover when vertical greenery can add real value. The exhibition takes visitors from the visible greenery on building facades to the management systems behind it. Sections, mock-ups and material studies reveal the technical systems that make vertical landscapes possible. Aerial Roots raises fundamental questions about the value and viability of vertical landscapes. When are elevated landscapes meaningful and sustainable?
Ten Years of Nature-Inclusive Design
Nature-inclusive design has become an increasingly prominent part of the design and policy surrounding the built environment, but the risk of ‘greenwashing’ is always present. Aerial Roots connects realised projects with the knowledge and experiments that underpin them, while also looking ahead: how can vertical greenery make a meaningful contribution to the continued greening of our cities?
Public Programme
Throughout the exhibition, different perspectives on urban greenery will be explored. During an evening dedicated to cooperatives and green-space management, residents and managers will discuss their relationship with greenery in the city. For professionals, guided tours will offer a deeper look at the technical systems, design choices and management of vertical landscapes. Air Roots – Fact and Fiction in Elevated Landscapes is both an introduction to the surprising possibilities of greenery in the city and an in-depth exploration for anyone professionally engaged with the future of our built environment.