A new ‘bowl-shaped plant environment’ has been designed for the Vandalorum in Sweden by renowned Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf.

An 850 m² perennial meadow is being incorporated into the space, as well as artworks, rest areas, walkways, spaces for educational activities, and a large outdoor seating area for guests of the museum’s restaurant.

Construction on the 2,500 m² courtyard at the art and design museum in Värnamo begins this month, with completion set for May.

“The idea behind the courtyard is that it should not just be a terrace or an extension of the restaurant, but a place where people can truly immerse themselves in the garden and appreciate both the plants and the surrounding art – a space where one can linger for a while after a good lunch,” says Oudolf, who is known for his naturalistic approach.

He presented the masterplan for the entire 8.4ha Vandalorum site in 2022, with the first phase on the museum’s southern grounds being completed in September the following year.

“Thanks to Piet Oudolf’s dedication, along with strong support from our financial partners, we are now able—just two years later—to realise the second phase of the masterplan, namely the courtyard, which forms the heart of Vandalorum,” says museum director Elna Svenle.

The garden at Vandalorum is Oudolf’s first at a Nordic cultural institution. He has previously worked on prolific projects such as The High Line in New York, Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein, and the restaurant Noma in Copenhagen.